“I had Corona!”

Story by Radj Ramcharan, project leader at the Stichting Lezen en Schrijven (Foundation on reading and writing) and secretary of the ASHA Foundation in Utrecht, The Netherlands

Radj Ramcharan didn’t feel well and after a medical examination he turned out to have Coronavirus. He spent a few days in the hospital. After a recovery period he looks back on a very tough time.

Mr. Ramcharan is an active Hindu in Utrecht with various social activities, such as tutoring secondary school pupils for their homework assignments, meetings for elderly Hindus. He is also very involved in the ins and outs of the Hindu temple. He is also politically active with the CDA, the Christian Democratic Party in the Netherlands, both in the city of Utrecht and nationwide. All these activities are in addition to his full-time job at the Stichting Lezen and Schrijven (Foundation Reading and Writing). He is known as being always energetic, involved and never sick!

The Holi festival

At the beginning of March, he didn’t feel well all week. In the evening he had fever, chills, a headache and especially muscle aches in his lower back. “I mainly used paracetamol and thought it would pass. It just went on and on. Radj suspected an emerging flu.” In the meantime, daily life continued and so does his professional work, volunteering and private life. This just happened to be the of week the festival of Holi, the annual Spring festival for Hindus. “I was present at two big festivities; partying and having fun, meeting many acquaintances, shaking hands and embracing them. But my flu didn’t go away and suddenly it went frighteningly fast! Radj had terrible pains down to his bones. “I’ve never experienced that much pain,” he said afterwards.

In the afternoon he called his brother, who is a doctor in Utrecht. “He inquired about my complaints and advised me to call the family doctor’s clinic. I had to be taken there and waited outside in the car, at a school gym. After half an hour an assistant came to pick me up.” He wore a mask and gloves on.” After a short intake exam, he was referred to the Diaconess Hospital across the street for blood tests, heart film, blood pressure and lung x-rays. “I was very anxious and wondered how this could happen. I was told I had to stay in the hospital for a few days. For me it was a very intense day, being away from home and now in the hospital.”

Infected

After a day the message came that Radj was infected, it was a light form. His respiratory system was not affected. “Immediately after the results I tried to report this to everyone I had been in contact with. With the request, in case of complaints, to report to the general practitioner”.

By now family, friends, acquaintances and colleagues had heard that I was in the hospital. I got so many messages and religious videos on my phone. He received prayers for his recovery and messages saying: ‘you can’t die yet, you still have so much to do!’ “Utrecht’s Mayor Van Zanen called me. He had access to all the patients who had been admitted there and he got permission to call me. We had a nice conversation. Surely, it’s special that, in addition to his work, he showed such a warm interest in his citizens”. After three days, he was allowed to leave the hospital to follow strict home quarantine with his family for two weeks. “At home my wife had had the flu for two weeks, but she was already recovering. All she had was a bad cough. Luckily, our daughter didn’t have anything”.

My mother turned 78 yesterday. I surprised her with flowers and balloons. She was happy to see me after a month. She had called me every day during my illness.

Radj looks back on a rough time. It seems so unreal, a bad dream but at the same time there are beautiful initiatives and actions in the neighbourhoods: shopping for neighbours, cooking for the elderly and being ready to serve others. I personally am very grateful to my family for the care and attention I received at home. I am also grateful for the enormous care and help of family, friends, colleagues and especially the doctors and nurses. They are my heroes!’