“Coronavirus is NOT a death sentence. People can survive and I HAVE!”- Discharged patient

A lady who tested positive for coronavirus has narrated her experience inside the isolation centre in Lagos after she was discharged and was given a clean bill of health on Monday, March 30.

The lady, Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi, who wrote of her experience on her twitter handle, @AyodejiOsowobi, said she contracted the disease during a post-Commonwealth event in the United Kingdom.

Displaying various photographs of what she went through in the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba, Miss Osowobi said for now, she had conquered coronavirus.

“Life finds ways of throwing LEMON at me. I’ve struggled with coming forward, but I want to inspire hope. I returned to Nigeria from the UK post-Commonwealth event (I totally enjoyed) and fell ill. As a responsible person, I self-isolated. Days after, I TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.

“Before returning, I had planned several interviews, I was scheduled to start a fantastic consultancy job & was also expecting to sign a contract worth million. I lost them all. I had to self-isolate and also inform people I came in close contact with to get tested.

“My friend & I kept calling @NCDCgov to get tested? What if we didn’t persist? No info on my test result. At 12am, an ambulance was at my house. I woke from sleep and was crying. I got to isolation centre, but no one was there to receive me. I waited in the ambulance for TWO HOURS.

“The nurses eventually came out and treated me like a plague. I sat in the ambulance feeling rejected. No questions about how I felt. So many questions about my travel history. Same information I had provided to NCDC and Lagos State Government during profiling. Lack of data sharing!

“After two hours, I was taken to my space. I felt lonely, bored and disconnected from the outside world. Few days after, another patient came in. We bonded. Days later, patients trooped in. “Are people observing self-isolation & social distancing?” I was so scared for Nigeria.

“The next days were tough. No appetite. The nausea, vomit and stooling were unbearable. I’m a blood type A & #COVID19 dealt with me. I’ll share daily symptoms & recovery process in a video tomorrow. I thought I was going to die and contemplated a succession plan for @StandtoEndRape.

“I was on drugs daily. Sometimes, I‘d take eight tablets in the morning, 13 tablets in the afternoon, 10 at night. My system threw everything out! Water, food, soap and all disgusted me. But I’d look at the wall and force myself to stay hydrated — drank ORS. I FOUGHT TO LIVE! I FOUGHT!!

“Days after, the doctors shared good news that I tested negative. I shared this news with family and friends! My blood sample was taken and I also tried to donate my plasmapheresis to help others. I hoped to be discharged. I waited to be discharged, but for two days, nothing happened.

“I was unsure of what was going on. Why haven’t I been discharged? Should I be in the same ward? Could I get reinfected? I was worried but remained calm. On the third day, doctors said, ‘well, we worked with the info we had of you testing negative, but one result came back positive.’

“‘…You’ll stay a few more days. You know we take nose, mouth and sputum samples.” “Am I still positive flushed face?” I asked. “No, you’re negative,” the doctor replied. The doctor apologised for the delay. I was anxious to go home but remained calm. I wanted to be free from this pain.

“I continued the medication and asked to be in a separate ward. Sadly, I remained in the same ward as all others rooms were full. My ward had people who were positive. What if I get re-infected? For them, I was a beacon of hope and they needed me gone to register the progress.

“My family and friends were becoming anxious. People in my ward who earlier celebrated the news of my result suddenly lost hope. “Why are you still here?”

“You shouldn’t be here with us. You should be separated from us now…” People in my ward muttered. I tried to calm them.

“Today, I am PROUD to inform you that I MURDERED COVID-19 and have tested NEGATIVE TWICE! I HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED! I bless God for His mercies. The nurses at IDH Yaba were fab. They deserve accolades for their hard work. Thank you, Governor, @jidesanwoolu for coming to see me.

“Thanks to @ProfAkinAbayomi, the health team at IDH + Lagos State. The food was good! Smiling face with heart-shaped eyes. Thanks to @dondekojo for helping me get help. Thanks to my chat buddy, @akintonmide. Thank you @KelechiAFC & @lailajohnsonsal for the mental & material support. They protected my identity! Smiling face with heart-shaped eyes.

“Huge thanks to my family, @Triciabiz & Sola Odetola who were my backbone. Smiling face with three hearts Some stigmatised me based on a newspaper article with subtle messages like “why did she come back to Nigeria?” Face with tears of joy. Nigeria is my home. Coronavirus is NOT a death sentence. People can survive and I HAVE!”