When 56-year-old Hymavathi was brought from Nellore to the city for treatment of COVID-19, neither the doctors nor her family doubted the possibility of her recovery. They anticipated a short hospital stay and then return home.
The morbidly obese patient, who had no other co-morbid conditions, arrived at the hospital a week after being infected. However, a repeat CT-Scan showed a severe lung involvement.
“Such people usually succumb within three to five days. It was a little unprecedented, as also the fact that the patient, in the last 20 days of treatment, did not need a ventilator,” said Balaji Ravilla Baskaran, director of Noble Hospital, where she was treated.
The doctor said he was impressed with the determination with which Hymavathi battled the disease. “She maintained her breathing all through the hospitalisation and did not go on ventilator support. On Friday she managed to walk, maintaining her oxygen levels for 15 minutes,” he said.
The hospital had initiated her on a low dose of steroids and followed the protocols laid for treatment. Her husband, a jeweller, had also been diagnosed with the infection but he had recovered despite being morbidly obese, Dr. Balaji said. When she came to the hospital her disease was progressing. But in the hospital after 14 days since the disease commenced it started plateauing, he said.
The patient was put on a lean and liquid diet to keep her on oxygen mask. “She conserved all her energy to use it to breathe,” Dr. Balaji said.