A founder member of the Amritsar Vikas Manch and a retired teacher, Prof Mohan Singh (86) suffered two heart attacks in the past over one year. Still, he along with his wife, Jasbir Kaur, a prominent Punjabi writer, came out victorious in their fight against Covid. He shares his experience.

"A positive set of mind, besides proper medication from medical experts and old Bollywood songs of golden era help us in tiding over these difficult times," said Professor Singh.

Though I would like to owe my recovery to vaccination, the love, affection and concern shown by the family was also a positive force. It was my wife Jasbir Kaur (84) who was first tested positive for Covid-19 on April 12. We immediately shifted to the residence of my daughter at New Amritsar for self-quarantine. Three days later, I was also found to have contracted the virus.

Sharing his experience, he said in November 2018, he suffered cardiac arrest which was timely tackled. "Three stents were inserted in my arteries at that time," he said. Last year also, when the lockdown was first imposed, I had a congestive heart failure. Nevertheless, following intensive hospitalisation, I recovered and came home during the curfew imposed by Punjab government. Another massive attack came earlier this year.

In April, I Icontracted the virus. The situation compounded with Jasbir's simultaneous infection.

As an avid reader, books had always been my companion; we decided not to let the negative thoughts impact us. We kept ourselves engaged in reading and writing and sharing opinions on different topics during constructive discussions. Listening to old Bollywood music was our best past time during period, he said. Prof Singh retired from Post Graduate Department of English in Khalsa College here in 1995.

(As told to PK Jaiswar)