COVID-19: A TROUBLED FAMILY NARRATES ITS ORDEAL.
LIVED EXPERIENCE: "THE TROUBLED
FAMILY - A COUPLE WITH THEIR 10-MONTH-OLD BABY"
A family comprising of the couple, who
had recently traveled to India, and their 10-month-old child were admitted to
the COVID ward, after being found positive for the infection. The husband was
35 years old and the wife was 32 years old. Both, the husband and the wife had
minimal physical symptoms during the initial 2–3 days. However,
psychologically, both of them felt angry about themselves, especially about
their decision to come to India to visit their family, cursed their fate, and
would remain apprehensive about the outcome of their baby. The mother would
frequently check the baby for any rise in body temperature and would get very
anxious if the baby would cry. The couple was also very much distressed because
of the non-availability of air-conditioning, which was maintained with less
venting to prevent air circulation and aerosol generation. On the 3rd day of their admission, their 8
years old daughter and the mothers of both the partners (59 years and 57 years
old) tested positive. The mother of the male partner was admitted at our
center, went on to develop respiratory distress, and had to be shifted to the
COVID intensive care unit (ICU). This triggered a deep sense of ‘guilt’ in the
male partner and he started having thoughts that ‘I infected my mother and my daughter', ' Will my mother be able to
survive’, and ‘Will I be able to see her again’, etc. He
started following the updates about COVID-19 infection in India and the world
more closely, started to remain worried and tensed when he would see the
mortality rates/figures of India and of the World in which the elderly are at
extreme risk. His partner would be also going through similar mental issues.
The couple would discuss their worries with each other, would try to reassure
each other. But they would get more worried when they would stay away from each
other (as they were isolated i.e. had to stay in different rooms – a mother
with the baby and father alone). The couple would keep on calling the relatives
to know about the progress of other relatives and check with the hospital staff
about the progress in the health of their mothers/ mother-in-laws. Over the
next 1–2 days, the psychological symptoms worsened and the female partner
started remaining irritable and distressed, would repeatedly ask about her
discharge date. When she was explained that she would be discharged after a
particular time frame, the female partner started arguing with the health care
professionals on duty. Gradually the tussles increased significantly and led to
the intervention by the psychiatrist. The female was assessed by
teleconferencing and all her worries were heard. A diagnosis of Acute Stress
Reaction was considered and supportive psychotherapy was started. Initially the
patient was allowed to ventilate her worries and concerns. This led to a
reduction in her distress and anxiety. Steps were taken to look after the
welfare of the couple, i.e. allowing them to meet 2–3 times a day with
precautions of hand hygiene and social distancing. After 2–3 days, things
started to settle, the mother of the male partner admitted to ICU became stable
and was shifted to the ward. This led to a further reduction in worries and
distress. After 14 days when the couple was tested to check for their COVID-19
status, the husband and wife were found to be negative but to their
10-month-old child was still found to be positive. This led to further
frustration and distress in the female partner. She would remain irritable, get
angry at the staff, and would argue about the credibility of the tests being
done, etc. These issues were again addressed in the ongoing supportive
sessions, in which she was allowed to vent out her anger and was explained
about the testing protocol, sensitivity, and specificity of the test and the
implications of discharging people if they are still positive for COVID-19.
This led to a reduction in her distress. After mutual agreement, it was decided
to discharge the male partner and the female partner, who stayed in the
hospital, along with the infant, till the child became negative for COVID-19
infection. Both the partners are continued on the supportive sessions.
plese look out for the last story of another COVID-19 survivor in my next post.....remember to stay safe, wash hands and social distance....
compiled by OKELLO ELIOT OTWAO
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