CORONICLES: Indian Embassy reached out to me in California within hours of my call for help
I have been assured I can reach out for help in case my health condition complicates.
With a son settled in the US for over 14 years, I have been visiting the country regularly for several years now. But I didn’t ever think I would be stuck in a situation like this.
I arrived in California in December 2019 to spend some time with my son. My wife and daughter stayed back in India. It was all going fine and I was scheduled to return to my home in Delhi on April 20.
On March 19, however, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a statewide lockdown amid rising cases of coronavirus. This meant I was suddenly confined to my house as were the 40 million residents of the state.
Given the fact that I am a senior citizen, I chose to follow the lockdown orders. But staying within the confines of the house started to feel lonely. I was also increasingly getting worried about my wife and daughter in Delhi. The lockdown in Delhi has been strict and I couldn’t help but think about how my family was managing things.
Amid all this, my blood pressure began to shoot up, reaching 90/173 at one point. I rushed to the hospital. They checked my vitals and I paid a bill of US$ 590 (about Rs 44,840) for it. I was prescribed medicines for a month. But the medicines didn’t bring much relief. I revisited the hospital and this time a doctor suggested I go in for a head scan.
I was told the cost of the head scan would be US$ 7,000 (Rs 5,32,000). This was beyond what I could afford. For the first time, I had made the mistake of travelling to the US without a medical insurance.
In a desperate bid for help, I sent out a message for help to Indian Olympic Association president Narinder Batra at about 1.30 am IST on April 9. Within a few hours, I received help, with the Indian Embassy in Washington getting me in touch with a doctor to take care of my case.
I spoke to the doctor over phone and was prescribed some medicines along with a bit of physical exercise. I managed to get the medicines the doctor asked me to have.
I have been assured I can reach out for help in case my condition complicates. I feel rather grateful for the good wishes and help that have been extended to me. I want to thank everyone, including the Sports Ministry and Ministry of External Affairs, for the timely help.
With loneliness overpowering me in my house, I have moved into the house of my relatives who also live in California.
People are not under a very strict lockdown here. One can even find public transport, even though the frequency has been reduced. In California, the situation is not as bad as in New York, and that is why people in the state can be spotted out on the streets in comparatively greater numbers. But they are mostly coming out only to buy essentials or provide essential services.
At grocery stores or huge retail outlets, people are following social distancing norms. The trolleys people use to collect items are also being regularly sanitised to ensure there is no transmission.
My health has improved with the change of medicines and I feel more positive with all the support that has been extended to me. I, however, can’t wait to return to India.
(As told to Vandana)