The agony and the ecstasy of the drink of the Gods. ND Amarasekera

The agony and the ecstasy of the drink of the Gods

A personal story

By Dr Nihal D Amerasekera

 “In beer there is freedom,

 in wine there is health,

in cognac there is power,

and in water there is bacteria.” —Anonymous

 

Fermented beverages have existed since the neolithic period 10,000 BC. Alcohol has played an influential role in many ancient cultures and civilisations from China to Egypt. Romans even had a God of wine, Lord Bacchus. The Greeks had Dionysus, God of wine and ecstasy. 

Many of us are social drinkers. Alcohol is a drink that reaches the parts of the mind to mesmerize, captivate and enthral us. The amber nectar can reduce inhibitions and make social interactions easier. At the opposite end of the spectrum alcohol has the propensity to create mayhem, destroy families and ruin lives. It is almost impossible to predict if a person will remain a social drinker or turn into an alcoholic. This uncertainty together with the sinister dark side of drinking there are strong enough reasons to remain teetotal. Many of the religions forbid the consumption of alcohol.  There are many in the world who abstain and sip nothing stronger than aqua-minerale. 

I’ve been a drinker for much of life. I remember with such clarity my very first drink. It was Christmas and I was an inquisitive 14 years old spending a holiday with my cousins in a rubber estate in Warakapola. The grownups were merrymaking and the booze flowed freely. They all had a late night and were in a deep slumber. My cousins and I raided the drinks cabinet. We drank far too much than was good for us and were sick as parrots. It was a lesson learnt the hard way to regulate and pace our drinks. 

The drinking culture is well established at universities. There is a tendency to feel excluded if one doesn’t drink.  As a fresher there is much peer pressure to drink and also to drink in excess. It is a perfect breeding ground for alcohol addiction. As I joined the medical faculty drinking started with the rag and continued into the infamous Law-Medical cricket match. During the match booze was dispensed from barrels, an excuse to drink in excess and misbehave. This was more youthful exuberance than hysterical nonsense. This culture somehow drifted seamlessly into the final year. There were many boozy evening parties held at the faculty’s Men’s Common Room. This was our paradise where we felt liberated. It was tremendous fun. My abiding memory of those parties is the music and the dancing in various stages of inebriation. I never missed an opportunity to join in the fun. They will always remain a wonderful memory of the happy and carefree days of my youth. I admire and applaud the few who had the courage of their convictions to remain sober and still enjoy the fun and the frolic of those parties. Some had a glass of ginger ale to create an optical illusion!! 

My father enjoyed a drink but I have never seen him drunk. While I was at University, he sometimes offered me a drink. But I was too shy and too respectful to drink with him. After I qualified as a doctor, we enjoyed a tipple together. He always poured his own and allowed me to do the same. Father seemed to love this ritual. I think it gave him immense pleasure. 

The early 1970’s wasn’t a particularly happy time in my life. I was working at the Central Blood Bank in Colombo. I pined for friendship to forget my troubles. I became a pillar of the Health Department Sports Club at Castle Street. The Club was a magnet for health workers who loved a drink and a chat in the evenings. There I was never short of company. I can still remember the bar, the ambient lighting and the soft canned music that played continuously. We talked politics, philosophy and careers and a multitude of other fascinating subjects that were made compelling by the amber nectar. Cheap and cheerful, Arrack was our drink, it seemed to soothed my pain. On an evening It gave me immense pleasure to walk through those familiar portals of the Club. A day that stands out in my memory is when a few had gathered around the smoke-filled bar. On that warm evening I sat with my drink over-looking the shimmering lights of the surrounding buildings. As the night wore on a young lad strummed his guitar and began to sing those well loved popular songs of CT Fernando, Chitra and Somapala and Sunil Santha. I remember well his beautiful rendition of that all time favourite “Tika venda nala,  konde kadala”. The cleverly parodied sensuous lyrics were an instant hit. As I walked to my car that evening I could still hear the clapping and the slurred voices in the distance. 

At times, I realised to my horror, I was there at the Health Department Sports Club for a drink all on my own. This wasn’t a good sign. Living with my parents I was never short of sound advice although much of it went unheeded. It is easy for alcoholism to take hold insidiously. What hounded and heckled me often was a short verse in our pharmacology textbook by D.R Laurence. In his brilliant description of the treatment of alcoholism was the sombre lament of an alcoholic who had accepted the inevitable “Doctor, goodbye, my sails unfurled I'm off to try the other world”. 

My life then was on a spiral of decline. What finally saved me from seeing pink elephants was the constant nagging of my parents and the news of the MRCP(UK) Part 1 examination to be held in Colombo for the first time. The latter gave me an opportunity to focus on a worthwhile ambitious project. I had to buckle down to some hard work and also to move away from the tight grip drink had on me. Giving up the carefree life I loved was a colossal task. Good friends and friendships are worth their weight in gold. The energy, enthusiasm and the sheer determination of my ambitious friends at the General Hospital Colombo steered me in the right direction. As I burnt the midnight oil, crystal clear Labugama water became my favourite drink. Success at the examination was a defining moment in my life. I had finally left my troubles behind and celebrated with friends, where else but at my beloved Health Department Sports Club. Not many have the good fortune to return from the brink as I have done. 

Moving to work in England required a work ethic and self-discipline. The onerous routines of ward work and on-call duties kept me busy and fully occupied. I had to remain sober to study and appear for professional examinations. Then came marriage and a young family requiring self-restraint. During those years alcohol was a rare luxury. As the children became teenagers nearing 18, we enjoyed a drink together as a family. Drinking then was confined to wine although my preferred drink was whisky. Watching cricket has always been my passion. I have such fond memories of the exhilarating effects of Champagne watching cricket at the Lord’s cricket grounds, bathed in the summer sunshine. 

Reflecting on my years in hospital, I recall the busy hustle and bustle of patient care.  The hospital is also a place of friendship and camaraderie. The doctors often gathered together for joyful soirees, formal dinners and posh parties. At those events no expense was spared. The drinks flowed freely, they were lively, entertaining and most memorable. By then drinking and driving had become a serious crime. We all have learnt to drink sensibly. Those who let their hair down and drank a few more for the road, were taken home in taxis. 

Retirement left time on my hands. There is now a great desire to have a drink in the evenings to help while away the time.  Alcohol does give an extra boost when watching sports or a film or listening to music. I have found to my disgust that I cannot now tolerate alcohol as much as I did in my youth. The hangovers are more unpleasant and tend to last longer.  Despite all that I still enjoy a drink. For my age I need to take greater care to protect my health.  I have learnt to enjoy and appreciate the seraphic peace of sobriety during the week, enjoy wine at weekends and whisky only on special occasions. 

The drinks industry worldwide is huge and they support a well-established drinking culture. With drinking so widespread it is important that we are all aware of its hazards. Education is key and is a long term commitment to make us all mindful of the risks and benefits of drinking. This should be done in schools and universities. Religious leaders can play an important role too. There has been much publicity in the medical literature about the calamitous consequences of drinking. The safe limits are quantified in units. I take a cue from the experts for advice and would recommend visiting the website  https://www.drinkaware.co.uk  Much more can be done by the media to bring this issue out into the open. I have often wondered, if I knew as a teenager, what I know now about alcohol, whether I would be a teetotaller today. 

Life is tougher now than in my youth and certainly more competitive. Navigating through life can be daunting and even traumatic. Through my own experience I realise how easy it is to depend on alcohol as a helpful prop.  I know for certain that in reality, alcohol can never shield me from life’s problems. Drink can so easily spiral out of control and drift into the path of no return. 

I remember with much nostalgia and great sadness the many school friends and medics who died of alcohol related illnesses. Bernard Randeniya was my best pal at medical school. He brought warmth and humour to our lives in the faculty. He was intelligent and altruistic and had a meteoric rise in the profession to become the head of the Cancer Institute at Maharagama. Bernard I knew was a social drinker, perhaps only a tad more social than some. He passed away with great dignity age 58. Bernard was a devout Roman Catholic. His faith gave him much comfort during his final illness. He was talented and had much to offer society. May this brief narrative and the message for restraint and education be a dedication to his memory. May his Soul Rest in Peace.

Zita Perera Subasinghe’s book on Poetry

Zita Perera Subasinghe’s book on Poetry

Dear Colleagues,

Our much admired, loved and valued colleague who absolutely needs no introduction, has written many poems, quite a few of which have been posted on our Blog. Her son Rohan has taken the initiative and published a book of her poems. It can be downloaded or a hard copy can be obtained through Rohan.

Zita has selected the Charity “Cancer Research UK” for donations on her behalf and I have sent the link to many of you in our WhatsApp Group and also by Email. I hope that ALL of us will contribute in whatever we can for such a worthy cause, chosen by Zita.

The link is

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rohan-subasinghe?utm_source=copyLink&utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=rohan-subasinghe&utm_campaign=pfp-share&utm_term=131d0694bc1f45188fc49777e43e155d

or

http://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rohan-subasinghe 

Zita states in her Foreword, “I started writing poetry when I was in my teens, and after many lapses where nothing got published, I have now managed to make a collection of poetry of different subjects which are in this book.

I would like to thank my son Rohan for his help and encouragement in making this compilation possible by his constant support.”

Zita is one of our most regular and dedicated supporters of the Blog. She is one who recalls our Batch life with nostalgic joy and gratitude. She is unique, and we are so lucky to be in her company.

Here is a verse from a poem she wrote to welcome the New Year, typical of her positive attitude, and posted in our blog on 31/12/2014 called -

“What was it all about”

The New Year sows a brand-new seed    

A glimmer of hope, a peaceful dawn

But it’s down to thought and deed

Of every man, woman and child born

 

Let us not be sullen or sad                         

A new vision! New Hope! New Dawn!

The sun is shining, let’s be glad

As we greet the New Year’s morn

 

Mahendra “Speedy” Gonsalkorale

The London Reunion August 28th 2022

The London Reunion August 28^th, 2022

Nihal D Amarasekera

I have unilaterally decided to omit the “MINI” and call it a London Reunion as there is no other bigger than this gathering.

Sakuntala Balakrishnan, Dhushy Vedvanam,, Dharmini Makalanda, Pram, Susheila, Jimmy, Maheswary Nadarajah, Sunil, ND, Bora, Attale and Jeyaratnam

As it was late August, autumn was knocking on the door. But it was sunny and dry when we met up on the 28^th of August at Satay House, just a stone’s throw away from the Paddington Station.

The reunion kicked off in grand style. There were smiles, hugs and handshakes all round as we entered the familiar portals of Satay House. Before lunch Pramilla gave us a short but stirring spiel about “Maatha”, a non-political project to support Sri Lanka during these hard times. Pram most generously distributed Sri Lankan chocolates to everyone with Lord Naseby’s name on it for his unstinting help and support for our country for over 45 years. The lunch was sumptuous as always and we appreciate the friendly service.

There was the obligatory photo shoot as the smartphones popped out.

The conversation flowed freely and it was indeed a joyous meeting of friends. We did reminisce but much less than on previous occasions. Of course, there were some juicy tales, naughty stories and embarrassing moments sufficiently embellished and narrated in style. There was much talk about mutual friends of how they are, and also where they are. The passage of years has taken its toll. Our own aches and pains did take centre stage, but briefly. Despite the ebb and flow of life in retirement, we have all learnt to accept the status quo and enjoy life and family.

Once again, we must thank Pramilla for arranging a yet another fabulous reunion. The success of the event was due to the goodwill and the support of all who attended. The expectation is that we must meet again.

Rose Moore and Indrani have always made a genuine effort to join us for which we are most grateful. Our thanks to Dhushy and Sakuntala for their presence and friendship. Mohanlal, Narada and Nilani are most welcome as always.

After the warmth, fellowship and bonding  I felt a tinge of sadness saying goodbye to all who had gathered on this sunny afternoon.

Attendees (21)

Jimmy Wickramasinghe

Harsha and Harshi Boralessa

Susil and Rupa Attale

Sunil and Sirima Abeysuriya

Dharmini and Amala Makalanda

Rose Moore and Indrani

Susheila Thyagaraja

Dhushy Vedavanam

Sakuntala Balakrishnan

Mahes Nadarajah

Jeyaratnam

ND Amerasekera

Pramilla Senanayake

Mohanlal Fernando

Narada Wijeyatilaka

Nilani Gajawira

More paintings by Chirasri Jayaweera Bandara

More paintings by Chirasri Jayaweera Bandara

I am delighted to post more paintings by our Chira. She says this will be her last post, but I hope I can change her mind as her many contributions have been so refreshing and have helped to enrich the blog.

Chira never had any formal lessons on painting and just started painting by looking at pictures on the internet. She started painting with watercolours first and went on to acrylic later and has never used oil paints, nor has she done any black and white painting.

Chita is a great exponent of cross-stitching, and after she did six, her daughter Anjali encouraged her to take up painting as another hobby, and she provided her various items required to start painting about three years ago.

The first painting she did was a rosebud, and it came out well and was praised by several people. This prompted her to do more and more paintings. This skill, although not taken up till then, was clearly always in her as she discovered a certificate given to her for a painting she did when just 8 years old, by The Royal Drawing Society U.K. stating “very good”. 

Her detailed and colourful paintings are a treat to behold.  As an eye surgeon, her dexterity has been admired by many. Professionally, as we all know, she is  one of four eye surgeons in our batch, the others being Cassim, Zita and JGW.

I like to thank Chira for her many contributions to the blog. I hope she continues to paint as she is so good at it and hope she sends some more.

Mahendra “Speedy” Gonsalkorale.

Personal memories of Dr N.A.J Niles- N.D.Amarasekera

My personal memories of Dr N.A.J Niles, Consultant General Surgeon at the National Hospital in Colombo, 1958-73

By Dr Nihal D Amerasekera 

Dr N.A.J Niles was born in Manipay in 1913. His father was a District Judge. After his early education at Jaffna Central College, he moved to Wesley College (1928-32). There he had an outstanding career, winning several prestigious awards. After being successful in the Cambridge Senior examination, he proceeded to the Ceylon Medical College.

He came from a staunch Wesleyan Methodist background. His religion meant a lot to him, and it made a deep impression on his life. This also shaped the way he approached his medical career. He considered his skills as a God-given gift and used it in the service of humanity. 

Remarkably diligent, Dr Niles had an illustrious passage through Medical College. He won the Rockwood Gold Medal for Surgery at the final examination. In 1936 he qualified as a doctor aged 23. He proceeded to England in 1940 and was soon successful in the FRCS (Eng) examination. On his return to Ceylon, he served as a surgeon with great distinction, working in several hospitals in the ‘out station’. Dr Niles was appointed surgeon to the General Hospital Colombo in 1958. 

I first saw Dr Niles when he drove his posh Humber Hawk into the school drive bringing his sons to Wesley College. His elder son, Wesley Niles was in my class in the 6th form. 

Dr Niles worked as a general surgeon. Among his contemporaries were Dr Noel Bartholomeusz, Dr L.D.C Austin, Dr Clifford Misso and Dr P.R Anthonis. He was hugely popular and deeply respected by his consultant colleagues in the General Hospital Colombo. His photo hangs proudly in the Consultants’ Lounge at the National Hospital as a thank you for his dedication and service to the hospital and his patients. 

Tall, suave, sartorially elegant and articulate, he could have been a matinee idol.  Dr Niles’ photo brings him back to life with a flood of memories. I met him in 1964 when I started my clinical work as a medical student. He taught me Surgery until I qualified in 1967. This was a time when the Surgeons and Physicians in hospital benefitted enormously from private practice. Dr Niles was one of the few consultants at the time who never went out of his way to enhance his private income. Hence, he was never party to the competitive bitterness that existed in the realm of private medicine. Not chasing after money made him a minimalist, proceeding to surgery only when all other less invasive treatments have failed. He was a fine dedicated surgeon who gave his all to his patients whether they were fee-paying or not. His surgical skills were exemplary. He worked tirelessly and with great empathy for the benefit of his patients. He had a brilliant mind, but his erudition was lightly worn. 

Although he might appear tough at first meeting, this was misleading. With his fine ability to teach and educate, Dr Niles took on his duties as a tutor seriously. He trained and educated us in the basics of surgical diagnosis and treatment in a way we could remember. He explained, simplified and clarified. We recorded in our notebooks his insightful nuggets of wisdom. He taught the students in a rather avuncular manner that reflected his personality. I vividly recall his unstoppable flow of conversation. His talks during ward rounds were amusing and educational. In the harsh environment of medical education of the era, he showed us tremendous kindness and sympathy. This is not an attempt to deify Dr Niles. Very occasionally, his fits of fiery vexations would shatter the serenity of the ward. And in the blink of an eye, it was all over. His kindness always shone through. 

I remember working in his ward as a student. He was a natural storyteller with a wonderful talent for mimicry. He mimed the pain of a gastric ulcer by holding his abdomen, squirming and rotating his body. For the colicky pain of kidney stones, he writhed and wriggled his torso to one side. These amazing gifts he possessed added colour and lightened the endless burden of hard work in the ward. Dr Niles was a born entertainer. His teaching ward rounds were delightful theatre. They were witty and spiked with surgical humour. He had a multitude of funny stories about his experiences with patients. A student asked Dr Niles if he would operate on a very sick man. He rolled up his eyes into the heavens and said “this patient wouldn’t be fit for a haircut”. One of his female patients had a long and difficult gall bladder surgery.  He spoke to the woman several days later saying “ Oh Gosh!! It was like going down a deep cavern to reach your gall bladder. I really needed ladder”. She simply whispered her thanks. Once on a ward round, a patient told him he passes ‘piti’ or flour-like stuff in his urine. The patient in the next bed told him he passes sugar in his urine. Dr Niles told them both, you pass flour, and this guy passes sugar why don’t you both join up and start a bakery! These amusing and priceless stories have entered the folklore of the Colombo Medical Faculty. Dr Niles had the unique ability to see the funny side of day-to-day life.  There is a vast repertoire of Dr Niles’ anecdotes which are recounted by those who have been with him. We all adored and cherished his eccentricities, and there were many. He was a legend in his own lifetime. 

As a student, I count myself fortunate to have had Dr Niles as a clinical tutor. He inspired us all by his intellect, competence and courtesy. He provided a tremendous service to his patients. He enlightened and entertained us. His students judged his teaching as superb, while his juniors, assistants and successors attributed to him all the best qualities of a skilful surgeon. He radiated charisma, influence and inspiration. Many will fondly remember his many charming ways, immense kindness as a surgeon and his excellence as a clinical teacher. 

Dr Niles retired in 1973 after 35 years of dedication to the Health Service, leaving a stream of emotions and many happy memories. He never amassed great wealth and lived a frugal life but was forever happy and content. In retirement, he maintained his sense of humour, seeing the funny side of life. Dr Niles remained a warm and friendly person as always until the very end.  He passed away in 1978 age 64, far too young to leave this wonderful world. May his Soul Rest in Peace.

TRANSFORMATION OF GALLE FACE GREEN. Dr Harold Gunatillake

The note below is an extract from Dr Harold Gunatillake’s YouTube video, which I have inserted.

Gall Face Green is very much in the news. 

Dr Harold Gunatillake. MB,BS (Cey),FRCS (UK), FIACS (US),AM (Sing).

is now retired but is very active in publishing books and other articles on Health. He is one of the most prolific Medical writers in the World today. He has his own website.

https://doctorharold.com

He is a humanitarian who tirelessly publishes “Health and Views” publication in Ozlanka ( https://www.ozlanka.com/dr-harolds-health/)  every week and circulates to nearly six thousand Sri Lankan expatriates who live all over the world.

 

TRANSFORMATION OF GALLE FACE GREEN.

The promenade was initially laid out in 1859 by Governor Sir Henry George Ward, although the original Galle Face Green extended over a much larger area than is seen today. The Galle Face Green was initially used for horse racing and as a golf course but was also used for cricket, polo, football, tennis, and rugby. 

The Dutch initially laid out the Galle Face Green to enable their cannons to a strategic line of fire against the Portuguese. One version of how the name Galle Face is derived is that it is from the original Dutch name for the fortifications, in that the gateway which gave access to the Colombo Fort was called the Gal Gate, as it faced southwards to Galle and faas means front, so it means in front of the fortification that encountered toward Galle. Another version is a corruption of the original name for the area's rocky shoreline, Gal Bokka, Gal being the Sinhalese for rock and that Gal Gate meant rock gate. 

The Galle Face Green is the most significant space in Colombo. Over the years, this promenade has been used by the Colombo residents and visitors to the city as a place of recreation, where people are free to walk, meet, have chit-chats and so on. The families get together and allow the children to play without any supervision by the parents.This is a popular destination for children, vendors, teenagers, lovers, kite flyers, merrymakers and all those who want to indulge in their favourite pastimes next to the sea under the open sky. On Saturday and Sunday evenings, the land is busy with day trippers, picnickers, and food vendors selling cooked crabs, prawns, and slices of mango with pepper and salt. 

The first national Independence from the British was celebrated on this ground with a display of fireworks never seen after. That falls on February 4th annually.

Covid in my life - Nihal D Amarasekera

 Covid in my life by Dr Nihal D Amerasekera

 

Self portrait by ND

I retired after an active professional life in hospital medicine. Living in the shadow of a famous cricket ground in London I have watched the game in all its formats to satisfy a childhood passion. Not having the talent to play the game I did the next best thing and became a lifelong spectator.

SARS-CoV-2, the Covid-19 infection began in Wuhan, China in 2019. However, its true origin remains shrouded in mystery. It is the height of irony that the country where the infection began sells to the world the protective equipment, hand gels and masks to keep us all safe. The infection arrived on our shores and spread in waves in 2020.  With crafty mutations and a multitude of variants, the lurgy has remained with us in the UK ever since. The effective vaccinations and the new variants have made the infections less virulent but still very debilitating. Like for everyone all around world my life has been restrained and restricted by a virus invisible to the naked eye. Visits to the cinema and theatre became hazardous. There were no sports played. All foreign travel was on hold. There were successive lockdowns in early and then late 2020. Each lockdown incarcerated and confined us to home with the tragic loss of personal freedom. Life became boring, difficult and mentally challenging. Birthdays, Christmas and the New Year had lost its sparkle without the family.

As I stood by a  hairdressing salon which was shut for the lockdown, a passer-by quipped “It’s all going to get ugly very soon.” Even in the doom and gloom of the pandemic there was some dark humour to raise a smile. The lockdowns were soon followed by various forms of restrictions in 2021. For many older folk, like myself, time is of the essence. Time is an asset we don’t have much to spare. Taking 2 years away from us with restrictions was a tragedy.

In December 2020, UK administered the first COVID-19 vaccine in the world. The well planned and effective vaccination programme was tremendously successful. Following a decline in cases, all restrictions were lifted in March 2022. Now there is no compulsion to stay at home even if someone has tested positive. With it the hand washing, social distancing and mask wearing went out of the window.

I still was wary of the government advice and continued to wear masks in crowded place and public transport and washed hands regularly. To be fair the Health Service advised us to self-isolate for 5 days if we tested positive, to wear masks for our own protection and to wash hands.  They allowed us to use our judgment, and this was not compulsory. Some heeded the advice while others lived their lives as they pleased.

It was a Friday. Watching cricket has been one of my few pleasures in retirement and I’ve never missed a game. We were made to understand that in the open air, like in a stadium, with all that swirling wind the chance of spreading or catching Covid-19 infection was unlikely. I was watching a crucial T20 game. Being seated out in the open I did not wear a mask. It was a fun evening. The stadium was packed with people. Gallons of beer were consumed while I confined myself to a glass of Champagne.

When a team completes the 20 overs it is the ‘rush hour’ at the gents’ toilet. There was huge traffic into a confined place that was poorly ventilated. If anyone had the Covid-19 infection he would be oozing and issuing the virus from every orifice. The virus would swirl in that humidity to infect as many people as possible. Thinking of the cricket that was not going too well for my county, I walked into the gents’ toilet almost in a trance and forgot to wear my mask. I was overwhelmed by the humid atmosphere of the human breath and gasses. Within an instant I realised my folly. By then, perhaps, the damage has already been done.

All Covid restrictions were off. It is impossible to be certain when and where I was infected.  On the Saturday and for much of Sunday I felt fine. Very early on Monday morning I woke up with a high temperature. My mind seemed to be in a muddle. I was hallucinating and seeing the same dream, over and over again. I was sweaty and uncomfortable and slept poorly. Later that morning I developed a severe sore throat. My nose ran like a tap. The body ached as if I had been in the boxing ring with Mohammed Ali. As I got off the bed I felt like a Zombie and was rather unsteady on my feet. I tested positive for Covid-19 on a lateral flow test. Rather than lying down and looking at the ceiling I preferred to sit in the lounge and watch TV. My mind was not at all clear that day. From time to time I dozed off in the sofa. There were gastrointestinal symptoms too of nausea and diarrhoea. I had lost my appetite. Bouts of headache came and went all day long. My aches and pains were controlled well by Paracetamol taken 8 hourly. I was pleased to see the end of the 1^st day. My 2^nd day of Covid-19 was similar to the 1^st. Knowing what to expect and how to deal with it, I coped much better. On the 3^rd day I felt no change. Interestingly the infamous symptoms of the loss of smell and taste which were synonymous with the original infection were conspicuously absent.

I was eminently aware of the dangers of Covid at my age and began to worry. What was foremost on my mind then was the question “when do I call for an ambulance?”.  I had read that worsening of the symptoms, shortness of breath and a reduction in the blood oxygen saturation were the ominous signs. My symptoms and signs have been static. My breathing was normal. I had no proper pulse oximeter, but my Apple watch indicated my oxygen saturation was 97% which was in the normal range. I weathered the storm for yet another day.  It was not until the 4^th day that I felt marginally better. I was now on the mend.

 On the 5^th day I felt well enough to take a short walk. As I set off, I soon realised my muscles had lost some of its tone and power. Walking certainly needed greater effort than before. The tiredness that has built up during the height of the infection tends to linger on. I still needed some paracetamol for body aches and for the occasional headaches.

 Covid-19 has the propensity to affect every organ in the body. Pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), multi-organ failure and septic shock, are the common causes of death. One in five Covid-19 patients get mental health problems. I experienced an inability to concentrate at the height of the infection, but this soon disappeared as the infection cleared. The potential serious consequence of the illness is a source of stress and anxiety to many.

 Most Covid-19 sufferers get better in 10 – 14 days. Those who are fully vaccinated have an easier ride. The headaches, cough and muscle pain can linger on for several weeks before clearing. For a minority of Covid-19 sufferers symptoms can persist for several weeks or months when it is called Covid-19 syndrome or long Covid. Many antiviral treatments have emerged which are said to shorten the period of infection and infectivity. They also seem to have the ability to prevent hospital admissions.

This narrative is intentionally not meant to be a treatise on Covid-19. It is merely a patient’s story, a description of my symptoms, its rapid progression and a synopsis of my suffering. The media depiction of the current variants of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 as mild and like a simple cold is far too flippant and fanciful. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even for those whose infection lasts just 5 days, those days are long, could be disastrously debilitating and utterly exhausting. Although fewer patients need hospital admission, people should be under no illusion of the unpleasant nature of the challenges it will pose.

Do all you can to avoid getting the infection in the first place. Vaccinations, mask wearing, hand-washing and social distancing still remain as the backbone of personal protection against Covid-19.

 The pandemic has changed life for us all. It has brought widespread changes to the way we live, work, play, and stay healthy. For some the drudgery of the daily commute has stopped. Zooms have replaced formal meetings. Online shopping and home deliveries are now well established. Telehealth and telemedicine is now the way healthcare is delivered for the many. Covid has overwhelmed our lives and monopolised the media since it made its debut in 2019. When it all seems never ending, I seek the wisdom of the Persian poet, Rumi “This too shall pass”. Let those prophetic words bring us joy.

We have not experienced a pandemic for a hundred years. Initially no one knew how to deal with it. I am personally immensely grateful to the government that got to grips with the situation swiftly and to those in healthcare for developing a vaccine so quickly. I extend a generous thank you to those dealing with the enormous task of mass vaccination. Hospitals were overwhelmed and bore the brunt of the burden. The doctors and the staff saved so many lives by their expertise and dedication. My heartfelt thank you to everyone who has helped in this most difficult of situations. I simply wish the WHO played a more dominant role and was far more proactive as an organisation in the battle against this pandemic for the greater benefit of the developing world.