Still recovering from the loss of a loved one, the Guptas’ energies are now focused on their youngest member who has been diagnosed with a rare disorder that affects his mobility
(From top right) Omkar, Uma, Umesh, Abhijeet, Ramgopal and Panna at their residence in Rupavira Chawl, Kokani Pada, Malad. Pic/Satej Shinde
Having even one family member infected with COVID-19 is a daunting prospect. For the Gupta family, it was not one, but six of them fighting the disease. Their worries compounded when five-year-old Abhijeet was diagnosed with a rare condition, Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), that affected his mobility.
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It started when COVID-positive Shani Shriniwas Gupta, 34, was admitted to Nair hospital on June 1, 2020. Shani’s distressed wife Uma, 30, called her brother Omkar, 28, to help. Omkar, who works in the pharma field, lives with his family in Malad’s Kurar village. Without a second thought, Omkar went to help his sister in Worli but little did he know that it would set off a chain of infections.
“That’s the worst part of the disease. You can’t be there for your kin. We took all possible care but we lost Shani on June 9. Then we all started falling ill one by one,” said Omkar. “I was aware that my sister and nephew might be infected too. I found a place in Malad for them to stay in quarantine. I provided them food and made trips to the hospital,” Omkar added. After the day’s running around, Omkar would go home to sleep. “This is probably where I went wrong, although I had been taking precautions,” he said. They weren’t even out of mourning when Omkar’s mother, Panna, 50, started having trouble breathing around June 13. “I remember admitting her to the hospital on June 14,” said Omkar, who with his father Ramgopal, 54, tested positive. They were sent to an isolation centre. Only his brother, Umesh, 30, was uninfected.
By July end, the family was back home, recovering; Panna carried around her portable oxygen cylinder. Uma, too, had moved in with them. Just as they were gaining their strength back, Abhijeet, Uma’s son, was diagnosed with GBS. “He started getting very tired initially. Then he started losing control over his body. He would fall while walking or standing, moving his hands got difficult for him. It took some days to get to a final diagnosis but when we did, we felt the ground slip from under our feet,” said Omkar, adding that they are not sure if it was because of COVID that Abhijeet got the disorder that affects the immune system.
Abhijeet was admitted to Wadia Hospital on August 13, 2020, where he underwent treatment for almost three months. He has regained physical movement partially. Physiotherapy can help him regain full movement. “He cannot move properly from below his waist. All our energies are focused on his recovery and keeping his morale up. He has a long life ahead and we just want for him to be independent and strong,” said Omkar, ending the chat with a prayer.
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