Moms, children battling covid together

Motherhood is the toughest, especially during uncertain times like these – when the world is looking around the pandemic. We talk to mommies who have either tested positive or have kids who have caught COVID and how they dealt with the crisis.
‘I decided I’ll not stay stay away from my kid During this time
“My heart broke when my six-year-old son cried while doing the swab test.My husband, daughter and I had to hold him still to get it done,” says Lucy Costa, from Panaji. “Initially, he had a slight cold and was shivering. When the results were out, he was positive, and I was negative. All those days I held him close to me and slept. I didn’t bother if I got the virus – this is what mother’s love is. Though there was a lot of panic, we decided to go through it as a family. We started watching funny videos and movies to keep a positive vibe at home. I feel that after contracting the virus, our family has bonded better.”
‘I cannot wait to hug my daughter Again after I recover from COVID’

You cannot keep a mother away from her child, even if they are battlling the life-threatening virus. Vanessa Almeida from Varca too believes in this mantra. “After my 10-year-old daughter Guinevere tested positive, I stayed with her throughout. Her father took up all the house chores – cooking, cleaning and everything else. I was informed that my daughter will get better soon, but I will surely get infected – which I did. I now have isolated and I chat with my daughter on Snapchat and she tells me from the other room, ‘Mama, I love you’. That gives me the courage and peace to recover,” she says.
‘My Daughter became my priority and i had to get well Soon'

Samita Sethi, a new mom from Canacona, says after she received the test results, which were positive, it was a rollercoaster ride. “Since I’m a new mother, I was a bit worked up after the report. My one-year-old daughter Tishya became my priority. She developed a fever up to 103 degrees and had a rash all over her body. Even though she was going through all that pain, she didn’t know how to convey it to me and didn’t cry. That really melted my heart. Otherwise, she is such a happy baby. My heart sank when I saw her that way. I knew I had to get well soon, so I could take care of her. Yoga helped me recover too.”
‘My Daughter has been my inspiration TO RECOVER FAST’

“I’ve never been away from my daughter, but after testing positive, I had to keep her away from me. The pain of separating your baby from you is the most difficult thing you can go through. I sat and cried in my room, and it was surprising that my five-year-old daughter Keosha could sense it,” says Melina Dsouza, from Nerul, who tested positive along with her entire family, except her daughter. One day she asked me, ‘Mama, why is no one laughing and playing?’ I was shocked. I decided that I should look at the positive side, be happy for her. Another day when she heard me crying, she came up to me and said, ‘Mama, don’t be sad, everything will be fine, you will be okay.’ These words have been an inspiration,” Melina adds.
‘I had to stay strong For the sake of my son’

Sabina Pereira from Quepem, whose 16-year-old son developed a slight fever, gave him the entire set of home remedies, until they decided to go for a COVID test. “When the tests came out, my son, husband and in-laws were positive and my eldest son and I were negative. I had to be strong for my youngest son, Stasio. He was isolated in another room, but couldn’t leave him alone. I missed him so much – these days, I have stopped watching TV – there is so much negativity. I was very sacred of what the future had in store. We are praying that we get over it soon.” She has also kept up with all home remedies like drinking kadha, steam inhalation, and neem water bath.