Corona Paranoia - Myth Busters!

"I have a fever since two days, am I going to die of Coronavirus?"

Not every fever is Covid-19, other infections still exist for us;

Malaria, typhoid, dengue and regular flu viruses still hover around,

Don't let this fear of COVID drive you into the ground.

"I've been coughing since the past 1 month, am I losing my lungs?"

Unlikely even though the pollution is almost gone to its lowest rungs;

Most likely it's a regular cough or your smoking habit or even reflux,

Don't let it make you isolate yourself from family, that really sucks!

"My nose is running, I've been sneezing a lot, have I got it?"

Yes, you have, the common cold that is, still far more likely;

Don't ignore it but don't go into a frenzied meltdown just yet,

Get yourself to a doctor and place a well calculated bet!

"My whole body aches, my joints are sore, this is the virus for sure!"

Of course it is a viral illness, but not all of them are Corona remember;

The old viruses are still as just as infective as they once were,

Take regular treatment, stay home, stay safe and have no fear.

"I've got this rash on my skin, I read that this could happen too?"

Sure it can, especially if you avoid bathing in the lockdown;

Maintain hygiene, eat well, stay hydrated and do what you should do,

It's mostly a fungal infection, it'll spread quick and make you frown!

"There is no way I can eat ice-cream, are you mad, I'll get sick!"

You might if you can't handle cold things, but not from the virus you picked;

There is no harm in eating an ice cream in the summer, just stay cool,

Know your body and don't believe in rumours, don't be a fool!

"I went for a walk, now I have to strip, bathe and drown in sanitizer and scrub"

Calm down, my friend, wash your hands, by all means use a good handrub;

But try and think, were you in contact with anyone or anything, 

If not, don't worry, your risks are as minimal as the bathroom sink!

"There is no way I can order food from out, I'll get infected!"

Sure you can, but mostly it'll be a bad tummy that will put you to bed;

Food is prepared at a temperature that kills most viruses and bacteria,

The same risks stay as before, ordering in keeps the same criteria.

"I don't believe a word you're saying, this is just to fill your blog"

Probably true, you've got better sources I'm sure that you can log;

Like that whatsapp forward, facebook post or youtube video that you see,

and then, Google is always there for Doctors with whom you disagree!  

Bite the bullet

This morning was supposed to be a light day with nothing planned in surgery and a light out patient appointment schedule. The Monday blues were shot out of the park with an interesting visitor from overseas.

This Somalian gentleman, all of 24 years, presented to the out patient clinic with his interpreter asking if we could get him an x-ray. A funny request I thought, albeit a suspicious one, what will the entire world going crazy about Covid-19.

I decided to spend a few minutes asking him for his history to get to the bottom of the situation. Turns out, he had no respiratory symptoms at all. In fact, he had no symptoms whatsoever. He was feeling quite well and cheerful. What he did have was this!

He did show me the entry wound which was at the back of the right shoulder! This was along with 2 other wounds in close proximity. The story unfolds as follows. He was shot while attempting to flee. He didn't mention what or who he was fleeing from. Just running. He was shot at 3 times, 4 years ago. 2 bullets were removed and the scars with suture marks are there to prove it. The third bullet was in far too deep for the medical team there with limited expertise to tackle. They left it in his body. He has been living with it for the past 4 years.

There is no way to believe anything he says because he uses his lack of language to the best of his abilities. Could he be a somalian pirate, could he be local law enforcement, could he be an innocent bystander that got shot.....I will perhaps never know.

What I do know is that the poor man accepted bullets as part of his life style in Somalia. The way in which he described the situation and being shot made it appear that these kind of shootings are common place in Somalia. He was nonchalant about it, was smiling, was more than willing to make a police report as he was informed that we would have to do a medicolegal report before we could proceed further. He says this happens to many people back home. He was shot when he was 20. They have kids as young as 14-16 getting shot in Somalia.....and all we worry about is how to keep the dreaded Corona Virus at bay!

Post Edit: CT Scan Images