Just when we thought the fight against the deadly virus was over after the 2009 H1N1 outbreak, COVID-19 landed on our shores.
A large majority of us were lucky enough to not be infected by the virus, but some aren’t.
This is the story of a brave lady who battled and survived both H1N1 and COVID-19.
S’porean Who Once Survived H1N1 Now Also Survived COVID-19
A 36-year-old Singaporean religious teacher named Nadia Hanim came out stronger (twice) after battling both H1N1 and the coronavirus.
She had tested positive for the coronavirus on 13 March and became Singapore’s case 203.
She said that she had felt unwell on the evening of 11 March, which was her daughter’s fourth birthday and three days after returning from a work trip to Jakarta.
She felt feverish, her head throbbed and her body ached.
Thus, Ms Nadia sought treatment at Changi General Hospital (CGH).
On 13 March, her swab test results for the virus came back positive.
“I felt numb, dumbfounded, lost for words,” said the mother of two.
“I wasn’t panicking, but my mind was racing. I tried to recall those I have been in close contact with. My first thought was for my children and my husband.”
Her H1N1 Experience
Back during the H1N1 outbreak, she had woken up from her sleep feeling out of breath after having flu symptoms for a few days.
“I was thinking it was just a normal cold,” said Ms Nadia.
She had dreamt that she was drowning.
“I woke up gasping for air. It was as though my lungs were not functioning.”
Her sister who was sleeping in the same room was by her side instantly and called for their father to take her to CGH, which was the hospital nearest to their home.
Her lips turned blue from insufficient oxygen and she slipped in and out of consciousness. According to her, she was on the brink of death.
“I really thought I wouldn’t make it. On the way there, my sister was rubbing my back and shouting for my dad to drive faster because ‘kakak won’t make it’,” she said.
“My lungs felt on fire and my eyes were watery. I was gasping, trying hard to get air in. In my mind, I was telling God that I was ready if my life ended.”
When she arrived at the hospital, healthcare workers rushed her in and took her temperature.
As she blacked out she heard one of them saying that her temperature was as high as 43 degrees celsius.
She tested positive for H1N1 and was placed in an isolation ward. She needed a ventilator to breathe and drugs were administered through her veins.
“The ward I was in then looked exactly the same as the one now.”
Most Worried About Her Children
When it came to her COVID-19 diagnosis, she was most worried about her children as she slept on the same bed as them.
She was also listed as an imported case as she had just returned from Jakarta but she doesn’t know who or where she had gotten the virus from as her close contacts in Jakarta were well.
A few days after isolation, her fever, headaches and body aches remained.
A week in, more symptoms showed up. Her temperature went up again, and she had nausea and diarrhoea.
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“I was rolling on my bed trying to endure the pain,” she said.
She only started feeling better after two weeks and was finally discharged on 29 March after two nasal swab tests came back negative.
When she returned home, she didn’t immediately hug or kiss her kids fearing that she was still infected. She took it one step at a time.
Advises Others To Take The Virus Seriously
She has decided to share her experience to advise others to take the virus seriously.
“It is worrying that there are more cases that have no links,” she added. “This virus can be anywhere and in anyone.”
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She also said that the healthcare workers that took care of her need to be acknowledged for their sacrifices.
We’re glad that she has made a full recovery and we wish her all the best.