An ophthalmologist at Jallianwala Bagh Martyrs Memorial Civil Hospital, Rakesh Sharma, who had tested positive for Covid-19 on July 25, believes that keeping oneself mentally strong is the key to recovery. Sharma, who remained on ventilator support for four days, has now resumed his duties. The Civil Hospital has recently emerged as a hotspot for Covid infections as atleast 20 employees have tested positive. Talking about his Covid experience, Sharma said: I experienced trouble in breathing, so I got an X-ray done. It did not identify any problem, so I got a CT scan done. It revealed minor issues which prompted me to get tested for Covid. Sharma said a few days after developing symptoms, he lost his appetite. A patient may lose appetite but one should not stop eating. I continued with my meals as earlier, having regular quantity at regular times. Avoiding meals would cause weakness which is harmful in such a situation, he said. After spending eight days at a hospital, Sharma isolated himself at his home for nine more days. He said people generally believe that once a person is put on ventilator support, there is no coming back. If you believe that it is the end, it certainly is the end for you, but if you are positive, you are surely going to come back stronger, he said. He said patients, especially those admitted to ICU, are prone to develop psychosis. With no one to talk to from the family, patients feel depressed. I was lucky as my children and my wife would visit me and motivate me. They had to wear PPE kits as a precaution. Support of the family is crucial for patients, especially the elderly, said Sharma. He said a positive attitude towards life certainly helps. It is a disease and anybody could be infected by it. Society as a whole, must lend a helping hand to patients and their families. The attitude of most people towards patients is not appreciable and it needs to be changed, he said, adding that with the government now allowing asymptomatic and mild-symptomatic cases to isolate at home, patients would feel more lively which would help them recover fast.