Dad pens story of beating Covid-19

A FATHER and Covid-19 survivor has turned into an author after he wrote and published his first book, about his story of beating Covid-19, within six months.

Ekurhuleni-based Nolan Pillay launched his first book titled My Covid Journey last month.

The 170-page book chronicles his experience with the disease that has claimed the lives of over 88 000 South Africans, and the techniques and mind hacks that helped him get through a 13-day stint in ICU earlier this year.

Pillay said his Covid-19 journey began in January, when he was on a walk with his wife and had a metallic taste in his mouth.

However, the father said he didn’t think anything about it until he developed flu-like symptoms and stayed at home for about eight days.

“I was perspiring a lot and had aches and pains but I still didn’t want to do anything about it because I thought it was something I could handle on my own. I didn’t think it was Covid,” he said.

On the eighth day, Pillay took a Covid-19 test which came back positive, and he was admitted to Netcare Linksfield Hospital on January 25.

“The doctor said things were not looking good and that sent my wife and son into a shock wave. But while I was gasping for air I managed to say to them, ‘Don’t worry. I will come out of this. I will fight this’,” he said.

He decided that day that Covid-19 was not going to beat him. However, this 13-day stint at the hospital proved to be a lot harder than he expected.

“The ICU was one of the most traumatic places ever. I was sitting there watching people dying and there were operations going on. For four days I couldn’t eat, brush my teeth or go to the bathroom,” Pillay said.

“I’m a transformational coach by trade and for the rest of my stay at the hospital, I practised all the techniques and mind hacks I’ve learnt over the years on myself. I was meditating, doing breathing, visualisation and gratitude exercises, daily prayers and mantras,” he said.

These got him through his time at the hospital and inspired him to share his story, Pillay said.

My Covid Journey is available on Amazon and Pillay’s website at https:// bit.ly/mycovidjourney.