Sashidhar Adivi
Deccan Chronicle
Recently, actress-producer Charmme went through a harrowing experience when her parents tested positive for the Novel Coronavirus. After undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Hyderabad, they have been discharged, and are currently in home-quarantine. Charmme opened up about the disturbing experience.
The actress told us that since the lockdown began in March, her parents have been staying alone in Hyderabad. She has been ordering all the essentials for them, and ensuring safe delivery, as she was very particular that they should not go out in these dangerous times.
“Trust me, they haven’t stepped out,” she said, adding that, as she has been travelling on work, she has been maintaining social distance from her parents at her house, given their vulnerability.
“I did all I could to make sure that my parents stayed safe. But the colony where they are living in was inundated with flood water in the recent rains. For the first time they stepped out, to distribute food to the flood victims,” she said.
That night her father developed high fever. Since Charmme was away on work, she could contact her parents only over phone. She persuaded him to undergo a COVID test, and when the result was positive, she had him admitted to hospital. “The doctors said that I brought him just at the right time, when the symptoms were mild,” she revealed.
Later, her mother too developed symptoms and tested positive. “Generally, I am a tough woman. But I just couldn't see them lying ill in bed. My parents are my strength and my weakness. This ordeal was tough to handle. I was down and emotionally low,” Charmme shared.
She relied on support from her friends and colleagues and drew on her own inner strength to cope. Although her parents are yet to test negative, doctors have asked them to stay in home-quarantine for two weeks. Revealing that there were 15 deaths due to COVID-19 in her friends’ circle, Charmme said she has been advising her friends to quit smoking and avoid going out as far as possible.
