chennai when 76yearold r madhanagopal suffered a stroke his wife rushed him to a nearby hospital it was only when routine screening was done that doctors realised he had tested positive for covid19 but admitting him in a covid care centre posed a huge challenge for madhanagopal who is hypertensive diabetic and has cardiac problems also suffers from mental health issues thats when his wife 66yearold lalitha stepped infor eight days she remained by his side in the corona isolation ward taking care of him till he was discharged and asked to remain on home quarantineon june 19 my husbands speech became slurred and he had difficulty moving his right side says lalitha a resident of red hills who contacted her husbands cousin dr gopal who lives nearby he felt it was a stroke so we took him to a nearby hospital where they confirmed it they ran other tests also and the next day they said he had covid19her first reaction was fear i wanted to take him back home and look after him but doctors told me that he has to be hospitalised says lalitha who tested negative the couple was taken to the government hospital in ponneri i decided that i wouldnt leave his side because he is helpless without methough lalitha is herself in the vulnerable age group doctors decided to let her stay with her husband in the ward for covid19 patients due to his mental health issues he doesnt sit in one place he listens only to his wife so we decided to let her stay says gynaecologist dr anu rathna lalithas neighbour who also works at the government hospitalthe next eight days were tough for lalitha though they were given a separate cubicle screened off from the rest of the ward she had hardly any space to lie down i washed our clothes ensured he took his medicines and ate it was difficult at times as he is used to having tea often and got upset when he couldnt get it she says adding that she spent the nights sitting by his bedsideshe also wore a mask at all times and took all the immune boosters that doctors gave her since she was at risk we gave her multivitamins and siddha medicines says dr rathnasince madhanagopal was asymptomatic he was discharged after eight days and asked to be on home quarantine for two weeks health workers check on us and we remain indoors i am just glad we are back home says lalithawas she afraid of contracting covid19 whats there to be scared if you have to get it you will get it i have looked after him so many years this was just one more time she says