Covid

COVID Diaries Day 193 with some Good News

September 23, 2020 by Anne Sweet 7 Comments

It’s been a while since I wrote an update on our life since the outbreak of COVID so I thought I’d let you know how things are going right now, with a little good news too.

None of us have had COVID but I do know three people who have, one pretty badly. My eldest daughter is back working for the NHS in a local hospital. We are hoping it doesn’t get too bad again.

My Chronic Illness and some Good News

With the COVID pandemic my appointments with my consultant have been by telephone only. This has been fine and he even arranged my hospital treatment which went along well, although it was quite surreal being in a socially distanced and masked hospital.

Just before the lockdown in May I had an MRI which showed that my brain had been bleeding and I had a swollen part on my brain. I talked to my consultant and he said it was okay so long as it didn’t get any bigger. So he said I would need another MRI in 3 months to check there was no change. Because of the pandemic the MRI was actually nearly 7 months later and I did start to get rather anxious. Then I had the MRI and the results were really good. My brain is now behaving itself and there was nothing else to report. Phew!

It did make me think though. A lot of people have complained about appointments being delayed and people missing out on vital treatments and diagnosis, especially for cancer. (My anomaly was not cancerous.) I had to wait an extra 4 months for my scan and it was fine….but what if it wasn’t, what if it had grown and become dangerous, what if it had reached the point that treatment had become dangerous? It’s not good for me to think like that, but it does make me think of all the other people who have not had the good news I had.

The hospitals have had it difficult. People are constantly saying that there was never an issue, but I really don’t believe that they would deliberately delay treatments and appointments unless their hands were tied. It’s a really difficult situation and it’s not likely to get any better as we approach even more COVID hospital appointments. I just hope they have learnt a lot of lessons both in the hospitals and the government. Fingers crossed.

Back to School

The Little Man went back to school first but it was a hard decision. It didn’t help that on his first day back he ended up having a really nasty fall and spraining his wrist. He also caught a tummy bug which he kindly shared with us all just as the girls were going to go back! Then I had to spend a week in hospital for my treatment and the whole school situation became a nightmare. We decided to give up on the first week back and start again. The schools were understanding.

So, they all went back and afterwards the Little Man and Boo were happy but Star went to her bedroom and refused to talk to us. She then refused to go to school the next day. I chatted with the school and they said it was ok for her to do a gradual return of just a couple of hours a day to start with.

She went into school, spoke to a teacher and seemed okay. Then she got sick again. She’s still not been back. I’m not sure if her illness (Which I know is very real and physical) is down to anxiety. I am waiting for a call from our GP to try and get to the bottom of it (Bottom being the relative word here!)

The Future

For us, the future will be just taking precautions so that we don’t catch the virus. The Little Man is much happier being back at school, but I know that Boo is struggling (even though it’s hard to get her to open up about it.) And Star is struggling with her health and anxiety. I’m putting a lot of trust in the schools to keep them safe.

My daughter is back at work and Graham is the taxi driver of the house. She used to go to work on the bus but we don’t want to take that risk just yet. Especially as the numbers of COVID cases in our area are really growing at the moment.

My life hasn’t changed much. I don’t get out of the house very often anyway, usually it’s just hospital appointments. It feels kind of sad that summer is over without our summer holiday. We will make up for it next year I’m sure.

I’m still planning Christmas, it won’t be cancelled here. We generally only spend Christmas with our immediate family though. There are seven of us that live here so plenty of company. We do usually have a few relatives around to visit before Christmas but that will probably not happen this year.

So many months now we’ve had this virus hanging over us. We have to carry on with our lives, but we have to be careful too. We should take better care of our elderly population who have suffered so much. I can’t believe how much they have been let down. There is so much that could have been done better, but so much that needs to be done still to help us get back to normal. Some people refuse to accept a new normal, and many will reject a vaccination, but we all need to stand by our choices and make sure that whatever we choose we can always choose to be kind and think of others.

Or maybe I’m a dreamer?

(I’m not the only one!)

Covid Diaries Day 161 – Freedom, a Month Later

August 22, 2020 by Anne Sweet 1 Comment

It’s been a whole month since I wrote a Covid Diary post. Some people think it’s all over because the death rates are going down. Some are marching for their freedom. Some people think it was all a government scam to keep us in control. Yeah, I have read up on this and I really don’t get it. Why would the government of almost every Country in the World make up a virus that kills people and destroys economies?

People have rebelled against having their basic human rights removed. It’s up to them what they where on their face, who they see, where they go and no-one can tell them otherwise. Especially not an invisible virus that only kills a minority of it’s victims. I’m not giving a figure because the figures are a mess, but thousands have families have been affected by this virus, and in my opinion, one family is too much.

Not Affected

A lot of people have been unaffected by this virus, they’ve been able to get on with their lives, continue almost normally, and they’ve not lost anyone or known anyone get sick. They are the lucky ones, but luck can run out.

The things that have been put in place to keep people safe are not for the lucky ones, they are to protect those that are less lucky, the vulnerable in the society, and those that put their lives at risk every day to help victims of this cruel virus. If you’ve not been affected that doesn’t mean that you can’t help others that have.

Freedom

People cry out for freedom, they refuse to be in lock down, they refuse to stop meeting up with family and friends and they refuse to wear masks. They do it all in the name of freedom, their rights to do what they want.

In the larger picture, a lot of people have survived the virus, they have recovered, some well, some not so good. But, it’s proof you can survive. Some have suffered at home without going to hospital and are now almost back to normal. But it’s becoming clearer that this virus can leave long lasting effects.

It’s true that it’s only a minority that end up in intensive care, and die. But a minority of millions of people is thousands. Take Wembley Stadium* full of people and kill them in one go. If there was something as simple as wearing a mask and social distancing that you could do to prevent that massacre, would you do it then? What if one of those people in that stadium was your Grandma? Would you give up a tiny bit of your freedom to save your grandma, or anyone else’s grandma? Do people really care so little?

Off My Soapbox

I have always been an empathetic type. I can’t help it, it’s built into my mindset, it hurts too much sometimes, but I’m glad I care. I talk a lot about my own issues, but in my mind I feel that my sharing is helping others to feel less alone in their issues. Maybe I’m wrong, I’ve often thought that. But, I can’t change who I am and how I feel.

I may even be a snowflake. I don’t care, call me what you will.

Anyway, now I’m off my soapbox I can let you know how the last month has been for us.

We’ve had two birthdays, Boo turned 13 and the Little Man turned 10. We had a little friend around on Boo’s birthday and the Little Man asked her back on his birthday. I also had a visit from a friend and her two boys. We were going to stay in the garden but it was one of those steaming hot summer days and ending up having to shelter from the sun.

We’ve had a couple of days out. One was at Cosford Airforce Museum which was really nice. We spent a lot of time outdoors, but inside we wore our masks and followed the one way system. They had staff on the doors with clickers to make sure that there were a safe amount of people in the buildings. It felt safe and it was a lovely day out.

The other day out we had was at Spencer’s Retreat. We were given a couple of hours on the farm by ourselves which was really nice. Of course this meant we had no contact with anyone else apart from the farm animals.

My eldest daughter went back to work, but she’s only part time at the moment and Graham is taking her and picking her up so she can avoid public transport.

Graham is still the only one going out, he goes to the shops, garage and has been to pick up take outs. He has also visited a friend and his Mum. I don’t have anyone to visit apart from my brother, and he has been to see me a couple of times instead. It’s easier as I have more space. We are being careful, but I think we have dropped our guard a lot too. I’ve noticed Graham doesn’t wash his hands every time he returns home like he used to.

The virus still scares me. I don’t want any of us to get it. I don’t want to go through any of it with any of my family. It’s not gone anywhere, it’s just being controlled. But if we don’t listen and do as we are told then I’m sure it could get out of control again very quickly.

How do you feel? Are you a freedom fighter? Do you think the pandemic is over?

*Wembley Stadium holds a total of 90,000 people and we are no where near that figure in the UK. I could have used a smaller stadium as an example, but this virus has not gone away and we could easily reach the number to fill Wembley if we don’t get it under control.

How to Celebrate Your Anniversary While Social Distancing

June 25, 2020 by Anne Sweet Leave a Comment

2020 has been a very strange and eventful year so far. We’ve all come to learn all about how to behave when there’s a deadly pathogen on the loose, and keeping two metres distant from those around us has become almost second nature. In fact, we may find it uncomfortable, or even anxiety-inducing, to be in close quarters with other people even after the lockdown has lifted and we’re all able to resume our previous lives.

Of course, this all makes celebrating those special moments a little bit tricky. Weddings have been called off, funerals have been delayed, and birthday parties have been scaled back.

Anniversaries, however, are a little bit different. As they’re usually celebrated by two people who might be cohabiting, or even sharing the same bed, the social distancing rules don’t apply.

With that said, not all couples found themselves in this happy situation. If you were just at the early stages of a promising relationship when the lockdown kicked in, then adhering to the rules might have prevented you from spending time with your partner.

two wine bottles in the background with two glasses in front, celebrate

At the other end of the spectrum are couples for whom lockdown has been a particular strain. While you might have been cohabiting with a partner for years, being forced to spend every moment in the same building with them might have been a new experience. Familiarity, as the saying goes, can breed contempt. Throw the stress of housebound kids into the mix, and you’ve got a recipe for serious disquiet.

In either instance, an anniversary can represent an opportunity to remind each other exactly what you’re getting out of the relationship. If you’ve gotten into the same routine, then there are some ways you might use the occasion to break things up a little. So what can you do?

Recreate Special Moments

You’re not allowed to return to that restaurant where you went on your first date, or enjoyed your first meal as a married couple. But you can recreate the significant elements with a little bit of imagination and an online cookery instruction. Break out the best cutlery and light some candles. The nostalgia effect can be powerful, perhaps even encouraging you to spend time reminiscing about the past, and rediscovering why you’re together in the first place.

Invest in Gifts to Celebrate

Buying something for your significant other will help you to demonstrate just how much you care – especially if your gift is an unexpected one. A chocolate hamper will reliably go down well, especially if you’ve been eating well throughout the lockdown. Bunches of flowers tend to be similarly reliable – and it’ll help you keep your local florist in business, too.

Whatever you do, I hope you enjoy your special day.

This is a collaborative post

Covid Diaries Day 101 – Left Behind.

June 23, 2020 by Anne Sweet 7 Comments

I should have written a post yesterday on day 100, I missed that opportunity. So, It’s been over 100 days since we decided to lock ourselves away, a week earlier than most. At the time of writing this we are, here in the UK, are hearing how life is returning to normal with more places opening up. I do feel somehow that we are going to be left behind.

Feeling Better

I do feel better than I did in my last post. But, I’ve just come out of the most horrible headache, not a migraine. My head was just constantly pounding and it was hard to concentrate on anything. I couldn’t look at my computer screen and it was difficult to spend any more than a few moments on my phone. Each day I’d wake with a headache that gradually got worse as the day went on. Then by bedtime I could barely hold up my head. A couple of mornings I almost felt surprised that I’d managed to wake up.

I was worried. I do have a leak on my brain. A subdural haematoma, but it’s not serious. It seems to be something that has healed itself, but I’ve been warned to be wary of headaches. There is a chance that it will ‘leak’ again. But I’ve suffered from headaches all my life, some really bad migraines, and even trigeminal neuralgia. How do I know if what I’m suffering is normal, or my brain leaking again? I get the chance to put that question to my consultant next month. He doesn’t want me to go to the hospital, we are having a telephone consultation. Great, it’s a 9am. I don’t even have to get dressed!

Lockdown Life

The World is still crazy, we even have a horrible attack on innocents in a Reading park to add to the list now. So much horror and pain. My heart goes out to them all.

Maybe we will stay in our bubble at home. Stay as safe as we can.

I did go out. It was my brother’s birthday and he lives in a block of flats. I agreed to meet him in the car park and was hoping to give my wheelchair a spin in park opposite. But I hadn’t charged my battery and didn’t get far. The Little Man got to walk my brother’s dog which he enjoyed. And I got to see my brother and sister-in-law and my niece. And the dog of course.

The Little Man came with us but Star is refusing to leave home.

Boo has been out with her Dad to go to the chemist and they stopped off to buy an ice cream at the shop and eat it in an isolated park.

But these are such rare occasions that we have left home.

It feels like the whole world is carrying on with life and we have been left behind. Left behind at home.

left behind - me in my wheelchair with my brother and my youngest son in a car park. — *visiting my brother on his birthday*

Covid Diaries Day 76 The Future

May 29, 2020 by Anne Sweet 1 Comment

I’ve changed the title from Isolation Diaries to Covid diaries. As of this moment we are still in Isolation and haven’t been out, but the rules are relaxing and we are now one of the few. Things will be changing for us soon too. I don’t know if the kids will be going back to school before Summer, but it’s still a wait and see situation.

It seems for us that everything is a wait and see situation. Thanks Covid!

Lock down Broken

So, the Prime Minister’s advisor broke lock down but apparently he didn’t. But the people say he did, the PM says he didn’t. The people say, it’s there in black and white, the PM says he didn’t. The people say it’s not fair, the police need to do something. The Police say, he would have been warned if we caught him but he’s not being prosecuted. What a shambles. The people are angry so the PM comes up with a new plan. He refuses to talk about his advisor any more and lets everybody have their freedom back.

So, from Monday you are allowed out to meet other people. The rules are clear (haha) as always. You can meet with up to six people from another family. So six teenagers from different families are welcome to gather on the street corner. But, if you have four kids in your family, and two parents then you cannot meet up with the grandparents together. One parent can take three kids and meet up with both grandparents, or one parent can take four kids and meet up with one grandparent. It all makes sense doesn’t it? Doesn’t it? Clear as mud.

You can meet these other people outside in the fresh air. Don’t go to their house, unless you go in the garden. But then you can’t use their toilet, unless you really need to go, then it’s ok so long as you wash your hands. You can have a BBQ together and pass food around. So long as you wash your hands. But it’s best if you just meet in the park because you MUST still stay 2 metres apart…stretch those arms while passing that hot dog or burger! And don’t hug or kiss, no, not even the grandkids. Do you know why? Why you have to follow these rules? BECAUSE COVID IS STILL OUT THERE! We haven’t beaten this virus, it hasn’t gone anywhere. It’s just not spread so much because we have been staying home. (Well, some of us.)

If it all goes wrong then it’s our fault for not following the clear and precise rules and many more will die…you know…just in case the death toll of (currently) 37,837 is not enough.

Contact Tracing and Covid

Covid isn’t going anywhere and contact tracing is the best way of controlling outbreaks. So if you are sick you call 119 or go to the website. Get a test, get the results, and as soon as possible let them know who you’ve been in contact with so that they can tell them to isolate just in case. It’s brilliant. But in my opinion (disclaimer, it’s just my opinion) it’s not going to work.

Here are my reasons for contact tracing not working:

It’s a simple system but way too complicated
The phone lines are already having problems on day one
It relies on the British public to inform of illness, get tested then tell of all their contacts.
It relies on people listening to the warnings that they have been in contact with someone and then isolating
It relies on common sense
It relies on things like computers and phones and people working properly
It relies on people doing as they are told
It relies on people honestly believing that it’s for their own good and not some elaborate government plan to control the population.
It relies on trust and honesty

I’m not even going to mention the app. because what’s the point. No-one is going to download and use it.

Holiday

Oh how I long for the beach, to feel the sand beneath my toes and the cold water of the sea wash over my feet and dissolve my woes.

Only joking! I haven’t been able to walk on the beach properly for over four years anyway, and the last two times I did manage to get my feet in the cold water I went into spasm.

I do love the seaside though and watching the kids play. We have a holiday booked in August in Weymouth. A caravan holiday with a beach nearby, and a big entertainment complex and pool. We love our holidays and this year was important to me because Star is getting older. When my older kids were a year older than her they started going away with friends or their Dad. I don’t think Star will be ready by next year, but then I never imagined my older kids would be either. I was looking forward to this years holiday.

The campsite is making adjustments. The caravans are great for keeping away from other people. The beach is fairly quiet (There is a much busier one nearby if you don’t mind more people) I am guessing they will limit their guests and close their clubs. (the club houses are generally packed to the hilt and we avoid them mostly anyway because they are not good for wheelchairs.) The kids love the amusement arcade, but again, it’s always rammed with people. And the pool will be a no go area too. The shop will be open with social distancing. We can still go but it won’t be the same. Honestly, I think we could be happy spending the whole week in the caravan with a view of the sea and the sea air. We could miss out on the arcades and pool, and eating out (although we love eating out on holiday.) We could still get take outs and have a BBQ next to the caravan. If the beach is quiet the kids can still go and play.

I’m faced with a difficult decision, but I have a month to make it. I’ve been told it will be July 29th week that I will be contacted and asked if I still want to go. As much as I want to, I’m scared.

What we’ve been up to during our Covid lock down

It’s been 10 days since my last update so I’ll fill you in with our week and a half of excitement.

We had another BBQ. The weather has been so warm and sunny and eating out in the garden is so much nicer than sweating away in the kitchen.

Graham cut the grass again. My Willow tree is growing and so is my lavender. I just need my roses to grow now, we have buds. Graham has moved the post so I can see them from the window.

The new garden furniture has not yet arrived…watch the weather change when it does!

I’ve almost finished crocheting the back of my new cardigan and I’ve read three books (or rather listened to them) you can read my reviews on my other blog if you wish.

my crochet done during covid lock down — *My Crochet cardigan*

I’ve been busy working, it’s strange but while I was trying to home school the kids I was inundated with work, but it dried up at half term. Thankfully, I still had plenty to get on with.

We played a new game, Sproutword and you can see my review here. Go take a look it’s great fun.

I can see you yawning now. I am too. So I’ll catch up with you soon. In the meantime here’s my Covid link up thingy if you want to add a post or two.

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