Chat for those who are shielding

[AuntieSocia1]

Apologies for the very unsnazzy title but as it suggests a place to chat for those who have to shield at the moment. A few of us have been talking on the the Shielding after lockdown thread in the coronavirus topic.

Thought I'd put this in chat as some days I'm guessing we'll want to chat about anything other than coronavirus!

I know all of our circumstances are quite different as well as the reason we need to shield but it's a pretty big thing to have in common. Despite my username I look forward to interacting with you and as my username suggests I might also slink off from time to time!

Am no longer in the shielded group. Last week, I was a pregnant woman with 'significant heart disease', now I'm not. I delivered my twins dead at 20 weeks.

@LapsedVeganAcademic I'm really bad with words and knowing what to say but my heart absolutely goes out to you. I'm so so sorry for your loss. I hope you have people with you for support x

I do. Thank you.

My GP surgery are running blood tests so that as a shielded person you get the first appointment of the day. You wait in your car, ring reception- they then send someone out in ppe who takes you in the side door. I’ve got one next week so I’ll see how it goes.

I had a hospital appointment last week and that was well run, I only saw one other patient. Again it was the first appointment of the day, staff in ppe inc the consultant. It was reassuring although I was concerned that my kidney are so shit that they felt a face to face appointment was necessary!

I’m also nervous about what happens when everyone else is set free out of lockdown. Can they expect shielding indefinitely?

@LapsedVeganAcademic I am so very, very sorry to hear that.

Oh LapsedVeganAcademic - log and hugs to you - there are no words I can say - look after yourself xxx

Oh lapsed vegan I am so very very sorry. I cant even touch the edges of your grief but I am thinking of you and your babies. X

Oh @LapsedVeganAcademic I am so so sorry.

@LapsedVeganAcademic no words 💐💐💐

No text here about prolonged shielding. Is it just Scotland?

I'm so very sorry LapsedVegan, so much for you to be going through. I hope you can have a proper funeral for your twins. Do be kind to yourself xx

I was only thinking about options that may make life easier last night BatSegundo . I decided we should have an hour a day when the parks are reserved just for those shielding. Not sure how you police it - maybe you have to show your shielding letter along with ID, so someone can't 'borrow' it. But then what about those shielding without a letter?

I also think that ultimately it will be okay to have shielded 'bubbles'. We have been shielding for 8 weeks (not set foot outside of our own garden) as have my elderly parents a few miles away. Could there really be any risk in the 2 households meeting so long as we haven't come into contact with ANYONE else?

I also think that for those shielding if face masks were mandatory it would help an awful lot - at least reduce some of the anxiety when we HAVE to go out. For anyone interested I have one of these masks preorder.cambridgemask.com/shop/pro-mask/preorder-the-admiral-pro/ (no affiliation) they are washable fabric but they have unique military grade carbon fabric in which is supposed to filter out 99.9% of virus particles - so as well as protecting other people, unlike most other masks, they also protect the wearer.

They are sold out at the moment (unsurprisingly) but they are taking pre-orders to be dispatched in August. As we'll most likely still all be shielding then, it may be worth ordering now for later on. I have just ordered another 2 for my parents.

@LapsedVeganAcademic I am so very very sorry for your loss.

@LapsedVeganAcademic I’m so sorry. I didn’t see your post when I posted mine, I’d read the thread then posted later.

@ LapsedVegan, got no words,just my heart goes out to you.

An hour in the park would be lovely @Pebble21uk I live opposite one. So close and yet so far!

Anyone else had a street party outside their house today? Very strange with all my neighbours (who are lovely people) starting out nicely socially distancing and gradually forgetting about it as drinks were taken. Kids out too and parents rapidly gave up on trying to keep them apart. We live right on the street and it was weird seeing it all going on outside my window and not being able to join them. Horrid for my kids seeing all the others playing and not being able to go out. This is what it's going to be like, isn't it?

An hour in the park is the dream!

My thoughts are with you @LapsedVeganAcademic

Anytime would be devastating but it is particularly cruel when you can't seek the comfort or your network in person. Please stay connected with the ones you love though and you can always chat here too and someone will be listening x

@UnholyStramash I'm in Scotland and haven't heard anything about an extension. I didn't get my first letter until a week into April though. I'd been shielding even before lockdown though as my consultant told me I would be in the higher risk group. It really seems inevitable doesn't it.

@OneNightTimeMenaceStrikesBack I had a rocky few days too. Hope better days are coming but the uncertainty is so hard

Can I join.

I had my shielding letter about a wk after lockdown. Surprised as I thought I was ‘only’ at moderate risk so I was working right up until that last Monday, my employer had made a half heart attempt at implementing some social distancing measures but he really wasn’t taking any of it seriously.

I am really lucky where I live and I’ve been able to go out for a walk, I’m next to miles of open countryside. I’ve had to do this for my sanity. I suppose for me I class myself in the lower risk half of the shielded group, I’m on immunesuppresents and my immune system is compromised but I’ve worked for about 3 years with this medication, I’m used to stringent hygenev etc although I’m aware that with Covid, we don’t really know what we’re dealing with.

I really don’t know how I’ll feel if they extend the shielded group lockdown. I’ll have to make some tough decisions. Dp won’t want me to go back but I’ll worry I won’t have a job to return to if I stay away another however many weeks! I’m also worried that my boss won’t furlough me of wrk re-opens, employers don’t have to do this, gives some of them a lot of power doesn’t it.

@LapsedVeganAcademic I’m so sorry

@LapsedVeganAcademic my heart goes out to you, I’m so sorry.

I’ve been lurking since receiving a shielding letter two weeks ago, I was shocked as I thought I was only in the less at risk group.

I’m currently on furlough and extremely worried about what will happen when this ends. I’m a nursery worker, still in 6 month probation after starting there in January and I’m worried sick that I’ll either loose my job or be put onto SSP or else nothing..

I’ve been going for a walk at 5am every other day since before I received my letter and this has been my saving grace, I see no-one and touch nothing so can’t see how it could be anything but positive for my mental health.

I really feel for those of you not able to get outside.

*lose

Im so sorry @LapsedVagenAcademic. So truly sorry

@LapsedVeganAcademic I'm so very sorry my heart goes out to you xxx

I'm very late to the thread! Only just seen it. I've had a pretty good experience so far. Got the letter/texts, got the shopping slots and got the parcels.

My GP called me last week and will be sending a District nurse to do my monthly bloods.

I'm shielding with my son, neither of us have been out for 7 weeks.

I'm not massively concerned. I'm under 50, female, white and pretty fit. I'm immunosuppressed bit my lymphocytes are getting higher each month (currently 0.7).

I've been thinking about taking an isolated walk at some point. I think we can do our own risk assessments to know what is right for us.

@LapsedVeganAcademic, I am so very sorry to read that your twin babies have died. I can’t begin to imagine how painful this is for you and your family. While no time is good for this to happen, it must be extra-awful just now with all the restrictions.