Shielding chat continues - thread 2

[AuntieSocia1]

Shiny new thread for anyone shielding.

You can vent/moan/cry/chat/lurk whatever you need.

@FuzzyPuffling. Great minds, I've just about got the last finishing touches to put in place in the garden room, its painted a darkish blue with gold and jewel coloured velvet furniture with a touch of leopard print ;) Carrying on the theme would work brilliantly. My husband thinks I've lost the plot buying an inflatable mattress but he will see!

@plus3. I'm really sorry to hear that, hopefully you can find a temporary setting that is more safe for you and it can be another skill set to add to your bow, until the time comes you can safely return to your ward.

Oh @plus3 how awful, I can’t imagine how you must be feeling to hear that. I’m one of the “lucky” shieldies as I’m already non-working so don’t have a return to worry about.

what a miserable day today is with the weather. I am out in the world today as i have to travel into the next city over for some tests at the hospital, im both excited and dreading it as i havent been further than my local hospital since march

I too am a 'lucky' shielder in that i dont work so i have nothing in that regard to worry about although part of me wishes i did as it would be something to be looking forward to at least. Truthfully, it all feels a bit bleak right now, im glad i have my new dog to help keep me a bit more occupied right now, hes given me something to focus on outside the pandemic and my lack of good health

opps, I have achieved nothing so far! I have had a good long catch up with my best friend on messenger and am currently waiting for the Drs to call as I've been called in for a smear. The nurse is going to advise me what procedures are in place to keep me safe. Weird one but the thought of it made me cry, and I'm not bothered by smears, it just feel huge after so long in an isolated bubble at home.

@plus3 no wonder you feel frustrated. I really hope someone with some imagination can find you a fulfilling role until you can go back safely.
Today I am mostly planning and recording lessons for the children who are not back at school yet. It’s nice to have a routine and a job to do but it is soul destroying when all your colleagues are doing the job you actually want to be doing and you can’t. It’s so dull with no interaction. But I know I’m in a very fortunate position so I shall keep my moans to myself.
Well @Redcherries that all sounds a bit fancy and lovely! Yes to many throws and cushions - oh it’ll be so comfy and gorgeous.
On the weather front, next Thursday is forecast to be 31 degrees here 😳 Might get online in a bit and order a new fan. Mine squeaks and it drives me to distraction.
So what’s the odds on it being our briefing tonight? Feeling sceptical here. I think it’ll be the Big Summer Catch Up announcement.

@ midgetem do you mind me asking what your transplant team said? I asked my consultant when she rang but she was very cagey! Mine is a liver transplant but I’m under the renal team too because the immunosuppressants combined with my condition are ruining my poor kidneys.

I fall in the 'lucky shielder' category too - I feel a bit less alone knowing there are others here!

Beeb news site has a bit about a campaign for a 'shielding hour'

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/health-53083614/coronavirus-we-need-a-designated-shielding-hour

There's a petition at
www.change.org/p/boris-johnson-we-need-shielding-hour

I’m not wild about a shielding hour, though I can see the attractions.

I’d rather see ‘keep 2m away from strangers’ as a default outdoors instruction, so we can choose where/when/how to exercise and be no more at risk from passers by as were are now

Especially as (once this damned ankle has healed up) I’d the safest time was during special hours, what sort of looks would I attract when I went out for an hours run including sprint sessions? Or a 3hour run including the protected hour?

I raised something like Shielding Hour with my MP and he said he wouldn't feel comfortable telling people when they could or couldn't use the beaches, do he couldn't support it.

I agree iVampire - my main request would be that joggers run around people, or even add a few extra metres distance into their run and cross the street, rather than go for the straightest line possible and within 2mm of a person! Seriously, if out for running, giving people a wide birth is in their ability! As they run from behind, not always know they are there until they see how close they can be without making contact.

Well, that is my experience and why I cannot go out without real fear of male joggers! My limited experience is females are fitter and can run 2m wide of a person!

Rant over!!

Sorry, bit less able for catching up properly. Wanted to offer @plus3 a virtual hug &/or some boops/purrs/snuggles from my cats. That can’t have been easy news, I’m so sorry. See it as your chance to fix PHE maybe?

Was all go here on Tuesday with long-awaited call from vascular surgeon finally happening; a call from Senior Gastro Admin; & then a surprise call from cardiology who have a rather different view from me on how much I’m needing an ECHO just now not that actually managed to arrange it. (Suspect vascular’s MDT meeting got people a bit overexcited about “importance” of them. Sure I’m grand...)
And now I’m needing to curl up & pretend not to exist. Hope everyone’s at least okayish.

Scottish update today shielders can meet up with another household outside 2M apart.

Had just wrapped my head around being able to go for a walk from tomorrow and now this. I feel like I should be jumping for joy but I'm really not. I sound so ungrateful but I think it's just a measure of the mental toll all of this has take.

Hope everyone gets answers today and we can make sense of it all together

We got a mention in the lunchtime BBC news...National Voices saying there's a danger of a two tier society and a lovely young woman (Crohn's disease) talking about her experience of shielding.

I feel weird in that I've no interest in meeting up outside
It's hammering down with rain and I can't expect to meet my elderly parents outside and all my friends are back at work plus I'm working 8-6 every day except weekend
Then the weekends come and people want to be with family or out shopping

And then a shed load more on football. :(

Just been a bit on the bbc lunchtime news about shielders and a campaign to stop us being forgotten because a ‘2 tier pandemic society’ is emerging. You don’t say.
It made a lot of sense. But again, no breath holding for changes.

Cross post there @FuzzyPuffling. She was a lovely lady. Nice piano playing too!

Virtual hug accepted ...

I'm so sorry @plus3 and also sending a virtual hug. What a horrible thing for you to hear. Really hope you are able to find a role for this time that you still enjoy while you have to wait to get back to ICU.

Not holding my breath for a mention tonight, but you never know...

@planningaheadtoday

Hi everyone, do any of you have children about to return to school? What precautions are you taking?

I'm pretty terrified. We have a small single bathroom and no room to isolate within the house.

My DC are going back to secondary school at the end of the month, but only because I'm not living at home at the moment. If I was there they wouldn't be, their school and the council have both made it clear that pupils living with shielders are not expected to attend. Like you, we only have one bathroom and no room to isolate within the house. I moved out in March (I was offered the use of a flat by a very kind friend) for exactly this reason, DH is still working outside the home.

If I were you I would speak to the school and explain, pretty sure your DC won't be expected to attend.

@AuntieSocia1

Scottish update today shielders can meet up with another household outside 2M apart.

Had just wrapped my head around being able to go for a walk from tomorrow and now this. I feel like I should be jumping for joy but I'm really not. I sound so ungrateful but I think it's just a measure of the mental toll all of this has take.

Hope everyone gets answers today and we can make sense of it all together

We in Wales had this at the same time as the relaxation on exercising. But it was stressed that we could rather than we necessarily should, i.e. we shouldn't feel compelled to if we didn't feel comfortable doing so.

Personally I have been to have a socially distanced meal in the garden with DH and my DC and that is all. I'm going again at the weekend, we've ordered a takeaway roast dinner for Father's Day. I can't imagine doing much more for a while.

Ohhh highlight of the day, the red arrows just flew right over our house!
Just turned on ready to see briefing, now know where they were going.

Wasn’t what I came on to post, but hey ho It was exciting

@ceecee32 look up nextdoor.co.uk. There’s a help map on there offering all sorts. Chats, picking up shopping, prescriptions, dogwalking etc. Might be useful for other people too?

@plus3 thats tough, but you need to look after No1, your experience as a much needed professional is not down the drain, just on hold.

@JemilyJ your friend obviously had good intention, but obviously doesn’t get it, is there anything else that would be suitable for you to do?
Bit worried about the carer though.

Afternoon shieldies 🛡

Sorry I've been off for so long. Denial is one of my standard self-defence mechanisms, so I spend a good proportion of my time pretending this isn't happening.

MarieVanGoethem thank you so much for your advice re: lung-clearing toys: I'll raise it with my consultant

iVampire how utterly rotten that your foot is fractured: I know how important that time, space & physical exercise are at the moment.

I wasn't really expecting any announcement from the government tbh, as it seems likely to me that we'll just have to keep shielding until they get this thing under control - if they can. Which is why I'm trying not to think about it too much.

My kids are primary & secondary, & they won't be going back until it's safe for me not to shield any more. If I'd have thought I was putting my mum at risk when I was their age, I would have found it terribly distressing. It's shit either way, so I'm keeping them at home.

I hope everyone is having a reasonable evening

Today’s been good so far. I had a walk in the big outdoors, my first since early April, though we’ve got a secluded garden which has kept me (sort of) sane. Finding shoes and my door key was a bit challenging - the key was in my winter coat! I also ate some posh custard creams, very lovely they were too. We’ve got warm weather here today (Perthshire so warm and dry weather is quite unusual for us). Sorry for all of you with thunderstorms and still waiting for a way ahead from the U.K. government.