Thread 3 shielding chat

[AuntieSocia1]

I hope this unimaginative thread title doesn't put off all the amazing posters from this group!

As we transition into this new phase things could get interesting....

Waves to lurkers

It's really hard cloudburst... both my partner and I will be expected to be back in school in September (both primary but different schools) My Head has just said let's wait and see where we are in August. My partner's Head hasn't even acknowledged the long email she wrote him yesterday querying how things are expected to work after being told which class she'll have in September.

We think more and more we will have to take some unpaid leave next term.

Had another of those shielding telephone calls today. Did we know we are allowed out more from 6th July ? Yes we had a letter explaining. Did we know shielding will be ' paused ' on 31st July ? Yes that was in the same letter. I do hope his day didn't get any more complicated today

I had one yesterday, they thanked me and my family for our resilience.

I can't imagine going out more. I've been for 4 walks since the middle of March. People I've spoken to have said how the local Asda is crazy and no one keeps their distance. I'd normally pop into Asda on the way back from taking dc to school. I might call in the library, the card shop, Boots, the sewing shop, the health shop, the mini co-op, and the stationers. I know all the staff by name (small town) and always enjoyed a chat with them. It seems a lifetime ago now. It's hard to imagine life being like that again. I shop online and the mutual aid group deliver my order from the health shop every 2-3 weeks. The health shop have flour but Waitrose don't. The mutual aid group will bring me my prescription tomorrow. They've been amazing. I make my own bread and flour is the one thing I've not been able to order with my shopping this whole time.

I wonder if I'll ever feel happy to be out and about again.

Hope it works out ok @Pebble21uk - I am secondary, wishing I was in primary for a smaller sized school and hopefully less room changes. I have to move classrooms every lesson to protect children who will stay in one room. No sinks near classrooms so will have to rely on hand gel - is that as good? And hope I have some good hand cream.

Not offered unpaid leave. They need all staff in apparently.

@Bercows, I feel similarly, will the world out there ever feel safe again? I’ve I’m not hugely sociable - have MH problems as well as the physical stuff - but I was thinking about the things I do like doing. eg going to concerts at the local folk club (in a tiny room, packed with people - we’re in a small town, no idea if they can find another/better venue), going to our local bigger town on the bus, going to cities by train (urgh, no, especially once more people have stopped WFH), going to cafes and people watching, swimming (swimming pools are high risk, unsurprisingly), knitting/yarn shows, groups (no, they’re usually packed out and often aren’t viable if smaller) - buying remotely doesn’t give the same buzz. Oh well, as if Brexit wasn’t bad enough for my plans, this is now the total kibosh. And so I’m back to trying to look positively on what I do have that’s good and I readily acknowledge that. Part of me thinks - phew, l don’t have a job to worry about, but I’d hoped to be back working again by now. The big 6-0 next year, & with all the millions of younger and healthier people seeking work, I haven’t a hope.
Anyway ... sorry, everyone, just ignore my ramblings. Of course I’ll try to make the best of the positives.

I totally get all the worries people have expressed here. Those of you working in schools, I hope better guidance will be provided and carried through, so you can all feel safer.

@AuntieSocia1, I’m not too sure how many changes from Friday will really make a difference to me. Not SD’ing from the family is good, though I’d eased on that anyway. My brother when he’s here will be able to use our toilet. My sons - on the phone today - seem to be taking my shielding more seriously than me and don’t want to come here till after July 31st. It’s quite touching really but I’d hoped we’d see them before long! Though the end of the month isn’t that far off really, when you think how many weeks we’ve all put in already. I think the eased shielding in Scotland will help single people living alone most. This is good obviously. It must have been a huge struggle through all these weeks hardly seeing anyone at all.

@VictoriaBun, you made me laugh. I suppose they do have to check as not everyone is able to read well.

Just checking in with you all. Im so sorry that so mamy of you teachers are worried about going back to work. I have teachers in my circle of friends who are also shielding and we are having the same dilemma here. Although there has been no notice from our schools or our education department regarding reopening so we are all worrying and guessing about what is to come. Sometimes thats worse as we keep going over worse case scenarios.

Like others have said mental health has been one of the biggest casualties of this pandemic. I am not sure how I will ever feel safe outside again. I just laughed today at the news about this 50% voucher scheme for people eating out in August. I cant imagine wanting to sit in a restaurant crowded in with lots of other people ever again.

I fled a very abusive marriage many years ago and ended up with womens aid. I may have got out but I have been left with the souvenir of PTSD. I am generally a very anxious person as a result and suffer with depression. None of the events of the last few months have helped any and the news today about possible air borne virus has sent my mind into overdrive. If this is proven to be true then we are majorly much worse than people thought. I cant see how we will ever be safe again until a vaccine has been established or a cure and adequate treatment.

Had a phone call today regarding DC2 school placement. They are trying to put her into a school I really dont want her to go to. This school has links to my ex and even the thought of her going there is making me sick. The school my DH and I want him to go to is in the next town over but its only about 6 miles away. I am trying to fight it but im not sure what I can do. Special school places are so hard to come by anyway but I dont think its unreasonable that as parents we feel comfortable with the choice of school instead of heaping more stress onto our heads. Honestly im going to be a chain smoker and an alcoholic due to all this mind messing. The wine has so far provided no answers though!

Joining the thread if that is ok?! My 17yr old ds (has been put on a course of strong steroids for his ulcerative colitis and has been told not to go out until he's back down to 15mg of steroid and to shield after that until he's finished the course. That'll be during September. There is also talk of putting him on an immunosuppressant drug (azathioprine) as he only got 10 weeks steroid free before relapsing badly. Obviously, it's relatively easy to keep him safe now but I have concerns about sending his siblings back into school (particularly secondary school) and his elder sister lives at home and travels into London to uni. DH mainly wfh anyway.

Adding - fortunately ds is taking a year out having done his levels this year so at least we don't have to worry about him going off to uni!!

Morning all.

Welcome @onlyreadingneverposting8, you're not alone here worrying about juggling children going to school/college whilst trying to protect another. I think a lot of us are hoping things dramatically get better before September.

@outnumberedwoman, you can always appeal your daughter's school, it'll just take time. Sorry this situation is triggering your PTSD.

I'm starting to worry more about our future than covid. My son's hip is dislocated so we've been waiting for another hospital appointment - it came through today for May 2021. We've preferred all his hospital appointments during this time being telephone consultations but anything requiring face to face has been put back to December but waiting lists nearly a year long seem ridiculous. I guess we just have to help him cope with the pain. Rant over.

Thanks @Anewuser! Jeez that's awful re your sons hip and his appointment! Really awful! Is it just a backlog problem or is there something more dangerous about seeing him?

He had it reconstructed 5 years ago but we only found out in January it's dislocated again so the appointment has been done as a new referral. Apparently that's how long face to face referrals take now. We've had respiratory, urology and neurology referrals only take 2 weeks but that's because they were all by phone.

That's disappointing. Children in Wales are going to back in school full time with limited social distancing on September 1st. That's 2 weeks after shielding ends (presuming it does end - we haven't been told yet what happens after August 16th).

My DC have gone back one day a week at the moment, but that is with 2m social distancing, no mixing between classes, one way systems, temperature checks and hand sanitiser at every classroom door.

I'm not sure how I feel about the risks of going back to "normal".

Well I'm home after my bladder op. Apparently the stone in the ureterocele pouch was 2.5 cm and took an hour to flush out. The catheter was horrible when I woke up but I was glad of it when I started vomiting everywhere. I'd definitely would've peed myself. My veins are so awful they had to put the drip cannula in the inside of my wrist. The anaesthetist was very nice but he did warn me it was going to hurt. It did! Still bruised now.

No patient wearing masks in the wards when I woke up so I was glad of that. So hot. Just got to go back in 4 weeks to get the stent taken out. Still hobbling around like a little old lady

Drinking loads as it's taking forever to get back to normal. Luckily I've been booked off for the whole shift so no work until next week. I checked emails and they're gradually sending people back in. My youngest ds has just left to stay with his brother so peace reigns again. So tired though and my neck and shoulders are aching from being intubated.

Hope all is well with everyone

Well I'm home after my bladder op. Apparently the stone in the ureterocele pouch was 2.5 cm and took an hour to flush out. The catheter was horrible when I woke up but I was glad of it when I started vomiting everywhere. I'd definitely would've peed myself. My veins are so awful they had to put the drip cannula in the inside of my wrist. The anaesthetist was very nice but he did warn me it was going to hurt. It did! Still bruised now.

No patient wearing masks in the wards when I woke up so I was glad of that. So hot. Just got to go back in 4 weeks to get the stent taken out. Still hobbling around like a little old lady

Drinking loads as it's taking forever to get back to normal. Luckily I've been booked off for the whole shift so no work until next week. I checked emails and they're gradually sending people back in. My youngest ds has just left to stay with his brother so peace reigns again. So tired though and my neck and shoulders are aching from being intubated.

Hope all is well with everyone

To all of transplant (liver) friends here. British Liver trust have updated their page with an interesting read.

https://britishlivertrust.org.uk/how-is-it-decided-who-is-extremely-vulnerable-and-should-shield-professor-phil-newsome-explains/?utmcontent=buffer6fc0b&utmmmedium=social&utmsource=facebook.com&utmmcampaign=buffer

Stay safe folks

@Babysharkdoodoodood glad it's all over for you.

Try and rest well XX

@Babysharkdoodoodood so pleased to hear it is all over you now. Rest up and take it easy. Onwards and upwards from here. Xxxx

Hope you can rest well at home @Babysharkdoodoodood and recover well.

Managed to go for a walk today - felt too busy even though I chose to go out in the drizzle. Need to find some quiet places. Trying to get out as will be back in school soon so it will be a big shock otherwise. I have a hospital appointment next week, which is my first real distance to drive and being in another building other than my home,

Really annoyed at the govt scheme to knock £10 each diners bill on certain days of the week. Yeah it's great if you're free and we'll, but it's for dine in only. So yet again, forgetting the shielders.

I'd love a Nando's right now as well

Hope you continue to recover well @Babysharkdoodoodood

Thanks for the link @finished31 Prof Newsome was my consultant for a while. How are you feeling about the pause in shielding?

Has anyone been out or met anyone yet? I had a nice distanced walk last week with some friends. It was completely deserted and we didn’t see anyone else.

@OrganTransplant123 if I'm being honest I'm scared. Especially when my children are due back in school & college and reading another thread on teachers and the lack of support from the government regarding bubbles/social distance/PPE. Yet I'm not sure how it could work with 1200 and 2000 children.

Did you get a survey last week to complete from the hospital?

Stay safe

Hope you are recovering well @Babysharkdoodoodood

I have had my first real trip out - and it was to the hospital. A scan, a waiting room with people 2m apart ( no windows), a screen for reception, all staff in masks and all people seeing me in masks and visors. Feel quite shaky after seeing all those people to be honest. It was not an area for treating Covid 19 - an outpatients appointment.

Does make me realise how big a shock it will be to be in a big Secondary school with no screens, no 2m strict distancing and no protection.

Best wishes @Babysharkdoodoodood

Hope everyone else is doing ok. I'm wallowing a bit so have decided to venture to a garden centre near closing time tonight. Madness! I haven't been in a shop since February and I'm quite happy with that but I feel so down and not myself that I think it will do me good. I'll have a mask and wear gloves and keep my distance.

It would be going against advice though which I haven't done at all and wouldn't have even considered it before but I think I really need it. Maybe the worry/guilt wouldn't be worth it though when the advice is likely to change in a few weeks....

I would have never believed I'd be agonising over whether to go to a shop!!

Has anyone else been in a shop yet?