I’d covid hadn’t happened…

[Mancity126]

Personally and for the world life would be so different I genuinely can’t comprehend. For me personally, I would still be in my old job, still have certain friends, my kids MH (and mine for that matter would be a lot better. That being said it’s certainly also had some positive impacts on my life, for example I started a side business which I absolutely love and it’s enabled me to get a much better work life balance. On a global level trump would likely still be president and Boris Johnson still our PM. The most stark impact is definitely on my kids but all areas of life have been so impacted and it feels like the world has been fundamentally been changed. What ways would your life be different if covid hadn’t happened?

I’d still have my savings

I'm so sorry.

I wouldn't have flexible working without covid. Mere admin staff were never allowed to work from home before.

That would be my answer too.
My parents were 87 and 85 at the start of the pandemic but both looked 10 years younger and were healthy and active, always out in their immaculate garden or out shopping.

Right at the start of the first lockdown my Dad had an accident, he just carelessly tripped over something in the garden and after a night in hospital was released with painkillers and the promise of physio when it became possible again. By the time it was possible his broken bone had healed in such a way that physio wasn’t advisable so he’s now left with constant pain and impaired movement in that area.

My mother stopped going out altogether. The only time she left the house between March 2020 and April 2022 was for flu and covid vaccinations and one hospital appointment, April was the last time she left the house. Even when restrictions were lifted about going into other houses we still had to stand on the drive when we visited for months afterwards. She rapidly aged and just over a year ago she started having regular falls and became even more inactive and frail, the chatty lady who always made tea and brought in a home made cake when we visited was mostly asleep when we were there by this Summer.

She was a shell of the woman she was pre-pandemic.
Very sadly she passed away three weeks ago. If you’d asked me at start of 2020 to estimate how long she’d live I’d have said at least 100.

My dad would be alive.

I'm 6 months post second infection and only able to stand a few hours a day.

I dread subsequent infections and worry what damage I will sustain next.

Round one was heart and lungs, round two seems more neurological but I'm still without a diagnosis despite MRI's etc.

Sigh.

DDad would not have died alone after months of being refused family hospital visits. That is the one that brings a pain to my chest every time I think of it.

DS would be living abroad. Other DS might not have ended up with a difficult partner - one of the few he was allowed to mix with at uni during lockdown.

I’d be financially worse off, got a massive promotion during covid which was directly linked to the pandemic.

Id also most likely not be pregnant, used my 2021 bonus to pay for IVF

We wouldn't be in pooper now with NHS queues, we wouldn't have to pay this much debt for furlough and grants. My husband's beloved grandma wouldn't die. We miss her dearly. I looked up to her regarding life wisdom.

oh shit, I’m so sorry x

My parents might still be alive and receiving their telegram from King Charles to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary (would have been last week). I might also have been getting my long service award from the place I had worked at before covid hit.

I'm financially much better off as have been able to get a much better paid job wfh that I wouldn't have applied for before due to the expectation to move to London.

Me and DH have a much better work life balance now both wfh.

However I still hated the pandemic and lockdowns and the curbs on our lives.

Overall positive that it did happen:

Can now work from home instead of staying away from home all week
No crazy commute means we moved to a much nicer place
Rediscovered our relationship in lockdown
Got much fitter
Eat much better
Built up a healthy mistrust of governments and experts

I would still be working and not retired, I left my job because I couldn't stand working from home and took my private pension instead.

I'd still have a viable business. I lost over half my clients during covid, mostly with small businesses ceasing to trade due to lack of support and not being allowed to operate, also a couple of clients who died from covid (inc a suicide due to lack of covid grants), and a few who've taken early retirement from their businesses due to long covid meaning they couldn't continue.

My OH would have had his chemotherapy sooner (it was cancelled in March 2020 and not restarted until Summer 2020), and would have had more chance of cure/remission. As it is, he's now on permanent tablet chemotherapy to try to control the spread of cancer as the chemotherapy didn't work as well as it could have done.

My son (now 3rd year at Uni) would have actually enjoyed his uni years and made more friends, done more clubs/societies/sports etc., rather than spending virtually the entire 20/21 academic year in his Uni campus flat on a uni campus where virtually everything was closed, no face to face lectures/seminars, all the support offices closed, library closed most of the year, sport centre closed, entire teaching blocks closed, locked and in darkness, common rooms locked, etc. Basically 90% of the staff weren't there and it was just a ghost town.

Really interesting reading everyone's experiences.
@HollyJollyNovember I'm sorry for your trauma and thank you for your service.
Sorry for everyone that has lost a loved one.

My youngest son was disadvantaged by lockdown as he was only 3 and places to take him and support such as grandparents help was restricted. Particularly the winter lockdown was very bleak. Myself and my husband tag team work and caring for him and rainy January days with nothing to do and a fed up adult did nor give him the best start. He is at special school and diagnosed with ASD and I'll never know what difference more integration and support might have made in those years.

My eldest thrived being off school. He loved being at home and interacting with friends online. With his dad's help he put lots of time into his music and has made ongoing music connections he would never have had without covid.

So a mixed bag for us.

I loathed it completely but one upside is more wfh which has given us more time and easier life

Financially it was very good for us as we can juggle more work when being 100% at home so me and DH are working both employed and SE at the same time. We also saved a lot from not commuting etc.
Luckily we didn’t lose anyone close to us either but hearing some of these stories my heart absolutely breaks for some of you

That's heart-breaking but I suspect that it's not a unique story unfortunately.

My father has only started going out again in the past few months. He was fearful as, despite being as healthy as an ox, he turned 70 during lockdown, and was told by government and media that that meant that he was vulnerable. He became convinced of his vulnerability.

So sorry for all who have suffered. As a family, we have just slotted back into life as if lockdown never happened tbh.

It’s hard to say as I’ve had a baby during that time which also is fundamentally life changing! But wouldn’t have heard of Zoom, would have had a few more trips away as a couple before DD arrived, would still probably have some friends who drifted during the lockdowns etc and are sadly now not as close.

My mom might not have deteriorated so fast with Dementia and not be in a home . I might not be turning down invitations to go out ,all the time, because of anxiety,
on the positive my husband does not have to travel to work so saving a lot of time and money. Although cost of living crisis cancelling out a lot of the money we were trying to save to move .

Same. The what ifs haunt me.

Thanks to all who have sent condolences its appreciated

If Covid hadn’t happened, my Mum, siblings and I could have been at my Dad’s bedside when he died.
if Covid hadn’t happened, my sibling might have received the psychiatric treatment and therapy that she needed and might still be alive today.
If Covid hadn’t happened, my children might feel more socially confident and not be struggling with anxiety