Self isolation support thread

[JustUrggghhhh]

Apologies if a thread on this has already been started. Had a look but cant see anything glaringly obvious.

Thought I would start a self isolation support thread to stop those in isolation from going stir crazy.

I am on day 1 of self isolation. I have had mild manageable symptoms of various things slowly creeping up on me all week. But last night my temp reached high numbers and I'm now coughing have consulted work and I must stay away for 7 days. Kids wont be at school either as they have told me to keep them home. They both have mild coughs and I was struggling to get my head around the logistics of getting them to school.

I have found the whole week very strange. Not knowing when I need to panic. I suffer with chest infections when I get run down anyway so the symptoms are all similar. Have also had full blown flu a few times and again the symptoms are similar. Everything feels too vague, no one knows anything for sure and I feel like it's such a weird time to be living in.

Please post here if you are self isolating to keep me company. I'm really gonna miss work as I work with the the most fantastic people! No doubt the kids are gonna drive me crackers too as whilst they are pleased they get a week off school they have realised they will be missing all their extra clubs etc.

Where in the country are you?

Yep I’m self isolating. Have had fever all week. Bit of an itchy throat now. Boring isn’t it !!!!!

North Yorkshire. No confirmed cases near me locally recently.

@strongmummy I had a little temp earlier in the week but it went after a few paracetamol and bed. Woke up next day feeling a bit hungover but fine. Yesterday it hit 39 and stayed there for quite some time even with paracetamol and ibuprofen then I started coughing. Its gonna be a long week I think!

When my brain fog clears I need to get thinking of easy things for the kids to do to keep them occupied.

@JustUrggghhhh my son has an ear infection as well. I’m living in a bloody plague house!!! I keep thinking to myself “if there wasn’t the concern about covid 19, this wouldn’t bother me at all.”

@strongmummy my youngest suffered with his ears. Had grommets fitted and has had no ear infections since. Just gets tonsillitis now instead. We have all been rough in this house since Christmas to be honest so the week at home will do us all some good. And I agree, we would just keep plodding on regardless had coronavirus not been a massive issue. Hope everyone in your house feels better soon! This sucks!

@JustUrggghhhh it certainly does suck. Ok, here’s a question for you. My grandmother was from a place in Yorkshire called Wombwell. No one from Yorkshire knows where it is/has ever heard of it!!!! Do you? 🤣

We have been in for 7 days already, DS is poorly with a viral chest infection so we wouldn't have been going out anyway, but I have been staying in as well to be sure. I work in a hospital so feel bad for taking another week worth of leave, but hoping that being careful now will mean I am available to work when things crank up a notch. It's actually been okay, had online shopping left outside the door, have spent way too much time on Mumsnet when he has been napping, and although cabin fever is definitely kicking in because I feel it will be worth it to stop even the tiniest risk of passing it on it's fine. DH is away with work anyway which I guess has been both good and bad! Doctors have been great over the phone when we needed more medication, mentally it's quite challenging as used to being on the go.

@butterwhy it's really hard isnt it to know where to draw the line with regards to work/school etc. It was only with the confirmation of temp/cough 'stay at home' advice yesterday I felt brave enough to say enough is enough. Luckily I have a great team above me at work who, when I consulted, basically said they wont let me on premises now regardless. I suffer with guilt from letting people down so they eased the guilt massively. Kids school were fab when I said I was struggling for school run (DH works long days so isnt around for school run and grandparents are caring for vulnerable elderly parents so couldn't ask them to do it either). Both kids have minor coughs and look tired so they said to keep them home.

I hope your son feels better soon! And that when you get back to work yourself you keep well. You do an amazing job, I really feel for those working in the NHS - it was already a difficult job without the extra pressure this is causing.

I’m self isolating. Had a weird illness that started Monday with complete exhaustion. I then had a mild temp on Tuesday but only up to 38.1. Have a very slight cough. But just feel wiped out. No other symptoms I.e sore throat or runny nose. Oh also have a headache.

I’ve been reading some accounts of the virus from those who’ve tested positive and many people reporting similar very mild symptoms

It’s annoying not knowing if I have it or not. And therefore whether I will ‘get it again’

Oh and we are well stocked up food wise, DH went shopping yesterday, we even have toilet roll for the week. Just a little nervous that I'm popping quit a few paracetamol and ibuprofen already. I only have a small stash of both in and there isnt any locally. My mum has rung to say she has managed to find 2 boxes of lemsip type lemon paracetamol hot drinks so will pop them through my letterbox when she can! Bless her!

@JustUrggghhhh thank you, he is much better than last week, he was in hospital and was still poorly when we got home, but thankfully almost back to his usual self. Although the downside re: isolation is that he is getting increasingly bored and frustrated being indoors! But we will get through it. I know what you mean, I think as I would have been off regardless last week it was slightly easier to make the decision to add a bit more time onto it. I haven't been in for a lot of it yet, but keeping in touch with colleagues who are updating, thankfully here not feeling the strain yet and lots of things going on in the background to try and ensure we are more prepared, the lack of staff and sufficient equipment is the biggest challenge imo; but again, we will have to manage!

@liveinside sounds like you need some time off regardless. But I agree the not knowing what it is is doing my head in. As I said earlier I suffer with chest infections when run down anyway. My symptoms, personally, are nothing new really. It's a relief in a way I'm given some breathing space to recover (oh the irony) as I would normally try carry on regardless.

@butterwhy I'm glad hes improving and if hes getting bored of being inside all day it's another good sign he is getting better.

I think you are totally right to step back at the mo, then you can go in fighting fit when needed. I am hoping this is a big shift now on peoples attitudes to sickness and time off. I am a bugger for battling on regardless - this is actually making me a little more self aware of listening to my own body and gut feeling regarding my kids!

Good luck OP, and I hope you feel better soon (and don’t get any worse).

@Strongmummy, Wombwell is in South Yorkshire, very near Barnsley. Next to the villages of Jump and Elsecar.

@twokidsStillStanding yessssssssss xx

Thanks @twokidsstillstanding I fear the kids are more likely to make my brain explode than anything else. They are already bickering!

Day 5 for me and I’m sooooooo bored now. And lonely!

I'm bored already and I haven't even completed day 1!

@JustUrggghhhh, I really feel for you with the bickering - we had tantrums and tears here from about 1630 and am really not looking forward to if/when we have to self-isolate - think I need to stockpile gin!

They've been pretty good for the last few hours. Eldest has made a few good cups of tea and is keeping youngest occupied with crafts. More worried now that DH has been told to work from home until further notice. Its not gonna be fun in this house for the next week trying to keep 2 kids quiet whilst hes on business calls!

I'm on day 4 with 11 yo DS who developed a temperature and cough on Tuesday. Yesterday he began to experience shortness of breath. He is very prone to chest infections so I was convinced it was that (and still don't know to be fair!) I've had a bit of a cough and a headache this week and now have a temperature which started today.

I'm feeling quite anxious and have felt a bit lonely and isolated over the last 4 days. It's been lovely to spend time with DS of course but it's a weird feeling to know that we can't leave the house. I haven't had much contact from friends and I am not someone that enjoys being cooped up in the house!

How are you both feeling today @FreakForHummous?

How is everyone today?

I feel worse, cough is deepening, I have the headache from hell and I have to lie down everytime I get up to do the most basic things. I have never felt so drained. Day 2 done. Worrying a week wont be enough and praying they close schools. If the kids school close I dont have to work (job is connected to their school).

I feel a bit of depression setting in already and I'm spending far too much time on threads in here.