My mum is the Coronavirus version of ‘Karen’

[Kitkatkatnap]

Attempting to convince my elderly gran to not go to one of her weekly clubs but she is refusing as my mum doesn’t think it’s ‘all that bad’.

I pointed out that many, many counties were on lock down and had banned travel, with a likely impact to their economies probably totaling billions, and that they wouldn’t do that unless it was very, very serious.

My gran says my mum says it’s a load of rubbish and those countries are all overreacting. And she knows this because ‘she’s done research on the Google’

Of course- Linda (66), a retired bank clerk from Surrey, knows more about all of this than most of the world leaders and leading scientists because of what she read on the internet

Jesus wept. You have to laugh otherwise you’d cry.

On what are you basing your advice to her?

there's no helping some people, my mil still says 'we went through worse in the war' er , no you didn't you were 3 when the war ended and prior to that you were evacuated to the country as a baby with your mum.
let them crack on with it because we all know google and socialmedia knows best.

Perhaps when you are elderly you are quite aware already that a virus like a flu can come and wipe you out at any time so you want to make the most of it until it does!

You don't get to chose how someone else thinks

More ageism

My kids' great grandma (89) refuses to stop her daily walk and shop trip because she survived the war. Well, yes, but the war didn't especially target the respiratory systems of elderly and infirm people did it?

Most just don't understand it.

Most just don't understand it

Who do you think you are deciding that everyone doesn't understand it like you do?

Maybe they are quite aware their time is up soon anyway and don't want to sit indoors all day on their own. There will be very few people (if any) in their 80's who are not aware they may die soon.

Yes old people are all imbeciles

My dm is off to a social at the local pub on Friday. She has just had chemo for blood cancer. I've tried telling her. What I don't think she realises is she won't be put in a nice side room ( like last time she was admitted for D&v), she will be lucky if she's treated at all 😡

hamstersrse- exactly . my grandmother is very very very old (over 101) and lives alone To spend the last months/couple of years of her life alone would not be preferable to dying quickly of coronavirus. She has weighed it up and made that decision.

I had the conversation with my grandmother.

It was fingers in ears until I pointed out that the people dying of this are dying alone while struggling to breathe.

It's not a peaceful way to go.

It's not the family sitting around at your bedside.

In fact, you won't even see your family again once you are in that hospital (and that's if you get a hospital and not a warehouse like Italy).

She's now decided to limit social contact and stop going to the shops "for a wander".

Who is karen?

My parents are the opposite they love being ill and it feels like they honestly can't wait to catch it.

Both are in their 70's and either dont understand how serious it is or don't believe it but either way they are driving me mad.

They have bought a thermometer so they can do hourly temp checks so they can take to their beds at the first sign of a fever. Fair enough but they don't seem to realise it could be worse than a week in bed and that also if they are isolated I won't be putting my asthmatic kids at risk by running after them if they have failed to take even basic steps to protect themselves.

Why do you assume your opinion is correct?

It's not a peaceful way to go.

Lots of people 'who know best' on this thread.

There is NO PEACEFUL way to go. Death is brutal and shows no mercy.

But it's coming to us all someday and in some way. You usually know this very sharply when you are elderly.

My mum is nearly 86 and normally quite feisty when it comes to any suggestions she should "act like an old person". However, she was on board with this right away as (in her own words) she has no desire to die in a hospital corridor struggling for her last breath. We are woefully underprepared in this country when it comes to ventilators and qualified staff to man them (let alone anything else). Yes, self-isolation is pretty grim, but not as grim as the alternative.

@BriefDisaster My mum is over 70, pretty bad health yet works full time and said the government can piss off if they think she will be cooped up for months on end. It just wont happen!

@userxx Karen is just generally doing the rounds as if you are a Karen you are a jobs worth / over zealous / stubborn type etc on Instagram / twitter etc

And actually, hamstersarse, some deaths are peaceful - thinking of my FIL and stepfather who both drifted away (I was with them both as they passed).

There is NO PEACEFUL way to go. Death is brutal and shows no mercy.

Some do go to sleep and never wake up! That’s my Grans daily wish and she’s always so jealous when it happens to one of her friends 😳

“how are you today Gran”

“Still alive. Didn’t die in my sleep unfortunately”

😂

She’s early 90s and had enough of living in her defence! But even she isn’t keen on catching this one.

That's the point - you don't get to chose how you die.

I knew this would regale stories of peaceful deaths, of course we all want a peaceful death. The reality is most of us don't get that.

@userxx 'Karen' is a meme. knowyourmeme.com/memes/karen

My elderly mum is just concerned that the 4 month stay indoors suggestion will mean her beloved garden will go untended. She's quite happy to stop at home with a cuppa and a good book otherwise.

Another bloody ageist thread. Fucking tiresome! She's an adult, she can live her life how she damn well pleases and that does not make her a bad person or stupid. Everyone has to die, a good deal of the time it's not peaceful.