Any other shielded people having a rough time.

[BanKittenHeels]

I have now been in the house for 80 days on the advice of my rheumatologist. I then received my shielding letter with the first wave.
I am grateful to have my children with me but my husband is medical, so has been living in a hotel since March. Which is good because he had Covid - thankfully he is now ok.

I had a letter not too long ago to tell me the date for shielding was extended until 30th June but speaking to both my rheumatologist and my respiratory consultant and being a HCP myself, it looks likely I’ll be shielded until the end of the year.

I’m really low, really, really low.
I’m not coping at all.
Social media and the press are full of people almost celebrating, as if this is somehow the end and here we are, just rotting.

And we’re not doing this to save our lives. We are doing this so that other people who are more likely to survive have beds and access to treatment.

No one gives a shit.

Look OP I'll take one for the team and say it for you, so you and everyone else who has been upset by this doesn't have to get deleted themselves... I won't even tell you that you should be grateful to me

Go fuck yourself @0v9c99f9g9d939d9f9g9h8h

‘I really feel for you but I don't see what else could be done?’

Showing a bit of support and empathy. Realising that it’s really tough to be in that next category up

Realising that the most vulnerable shielding is actually making it possible for the rules to be relaxed for everyone else (for if we all decided it was just optional and went out and about for only about 10% of us would die, the number who would fall ill would put unimaginable stress on the already strained COVID wards and lead to the ‘healthy’ dying.

You could stand with us, say we must not be forgotten, say that you recognise that hard as lockdown has been there are over 2million who have got it stricter, that they matter, and that they are not disposable

To realise that we do not want to be invisible. Or forgotten. Or that our incarceration is in anyway acceptable. But that whilst it is necessary, realise that support and sympathy make an enormous difference

I completely agree and support you as I'm in the same boat. Except I'm a single mum..(no different if your husband is in a hotel really) and have also had surgery just before lockdown, so was already stuck indoors.

Can't believe the attitude some people have. I hope they never have to have the misfortune of having a chronic, life threatening illness. Also that they don't have to worry about leaving their kids when intubated for months on end in itu.. Or dead.

The place I live has been full of visitors breaking lockdown from the begining. With same peoople clapping for nhs every week. Have even been told that I should be going out as silly and cruel to the kids.

Too many people have something to say when they're not in your shoes.

Big virtual hug (and understanding) from me X

@MyEyesightIsBadLetsGoForADrive 👏👏👏👏

You're welcome @FallenSky

My dw and I are both on the shielding list too and although feel lucky we were put on furlough and have a garden to go out in, still find it difficult at times.
My boss has had enough of me being off work and wants me to go back against the guidelines. He is offering ppe because there isn't space to social distance and we handle cash and post all day and says if i am safe to wear that in few weeks then why not now.
I go between agreeing with his view to thinking the longer i stay in the less the risk will be in future. It's stressful and if he decides to put me on ssp instead knows that could force my hand. Hate it.

@0v9c99f9g9d939d9f9g9h8h

can't

And perish the thought today someone would want you to outline something constructive that might actually help you! What a crime!

You should be ashamed of yourself @0v9c99f9g9d939d9f9g9h8h, why are you being so unpleasant to the OP?

Well said @MyEyesightIsBadLetsGoForADrive

I don’t know what to say Op. it sounds completely shite. It’s seemed to be that it’s been clear the shielded have been an afterthought when initially parents could get furlough for childcare reasons but the shielded couldn’t to save their lives. Thankfully that was changed.

Not sure what to say other than I hope it turns out not as bleak as you fear and you get to see your husband and get outside sooner than you think

Op... I understand.. I get you... ignore the nasty wankers on here who clearly don’t have a bloody clue.. come unto the shielding group mentioned up above where you will get no judgment.. this isn’t easy and you aren’t alone..
To everyone else giving the OP a hard time.. well down for kicking someone when they are down and having a bad day.. I hope you are super proud of yourselves

Done

The issue is we have lives too. Jobs, mortgages, children etc. Some that are shielding are children, imagine how hard that is?
Imagine having to either shield with your partner so home 24/7 or stay 2m away from them and not hug or share a bed
You're told the 30th June for the end but it "might be extended" so you worry when until. Someone says maybe until a vaccine. You pop on MN and read people saying there might never be a vaccine
So you start worrying about your job, how you will pay your mortgage, how long will furlough last, will your friends stay in touch because you haven't seen them for weeks and weeks and now they're meeting with other friends and you're still sat at home
You get a call from your doctors which you pick up while feeding your baby, asking if you would want a DNR and to die at home or in care
People refer to you as "the elderly/sick/disabled" when you are none of those things
Families and friends tell you that you are being ridiculous and "it's not that dangerous"
You watch the briefings and it's "you can do this, this and this" on and on. No mention of the shielding. Oh one sentence, sorry we know it's hard, stay in until god knows when
Then you worry about if they will end the shielding too soon and is that safe, or extend it another 3/6/9 months

Open your phone to come on MN to vent, after reading a text about arranging your furniture for a nice view and find this thread
And you can't think why it's hard? Go on, try it. People will now post a million answers why they can't shield themselves but it's fine for other people, just not them

I think there is a balance here though - we can all feel empathy for the op but her view that she's making a sacrifice for everyone else is the wrong attitude. She is protecting her health. Everyone in this country has made a sacrifice to protect the health of themselves and others - but in many cases for fit and healthy youngsters - it's others. As a PP said kids are u likely to be affected by it yet they've given up 6 months of their education. People who probably would have mild symptoms have lost their jobs. So yes I can understand the OP being frustrated at her circumstances but she's not staying indoors as a sacrifice to others she is shielding to protect her health. If she doesn't wish to do that she can go out.

@atilathehut Have you RTFT? Are you shielding?

Why does it have to be a race to the bottom. OP is entitled to think whatever gets her through. We all all suffering, but we are NOT all in this together and I really wish arseholes would stop pretending we are.

@atilathehut

Read the posts by @scaevola and others. Shielding is very much a policy to protect the wider public, not just the individuals

We have been shielding not because of me but someone in the household. We haven't been to the supermarket or anywhere public but have gone for walks and things however with schools going back we are going to have to make some decisions about who resides where. And yes I have read the full thread

I got my shielding letter a few weeks ago.

Had a call Monday from my local council offices. Saying I'd been added to their list and did I need anything.

I don't as my DH is doing our shopping but was nice they asked.

@ivampire the OP has made no more of a sacrifice than everyone else in this country. Sorry but that's my view

My dad is shielding due to very bad copd a chest infection could kill him so he is taking no risk my mum is shielding to protect him ,they have both been in to the garden and my dad has drove to the nearest cash point so my mum can get money to pay for their food shopping . We have sat on the patio and seen them through the window and in video chat they have seen the grandkids on video chat and since my DD announced she was expecting they said it gives them something to look forward to

@atilathehut

We have been shielding not because of me but someone in the household. We haven't been to the supermarket or anywhere public but have gone for walks and things however with schools going back we are going to have to make some decisions about who resides where. And yes I have read the full thread

It's surprising to me then, that you decided to come on to this thread to repeat a lot of what has already been said and replied to even after the OP made it clear how down she was and she was looking for a place to vent and get support. Not a pile on. You are entitled to your opinion, of course. It's just disappointing that after apparently RTFT you still chose to voice that opinion when it would have been simpler, and kinder, to say nothing at all.

We have all been having a shit time recently. Op and others have repeatedly asserted that they are making sacrifices that they would like us non shielding to be grateful for. But as I pointed out, we have all been making sacrifices to avoid the NHS being overwhelmed. And given that those of us who are Relatively young and healthy are unlikely to be seriously affected, our sacrifices are certainly not any less than the shielded.

I don’t appreciate all the name calling. When I asked you what you wanted you said you wanted the government to do more for you, and started going on about how at least you’d been prepping and how otherwise you would starve. If not to bring you food then, what is it that you want the government to do?

As I said, it can’t be easy to be shielded but getting angry at others won’t help.

@fallensky Ok in future I shall only voice my opinion if it agrees with yours - is that better?

@adelaya - to be fair we have both been subject to lockdown to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed. I don’t need to thank you for not taking up an NHS bed any more than you need to thank me.