Hi, I'm struggling a bit with life at the moment.
I'm an NHS worker, working in close contact with Covid 19 patients. The hospital doors are now manned by security guards, and as of Monday I will have to wear a mask for the entire time I'm at work (even when outside but in the hospital grounds) and I will have to wear goggles or a visor when within 2 metres of any patient (I'm pretty much within 2 metres of patients all day). I work predominantly with dementia patients, they don't understand why our faces are covered, it's frightening for them, they can't see our facial expressions, a friendly smile is sometimes all it needs to help calm them down a little. I'm worried about wearing a mask for 8 hours per day, breathing in my own toxins, carbon dioxide etc, can't be good for my health can it? www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m1435/rr-40?fbclid=IwAR1m7lHiPvDj7e4JVBi5i2hsXLYi_o8wGU-jJc6CWb2OEVxqmdG5WKA_CtU
Aside from this, my home life has become very stressful. I'm currently residing with my Brother who is suffering a clinical depression due to his partner of over 30 years leaving him for another man. I've been living with him since the beginning of lockdown and have tried to help and advise him as best I can. It's been so hard to see this gentle, caring, hardworking man, be reduced to a shadow of his former self. He hasn't been able to work for over six months and it now looks like he may lose his job on top of everything else.
To top everything, my 30 yr old Son has decided to leave his parnter and 18 month old Daughter. I don't know where he's gone, I think he's staying with friends. Since he left the Mother of my Grandaughter has really struggled, she has some mental health issues (OCD and other similar conditions) which she controls well with medication. She is texting me constantly (she texted me as soon as I got up this morning because she could see I'd read her Whatsapp msg). She is begging me to make my Son go back to her and their child. She is devastated, she says she can't eat, sleep or leave the house. Her messages are heartbreaking.
I spent the whole of yesterday just crying because it's all becoming too much. I haven't seen my partner for 10 weeks because we live in different cities and the lockdown has prevented us from meeting up.
It's all just getting to me. Please, if you can offer any help or advice with any of this please do. I feel like my life is on a downward spiral. I know we're all suffering at the moment in one way or another, but I usually cope well with whatever life throws. I'm starting to feel like I'm not coping so well anymore.