Alone Again, Or…?

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I posted this to my Facebook friends a couple of days ago:


I live alone and don’t have any signs of illness, but I could understand her precautions: as she said, the outfit was as much to protect me from possible infection as it was for her. But it was another gentle reminder of how our lives are being disrupted by an unseen enemy. In normal course, I would have been phoned by my GP practice to tell me that there was a blood test request form for me to pick up. I would then take that to the local hospital and join what always feels like half the population of our small town in the queue to be leeched. However, I had a text message on Tuesday from the practice telling me that they would only be doing telephone contacts for now, and the hospital closed all of its day clinics on Wednesday. The district nurse told me that their service had been tasked with taking on the urgent cases, which was a little scary: to be fair, she did say that I didn’t meet the criteria for urgency, but was nevertheless on the list for a visit. In all honesty it was much more convenient for me and saved me the return cab fare. But it got me thinking about how even simple tasks are being complicated, and how much we owe to those in the front line of caring for us. Would you want to be going into the homes of those who are potentially vulnerable to illness at any time, let alone in these Covid-19 days? I sure as hell wouldn’t!

The visit also got me thinking about my own precautions and care. One of the signs of Covid-19, so I understand, is a raised temperature. Time to dust off my thermometer, just in case. But then I realised that I hadn’t seen it since I moved flat nine months ago. Oh. No problem, it would be in the kitchen cupboard with my small stock of first aid stuff, wouldn’t it? Nope. Maybe it had been put away in one of the bundles of stuff that went straight into storage cupboards? Another nope. After all, thermometers are pretty small, so perhaps I’d moved it into one of the drawers in my lounge furniture – all three of them? Triple nope. Time for my usual response to this kind of situation: a muttered ‘oh bugger.’

Perhaps I could think of another way round this? More in hope than expectation I hit the websites of the major pharmacies, like Boots and Lloyds, and – no surprise – every single model was out of stock, even the ridiculously expensive ones which should really have been made of solid gold for the prices charged. Or would have been charged, if they’d had any. I then tried Amazon, to be met with a similar story. Most offered possible delivery dates from mid-April until well into May – I could be dead by then, ffs! Looking in more detail at the various offerings, I also noticed that, apart from their unavailability, they all had one other thing in common: they would all be sent from China. Now, I’m no Donald Trump (whose favourite band is presumably China Crisis), but that did seem a potentially unnecessary risk to take. So I did what any self-respecting (but not yet isolating) Brit would do in these circumstances: I made a cup of tea (not China) and sat down for a think.

As is so often the case the tea worked its magic properties. It suddenly struck me that, as this flat has much less cupboard space in the bathroom than my previous one, I had a small bag of bits in there that I hadn’t opened since the move. Hey presto! One thermometer complete with protective case! Joy unbounded! Well, ok, I’m a Brit, so I was a little bit pleased. A quick clean, to protect myself from my own ancient germs, and I gave it a test drive. All worked as it should, so I stored it carefully in the aforementioned kitchen cupboard in case I need it again. My temperature was right at the low end of the ‘normal’ range but there is no way I’m going to start worrying about that! That would be a tale for another day if there was any change, and I really hope I don’t have to write that one!

Returning to my starting point, I’ve also been spending a good bit of time thinking about those in the front line of caring for and supporting us. I worked for 20 years in the NHS and, whilst I wasn’t a clinician, I met a great many in my time there. One attribute they shared, as do all of those providing my own current care, was their dedication to what they do and to the people they treat. I didn’t laugh or scream at the nurse who came to see me: that would have been completely inappropriate. As I said earlier, I live on my own. I’ve agreed with close family that we won’t see each other until it is safe to do so: I suspect that I might be late for my granddaughter’s second birthday in June, but I’d never forgive myself if I caught something and passed it on to her, my daughters, or other family. I’m alone, not lonely. I will survive quite happily as long as I can get food and medications delivered, as now, and the nurses can work out a way to substitute my weekly bandage changes if, as I suspect they will, the premises I go to are shut down. Look back at what I said in my Facebook post: it’s good to feel looked after. However long this lasts it will be temporary, in the great scheme of life. I give thanks to those whose dedication is supporting me through this and will see me to the other side. We all owe them our gratitude.

I hope you are also taking care of yourself and, like me, feel well cared for and supported. And please heed the advice from the powers that be. They may, like ours, have initially been slow off the mark, but their advice is guided by science, which is critical at this time. Be well. Stay safe.

33 thoughts on “Alone Again, Or…?”

  2. It’s great to look back and see where our thoughts were a year ago. While I thought this might go on a while, I didn’t foresee that we’d still be wrestling with this a year later. As with anything, some people adjust and deal with anything that life throws at them. I think that’s a much healthier approach than the notion of throwing a tantrum the way some have. I wonder if they’d be embarrassed if they saw themselves on tape. I’m embarrassed for them.

    There have been many rock stars during the pandemic, but no one can hold a candle to the medical folks in my book.

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    • I always find it interesting to do that. The sad thing in this piece for me is that we are still in the thrall of the pandemic. Vaccines give us hope, but I fear we are still some way from the end. And I completely agree about the health workers – things would have been much worse without them.

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  3. It is good that you are being looked after Clive and precautions are being taken to safeguard you both…I think all of the western world has struggled to get to grips with Covid and its easy to lay blame…A

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    • 2 parts again…sigh…Asian countries have dealt better with Covid as one it is not the first time they have experienced viruses and also the people ..if they are told to mask up etc they do it and don’t bleat about their human rights etc…I hope all this vaccination has the desired effect once restrictions have been lifted and that should be done with caution or it will resurface…Stay safe and well, Clive3 🙂 x

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      • Two parts, one answer 😉

        The problem here isn’t so much the ‘don’t infringe my rights’ aspect, it has more to do with many of us thinking our government to be incompetent, unreliable, indecisive and corrupt: not a good basis for doing what they tell us to do! I hope we see an end to it all, but with new case figures rising across Europe I think that is a way off yet. You stay safe and well too x

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      • As are many governments everywhere Clive and that is said about this one here but people still see that they should comply when it is their safety and their families and friends safety ….:) x

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      • People here are generally compliant, I think, but frustration is bubbling up. Our current lockdown is due to begin easing from next Monday but our PM has just said that a third wave will ‘wash up on our shores.’ Cue extension of lockdown, more delay and more frustration. But I’d much rather be safe! x

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  4. Reblogged this on Take It Easy and commented:

    Blame Timehop again, but this one popped up in my feed this morning. I wrote this exactly a year ago today, the day before the bumbling oaf who runs our country decided it would be better to put us into the first of what has since become three lockdowns. It made a change from seeing him bouncing around hospital wards, shaking as many hands as possible, and doing his best to avoid hearing what his scientific advisors were telling him. That has become his regular pattern since then: too little, too late, with a whole raft of extremely lucrative contracts being given to companies incapable of fulfilling them. But they were run by his chums, so what could possibly go wrong?

    Reading this again today, I thought it worth resharing for those who have joined me since then, and for anyone else who might like a reminder of how things were in the early Covid days.

    Stay safe and well. I would share a hope that the end is in sight, but who can say? Take care.

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  5. Yes, we have had lots of reason to be thankful to the NHS lately with nearly all the staff we have met being caring and efficient; a true calling. Our youngest grandson is having his 2nd birthday party with just his mum and dad and brother – they have all been in isolation for a fortnight! Strange times for all of us.

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    • I hope that one of the things that will come out of this is a greater respect for all NHS workers and those in other professions who are keeping the country going, and better pay! Am I being naive in hoping the government will see this too? I hope not. Wishing your grandson a happy birthday! Strange times, indeed.

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  6. Health care workers are the heroes in this Coronavirus pandemic. They put their lives on the line every day, especially these days. We don’t pay them (or teachers) nearly enough. We should treat both of those groups like we do sports stars.

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    • Couldn’t agree more. Our society’s view of what constitutes ‘heroes’ has become warped towards so-called celebrities, sports people and the like. As I said in an earlier comment, I hope that this crisis can prompt a re-evaluation.

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    • Thanks Brigid. It’s a shame that it has to be something like this to make people appreciate such an undervalued group of people. Glad you’re safe and well – I seem to be developing a cold, but hopefully nothing more!

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  8. It is great that this nurse actually showed up, and you are being looked out for. Must have been reassuring. Maybe I’m watching too much lurid Netflix stuff, but I couldn’t help thinking it would have been a perfect guise and modus operandi for a serial killer!!! Stay safe, Clive

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    • Good luck finding one in the shops or online! Or maybe they are battery powered and that’s all you need? Thanks, I wish the same for you, while we watch him and his Mini-Me (Johnson) stumble their inept way through the crisis.

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  10. Glad you found it, Clive. Agree with you that we owe everything to the front line workers – principally the health care sector but not forgetting the supermarket staff and delivery drivers who keep the shelves refilled despite the ravages of panic buyers.

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    • Thanks, Frank. I agree totally about other workers and am planning a follow up piece later in the week, when I will better know how things are going for me.

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    • I have to admit, I was impressed. She kept the mask down briefly at the door to let me see that we knew each other – she was one of the nurses looking after me till the service changed hands – and then the protective drawbridge was raised. Couldn’t fault her and wouldn’t want to! Yes it will pass, Stevie, but I wonder what the aftermath will be!

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  12. “…and how much we owe to those in the front line of caring for us.” Oh indeed, Clive. To try and milk that silver lining, perhaps when this pandemic is over we’ll have begun to recognize that it’s our health care workers we should be holding parades for, building monuments to, and measuring our patriotism by. Perhaps our military might fade a bit into the background, where it used to be. What a world that would be.

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    • That would be wonderful, Janet, but I fear that short term memories will be fuelled by the bigots and jingoists who comprise our government and most of our newspapers, and who will no doubt go back to thumping their usual tubs. Would that your wish would come true, though!

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