Do we have to isolate continued

[RD23]

Hi all,

Sorry if I haven’t replied to all your comments, I’m still trying to master working from home and keeping in touch but keeping sane!

Hope everyone is ok, we’re all facing uncertain times and the best thing to do is stick together. I’ve registered for Gareth Malone’s Home Chorus as I’m missing going to my choir already. What’s anyone else doing?

It’s difficult not to feel stressed and anxious at the moment, my anxiety was bad at the start of the week but now I’m taking or at least trying to, the ‘needs must’ approach. If you are struggling or missing that social contact, please pop on here and post or ping me a message just to say hi. We’re all in this together 💪🏻

[Troilus]

Hi RD

I had a nice time yesterday. In the morning a our new neighbour knocked on the door to say she was going shopping and did we need anything. Later on she left a huge leek on the doorstep that she had dug up from her allotment.

I spent most of the day gardening and enjoyed it. Nice warm day and it felt like I was doing something useful.

Then last night I felt a bit emotional when another young lady from a house 3 doors away knocked on the door and gave us her phone number in case we needed anything.

So nice.

[Hidden in reply to Troilus]

Some people are STILL behaving like real human beings should. This is good to hear.

[RD23 in reply to Troilus]

That’s lovely to hear! Glad to see there are some kind people out there. I pushed a note through my neighbour’s letterbox the other day to check they were both ok and gave them my number just in case.

I’ve had messages from friends to check I’m ok as they know I’m more at risk which is nice.

[emmasue]

It's strange times indeed. I've had some good friends bring stuff in for us. There's a community group on facebook of people reaching out to help others. There's lots of good people out there. We only hear about the bad ones.

I'm finding this tough because I went on Class Charts today to see my kids' homework and was gobsmacked by how much they've put on. I guess I'm a teacher now!

[Troilus in reply to emmasue]

If you get stuck there are lots of teachers and teaching assistants here! I will help.

[emmasue in reply to Troilus]

Thanks. The hardware thing is getting the children to actually do work. They both have ASD but are both in mainstream school, years 7 + 9. My son managed to do one assignment this morning but the second problem is figuring out the system. The teacher will say, "Complete the attached document in Word" but it's a PDF file and it's 25 pages long!

My daughter is refusing to do anything but I don't want to push her. Her anxiety is through the roof anyway. I am hoping that the teachers will accept if we work at a slower pace. x

[Troilus in reply to emmasue]

I’m sure they will. And if they don’t there isn’t much they can do about it.😁

As for sending out a 20 page document, I get the impression you won’t be getting assignments every day. And sending out a non editable document gives the impression it has been sent out in a hurry.

You are quite right though about reducing stress. It is a shame that we can’t shield children from the news. They really don’t need to know the detail and some news readers seem to have an hysterical tone.

Try to make it seem like a treat. An extra long holiday. Maybe think of unpopulated places you can go. I’m fortunate in that I live on the coast, which isn’t a tourist spot.

[emmasue in reply to Troilus]

Unfortunately we are self isolating at the moment. I am sure I just have a cold but the asthma clinic said I should stay home. Hopefully when we get passed the 14 days we can go out a bit. We are fortunate that we live right next to a wooded area. I envy your to seaside though. We are in the middle of the Midlands about as far from the sea as you can get! We used to live 8 miles from the sea so we do miss it. I hope the weather improves so you can enjoy it. x

[Recordergirl in reply to emmasue]

Hi, I’m a teacher and I know teachers are trying hard to get a very different way of working and teaching up and running in a very short space of time plus all the other stuff around key workers etc. My school is trying to upload stuff to class pages on the school website but it keeps crashing! I couldn’t add documents in certain formats to some platforms, so PDF was the only way. It’s very frustrating and I know our school will be very flexible with what children produce, and how they produce it. If you need any help or advice, please shout!

[emmasue in reply to Recordergirl]

Thanks. That may explain it. I know it's stressful for the teachers too. I am sure we will find a new normal soon. Take care and stay safe. x

[Recordergirl in reply to emmasue]

Yes it is all so new and so alien. Please don’t stress or let your kids stress if they can’t access or do what it appears they’re being told to do. My son has a big list of instructions from his college, but he is still very much struggling to get his head round the whole situation so I am not going to push him to start on assignments until he is ready. I really think teachers will be hugely flexible with this, I know I will be. I think they have to be. Anything else would be counterproductive. Take care.

[RD23 in reply to emmasue]

Although I’m not a teacher, I go into schools and deliver workshops on water so if you need anything, give me a shout.

[emmasue in reply to RD23]

Thanks. x

[Fivefeet]

Hello I am so scared like everyone is and am scared because have brittle asthma that will get this virus and will die am feeling very lonely even though have my husband and 3 kids I also have complex mental health problems which isn’t helping at the moment in the last 3 days I’ve have 6 asthma attacks lucky have got a neb at home or it would have been hospital thank you for reaching out to us all

[emmasue in reply to Fivefeet]

I hope you are ok. I know my anxiety is up at the moment. My daughter really suffers with anxiety and hasn't slept well this past week. It's a stressful time. Try to avoid too much of the news and do things you enjoy. Take care of yourself. x

[Fivefeet in reply to emmasue]

Thank you I haven’t brittle asthma am so scared hope you are safe and well hope your daughter will be ok I have a daughter who suffers anxiety and has crps

[RD23 in reply to Fivefeet]

It’s a difficult time but we’re all in it together and we can help each other through. Reach out on here if you need to.

[Norsca]

Are you in Australia or the UK?

[Fivefeet in reply to Norsca]

Uk where are you from?

[Recordergirl]

Hi RD,

I’ve had a very anxious week, I’m not going into school and am pretty much isolating though my husband isn’t. I keep almost panicking then manage pull myself back. I have been for a couple of walks as I need fresh air and exercise but I find it very stressful if I even see someone else.

Our community has a fb page set up but I feel weird asking for help as I’m not elderly or on my own! I’m going to get my husband to put notes through our neighbours doors explaining my situation and also offering ‘remote’ help if we can. We don’t know our neighbours well, some not at all, but I think I need to do this today. Hopefully there will be some reciprocation, as I worry about who else might be vulnerable.

I have also signed up for Gareth Malone’s choir as all my music groups are cancelled. I’m finding it hard to motivate myself as I don’t feel well, but I’m going to try and hatch a plan to change that somehow.

[1974lovejoy in reply to Recordergirl]

Similar here .... I’m vulnerable but husband and children (although older teens )are not .. I’m encouraging them to try to maintain some normality but with awareness of my worries ( without trying to put my worries on them) ... not easy ...

I’ve told them they still need to exist but to avoid the usual group gatherings they love as teenagers !!! Trying to encourage the outside walks type gathering ... going down like a lead balloon as it involves exercise in some form 😂!!!

Many different emotions here ... worry, flippancy, fear and normal ... it’s exhausting ... not working frontline for obvious reasons which is tough emotionally knowing the stress my colleagues are under and not being able to do the job I love .. but finally getting set up to help in the background from home ..,

Trying to keep my glass half full attitude ... it’s going to be a long few weeks ahead !!!

My husband works from home anyway so on the plus side we are not one of the couples who have been thrown together 24/7 so at least our marriage will be ok 😂xxx

[RD23 in reply to 1974lovejoy]

Sounds like you have the right approach and I go from worrying to being fine but it’s normal given the circumstances. Always here if you need a friendly, virtual ear.

[1974lovejoy in reply to RD23]

Thank you ... you too ... xxx

[RD23 in reply to Recordergirl]

Hatching a plan sounds like a great idea, I’m going to try and do the same and make the best of a bad situation.

I know how you feel, luckily I live on my own but I’m still seeing my parents, I can’t completely isolate or I’ll be climbing the walls and as stress and anxiety are my big triggers I’m trying to find the balance as I don’t want to end up in A&E.

I pushed a note through the letterbox of the house that joins mine as we speak if we see each other and wondered if I should reach out to the rest of the street but I’m not sure community spirit is alive on my road!

[1974lovejoy in reply to RD23]

Think you maybe surprised .. you don’t know if you don’t offer !!!! 😂

Self isolating is almost as dangerous as the bloody virus .. our stress levels as asthmatics are currently through the roof ... I’m being really sensible but still trying to allow my family the limited existence they can have ... juggling act with a daily change !! But hey life would be boring if everything stayed the same 😳😂!!

On the plus side our asthma’s may not be so affected the coming pollen season if the pollution levels drop with the reduced movement 😂😂