Hello to all.
As someone living alone and Shielding during our current pandemic. I miss being able to go out and meet other people. I have become accustomed to my situation and accept that it is better to be safe than sorry later if I don't follow the guidance. A friend suggested I try more online so here we go.
Welcome to the forum x
Thank you.
Looking forward to using this site and reading what other contributors submit.
Hi Snackjack, welcome to you. Please tell us more about yourself. We also have a positive wellbeing forum which you might enjoy.
Take care and stay safe. Xxxx
Thank you.
More about myself, not to sure what to say. I worked all my life prior to retirement, the last 40 years I worked as an Accountant in the motor trade. So I never had much time for hobbies as I often worked from home in the evenings as well as in the office during the day. When I look back I appreciate that I always had employment which lots of people now do not have that so I am happy that I am now retired. I like my TV soap Opera's and SyFy films and I like Midsummer Murders, Lewis and Vera I also do sudoku online and play patience card games online and have a look at the daily news online. Can't wait for the Netflix "The Crown" that is due out again this Autumn. Hope that provides some insight.
It’s good to now have time to enjoy things. I also love Vera, Lewis and Midsommer Murders. I’m carer for my husband Pete who has sarcoidosis, COPD, heart disease and back problems. I’m in charge of keeping a close eye on him and keeping him well.
I’m glad you found the forum. Xxx
Thank you, I am glad I have joined, just wish I had known about it before. So in your position you presumably have to shield and stay careful. I have to because I have several medical conditions which make me high risk. Yes I am so pleased I am not working any more, I can sympathise with those losing their employment, it really isn't easy for them. I have a friend with COPD (some times on oxygen) so we haven't been able to see each other for a long time now. I have online shopping delivery, wish I had thought of doing that before Covid, it is so much easier and no checkout queues.
Thank you, nice to have a chat.
Take care both of you.
I love Vera, Midsummer and Lewis!
It’s nice to meet new people! Welcome!
We are a friendly bunch with a some good knowledge between us and we do have a good giggle along the way as well as helping each other through!
Hi, welcome to the forum. X
🙋♀️hello & welcome to the BLF forum and so glad you found us Snackjack. Seems like you've been able to accept all that's thrown at us during this horrid COVID-19 pandemic, which from the media we hear of so many folk who just find it too difficult and are struggling each day. I'm certain you'll be pleasantly surprised when you look around our site, that we dont let it get too gloomy because we use our love of pets, gardening, hobbies like photography, our regular commedians and also one hell of a "rhyming " man. We also come from as far away as Japan, Australia, USA, Spain, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and all the home counties too. Look forward to seeing you on here. Have a good weekend. 🐿🌈.
Thank you so much.
Our regular comedians. Who can you mean ? Miss Piggy for president !
Looking forward to all the humour , we all need a laugh during current times. Not wishing to be political but could Miss Piggy be any worse!
Hi there 🙋♀️ @Angelagone ! We have a certain few members who can make us all laugh and then there are the one's that don't realise how funny they are(which comes out as dry humour-one of my favourite types, so I'm catered for in every respect). Maybe we should see who member's would choose as their "pick-me-up tonic" for raising a smile 😁? I'm grateful we have some light hearted entertainers on here.......all free, so nothing to pay for the privilege, lol!! 🐿🌈
Yes in less than 24 hours of joining I feel more cheerful about life. All of you are a tonic and I will be logging on every day.
Hi and welcome. There are a great variety of things to read on this forum which may help you to feel less isolated.
Hello Snackjack!Welcome aboard! 🍻😀
Hello and welcome 😊 These are such strange times, so it’s really good to have friends here, at any time, but especially now.
Thank you. I hope to make friends online that last long after the current pandemic.
Thank you, really appreciate all the responses.
Welcome Snackjack - you are not alone 
Thank you, the responses I have had have made realise that there are other ways to have friends as well as face to face meetings.
Hi and welcome, have a good weekend and take care 😊 Bernadette and Jack 🐕 xxxx
Hello snackjack. Welcome . You will find everyone helpful and friendly.
Like you I live alone and am being sheilded and having food delivered but i miss going to the shops . Never thought i would ever say that ! But i find i am buying the same things all tne time ,used to get inspiration for something different to eat when cruising the shelves, but i do not miss the queueing! Have spent time finding how to buy things by telephone and post and i am surprised at that so many do that. But i I need to go to dentists, and opticians. My hair needs cutting properly as i have been having to do it myself. The heating needs servicing aand the shower needs apart
replacing and none of that can be done remotely. Just waiting for vaccine to appear.
Roll on next year
Take care
I have been getting whatever I want online apart from when I decided I needed to get a Smarphone and a Tablet to communicate with the outside world when I had 3 weeks of problems with my Phone and Internet Provider. I had to go out and purchase these as I knew I would need initial help on setting them up, but I was pleased with all of the precautions when I got to the store, obviously kept my distance and wore a mask. I also had to go to the Opticians and they assured me they had all the Covid precautions in place and they gave me an appointment half hour before any other appointments which was good of them and it all went well, it was the same when I had to go and pick up my new glasses half hour before any other appointments. Then had to go to the dentist because I broke a front tooth, again it was all Covid secure. I did manage to get my hair cut when hairdressers were allowed to work again, I was so relieved as it looked like I had been pulled through a hedge backwards. I went to her house where she had everything sterilised and I was her first appointment and she had all the PPE, took temperature etc. I went again last week and again it was all Covid secure and I was her first appointment of the day. I had been very nervous about all of the above but they all worked out OK. I did get my heating serviced but it was when the weather was nice and I could have all the doors and windows open, he had PPE on and I did and stayed in a different room.
As for grocery shopping I agree I tend to keep ordering the same things but sometimes I do spend time looking through all the options for inspiration for something different.
Hope that you can soon get your heating serviced and other things that need attention.
Really nice to hear from you.
Stay safe and take care.
Sue
You did do well . My phone became defunct in april and i have left it as i am not going out . It was just for emergency . My car has flat battery and the lock had seized up last week when i tried to get something out of it. Sorted that eventually but left all the other s until the situation improved, but that was a really bad idea ! But then had no idea it could be like this . Heating is a problem as it is warm air heating and my house is open plan, everywhere has vents and ducting for this and doors have vents in them so no good closing door . Was told to sit in closed room while engineer was in house . It's touching things that are the problem as tne virus is able to survive so long . Great heating usually , . Love it . Instantaneous- (well , 15 mins to warm everywhere) Can always stand over the floor vents for instant warmth .
I was reliant on the internet to do my shopping so I couldn't really leave it and have no connection to the outside world. When the Heating Engineer came to service my boiler He was wearing PPE and I was in a different room with a mask on and as it was warmer then I had all my doors and windows open, and when he had gone I went all round my kitchen (as that is where the boiler is) and washed everywhere down with soapy water and dried off I then went all round again with antic spray. Probably a bit over the top but I felt safer that way. Ref the car about a month into the first lockdown I used to drive it round the outskirts of town once a week to try to keep the battery charged up, did this for a while and then ordered a Battery Charger from Amazon. I also had a problem in that the tyres (all 4) kept going down so again I turned to Amazon and order a tyre compressor so I was able to get them back to the right pressure. When the lockdown ended I phoned my regular tyre place and agreed a time when I could go over, I would drive it into their workshop and out again so that they didn't get into the car and the problem was that the seals on the alloy wheels were not holding so got that sorted. This time has certainly been a learning curve. I have always taken the car to the car wash or gone back to the garage I last worked for to get it cleaned but during the Lockdown I had to clean it myself so again Amazon came to the rescue and I ordered some cleaning/wax fluid. Have to admit didn't enjoy that task so not sure if I will be doing it again any time soon.
I suspect that a lot of us have had to tackle things we haven't done before. I still run a soapy sponge over all my shopping and then dry it off when it is delivered, again I feel safer that way. I know I was a bit neurotic in the beginning antibac everywhere every day which was ridiculous really as no one had been in my home except me. I have eased off with that now.
Wish you well and hope nothing else goes wrong for you.
Stay safe.
You dont know how pleased I was read that you wiped your shopping over with a soapy sponge because i have had a few strange looks from people I have mentioned this to. I was beginning to think i was too over the top about it . I was a medical microbiologist many years ago and did 2 yrs virology and final exam to get my full qualifcations but that was 1967, and not only have things changed and so much been learnt but I have done any since thenand I cannot remember any of it, but I do retain a healthy respect for viruses. THis one is something different.
you havedone very well as regards your car. full marks I wish I had been so diligent. covid will never disappear but we might manage to live with it next year . Virusues do mutate and hopefully it will become less virulent.
take care
be aware that anti-nbac is not always strong enough it needs alcohol at 60% in it to be effectivel
you will find that 2 greys downloads info of interest for us from many sources, and before the BBc news get it too. Very useful
Thanks so much for that info, will keep a look out for 2 greys downloads as I do like to keep up to date as to what is happening and what we should and shouldn't be doing. Like you I don't think the virus is going to go away any time soon and hope it will become less virulent.
Don't worry about others giving you strange looks I have another friend who also does the soapy wash of shopping as well. Find it a bit of a chore but I will carry on doing it for my own peace of mind so we are not on our own with this.
Take care and best wishes
Hello & Welcome to this Great Forum Hun. There are quite a few on here who live alone, but once we all start chatting you get pulled in and feel like your in a Family. Enjoy all the Toing & Froing, You will soon settle in. Stay Safe & well. Love. C. XXX
Thank you so much. everyone who has responded has been so nice and welcoming. Like I said to another responder I just which I had know about this site sooner as whilst I have accepted my situation and quite happy in my own little world of my home I did start to feel disconnected from the rest of society which isn't how I had imagined my retirement years to be.
Take care
Sue
Hi Sue, now you can come & go whenever you feel like a chat. You will see by many Posts, we all have Lung Problems and we like to help each other. We also share Pets photo's , Share Lovely Poems, some tell awful Jokes Haha. But, Generally we are a Good Caring Group who you will get to know quite quickly. Enjoy Sue. Take Care, Stay safe. Love. C. XXXX
I used to go to our local Hospice where they held Breathing Space meetings once a month but due to the pandemic that has all stopped and I don't think it will get started again any time soon if ever. So to communicate with others with very similar conditions again is in itself uplifting.
Take care
Sue
Hello and welcome. Nice to meet you and waiting to find out more about you.
Cheers.
Likewise I am looking forward to getting to know people on this site as it really does seem to be a really nice community.
😁😁😁
Hello there . Welcome. 🤗🤗
Welcome Snackjack x
It certainly helps especially in lock down. I hope you enjoy this forum as much as we all do.
Welcome Snackjack . I'm glad you found our forum. xx 😊👋
I was so glad to find this forum and feel a lot of support from it. I live alone too and am vulnerable. I miss shopping too,buying online is no substitute! Re hairdressers ,mine makes me appointments when the shop is quiet and there is no one in having a colour or other chemical treatment. My lungs cant cope with it! I am keeping Amazon in business at the moment and talking to friends on the phone or Zoom. An entirely different life to the one I had!xx
I agree shopping on line is no substitute but just making the most of what we can do. However what I find difficult is buying clothes online as different makes seem to have different sizing. I used to always be able to go into M & S and get my trousers, shorter length and didn't even have to try them on but just before the lockdown I ordered them in the store, collected them, got home and although they were labelled short they were not, seems like they have changed their sizing for some bizarre reason so then had to go into town and return them. Now I can't go into town that is not an option. I am sure I can't be the only one that has found different sizing a problem.
Like you I am also glad that I have found this forum and will be logging on to it every day. I am so pleased that your hairdresser caters for your condition like mine does for me.
Take care and stay safe
Welcome.
Lots of friendly folk on here-quite a few of us shielding.
Stay safe.
Welcome, Snackjack. This site has really helped me make the best of my condition, COPD. Great bunch of virtual friends too.
Welcome x
Couldn't think of anything to say but welcome. The others on this site are much more eloquent ( and perhaps don't have so much trouble banging the right letter on the keyboard). I joined quite recently- it is a lovely forum. Makes me feel quite human again, almost as human as Scruffy.
I know what you mean, I tend to think that I have nothing to say but somehow it seems to come to me (I have days when I have dyslexic fingers on the keyboard so always read it back to myself before sending and there is always occasions when I have the letters in a word the wrong way round). Yes the forum does help me feel that perhaps I can be part of a community again.
Hello Snackjack, nice to see that you’ve joined us here! Please join in some of the discussions, I look every day to see the different topics that are posted.
Yes I will be logging on every day as I am interested in hearing how others are coping and being able to join in on something. I feel it is going to make each day more interesting than it has been for a long time. I keep in touch with some friends via e-mail and phone but with this it is something I can look in on every day. I am just so happy that I have found this site.
Welcome! I love the folks on this site and so I look on here most days. I would miss everyone like mad if they weren't on here.
I don't live alone as I have a lovely husband, but we do everything together at the moment so it's nice to have the views of other people and also share the highs and lows with them all. You'll find a lot of support and humour on here (mad as a box of frogs comes to mind!!) - the cats and dogs especially have a lot to say for themselves. Haha!
xx Moy
Hello and welcome.
Welcome Snackjack. I too am relatively new and everybody has been really helpful with my current situation.
Take care x
I hope you enjoy the site, I certainly am doing, yes everyone is just so friendly and welcoming. It has opened up my days.
When I registered to join this site I tried User names that I have used before but they were all taken so I was struggling a bit to come up with one and then I thought of my favourite snack - Snack Jacks Chocolate flavour hence I came up with SnackJack.
I do feel that if I get a problem I would get help from the variety of people on this site.
Take care and Best Wishes
Hello and wecome x
Thank you, will be logging on every day to see how everyone is coping and what I can learn from others, I have already found being part of albeit a virtual group of people as helped me feel less isolated than I did, everyone is so interesting.
I have been thinking about all the people volunteering and helping others and it seemed that due to circumstances I couldn't help anyone so I am also considering joining a local Voluntary Befriending Organisation. Due to myself Shielding I am unable to visit people living alone but they also want people that would be prepared to be matched up with someone living on their own and give them a call once or twice a week. Will see how it goes and what is involved.
This site has given me so much already, you are all so friendly.
My very best wishes to everyone xx
Morning 🙂 Welcome to Healthunlocked! I have found it a brilliant place to be: informative, unintrusive, friendly and supportive. It's so important to realise you're not on your own and to have like-minded people to talk to. Our familiar are brilliant but, let's be honest, how would they fully understand how we're feeling about some of the decisions we have to make, or simply how it 'is' sometimes. You can generally ask anything on here or post your thoughts and finds. Looking forward to hearing from you...😃
Welcome and hope you enjoy this forum. X
Hello, i have just read your post from 2 months ago,( i dont come on here very often), welcome, it is a very good site to be on for all sorts of problems healthwise. Lots of friends and someone will always reply when we post and need reassurance. Incidentally, i also still wipe all my shopping when it arrives, with a cloth wrung out in hot soapy water.
Stay safe, hope this year is kind to us after such an awful one last year.
Thank you, so pleased I am not the only one wiping all my shopping when delivered. I think we all have to do what we feel is safest for us. Like when I recently had to go to the hospital for a blood test. Deliberately didn't wear a coat as my intention when I got home was to put all my clothes in the washer and have a shower and wash my hair just in case I had picked up any Covid droplets whilst at the hospital. I have also taken to using Dettol Laundry Cleanser in every wash.As I have been shielding from when it all started finding this site has been good for me, I can check in when ever I want to see what is happening and how others are coping with our current situation, respond to others if I feel I have anything to say that may help. Catch up on the videos of Independent Sage and the Zoe Covid Survey videos which I find informative about the current pandemic.
Everyone is so friendly, I do hope to continue with this site long after Covid is over and done with (which I don't think is going to be any time soon), my Lung condition and Heart Problems are not going to get any better so it is uplifting being able to communicate with others with similar health issues and feel a part of the community.
Really appreciate you response to my post.
Please take care of yourself and stay safe so we can continue to communicate for some time to come.
Sue xx
I also went for blood test few weeks ago, washed all my clothes and showered when home. Shoes stay in porch. Handbag wiped with antibacterial wipe. I get very worried and we can’t be too careful. I do hope it gets easier for us all this year. It’s bad enough having health issues without this awful pandemic now.
Couldn't agree more, I did stock up on hand gel and antibacterial wipes earlier last year 2020 when all the panic buying had died down, did think at one time that I might be going a bit over the top, but decided I was just doing what I felt I had to do to keep myself as safe as I possibly could.I am getting nervous again now as I have to go to the hospital on the 11th Jan for a Gastroscopy (without sedation) procedure, having had one before I know I will not be in and out very quickly. I have to go on Friday 8th for a Covid Swab test, less worried about that as you go to a designate parking area outside and someone comes out to you. Having said that anything going near the back of my throat and I start gagging so not looking forward to it.
You taking the same precautions as me does make me feel that I am not being over the top so thank you for that.
Hello, welcome to this wonderful site, you can learn, laugh, sympathise when folks are having a rough time and all the emotions in between. Hope to see and hear a lot from you in the future. X
Thank you, I agree it is a wonderful site and it is helping me to stay sane as I have been shielding from when this pandemic started last March but only found this forum about a couple of months ago. I just wish I had found the site a lot sooner, even before the pandemic as I do have a breathing problem so do not get out and about like I used to. I do log onto the site most days and if I have anything to say to hopefully help or sympathise with anyone then I do respond. As you say sometimes there are posts that just make you smile. Also like the pictures that some people post as I live in a built up area I only see other properties which are not at all inspiring so to get to see some of the nice views that others experience is nice.
Thank you for your post welcoming me, it really means something to me.
Friends
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