Monday round-up

Good Monday morning all,

Wishing a warm welcome to all who have stopped by at the Care Community in the past week. We'll look forward to your contributions, when you are ready or need some help.

I expect that, for lots of you in England, the bad news for the weekend was the impending new lockdown announced by the Prime Minister. We now join the other UK countries in more stringent rules again.

But for myself there was extra bad news as I heard, at around the same time as the PM’s announcement, that my sister has had a really bad fall at home, resulting in a broken hip, shoulder and ribs. To add insult to injury, as some of you will already know, it’s the sister who is caring for my brother-in-law with dementia.

As all of you who have faced care crises will also already know, this throws everything into complete turmoil and is the perfect storm. A badly injured person, a person with dementia and an impending lockdown.

As yet we are all, as a family, digesting this news and trying to work out the best way forward so that both my sister and my brother-in-law can be cared for in the coming few weeks and months in the kindest and best way. For now my brother-in-law is safe with his two daughters (my nieces) who are there to care for him, but they will have to return to work in a few days.

Whatever the best solution turns out to be, it’s a real reminder of how we need to be ready to deal with whatever life throws our way, as ultimately we have little control over what's coming next!

And of course that's true of the current pandemic crisis and lockdown too.

I really feel for those people who are isolated and lonely, facing another spell with little contact from others and limited opportunities to be outside or entertained.

But the alternative is pretty horrible. Lots of us are vulnerable in age or in health with regard to the covid pandemic, so no matter how despondent we might feel, we have to go with it and get through it, and hopefully all continue to stay safe and well.

I think that initial spirit to stay cheerful and positive has evaporated a bit and the good will that went with it. We’re already battle weary and just want some good news for a change.

But life’s not like that. So we're going to have to show some grit and fortitude and just cope with each day as it comes along.

At least we have HealthUnlocked. We're here at the Care Community to listen and there's also the PWB, (Positive Wellbeing in isolation community, which I know some of you are members of too.) So let’s be a comfort and support to each other online, as we work through this latest development.

Please have a good week, but over-ridingly, please all stay safe and well!

[Jennymary]

Sorry to read of your sister's fall, sending best wishes for a speedy recovery ❤️

[Hidden in reply to Jennymary]

Thank you so much for your kind good wishes Jennymary.

[sassy59]

Hi Callendersgal, good to hear from you and your usual positive spirit. So very sorry to hear about your poor sister. As if she doesn’t have enough to deal with. I truly hope something can be sorted out for your brother in law that keeps him happy so your sister can recover.

I’m feeling ok about this lockdown as something just had to be done but I’m not very upbeat. It’s more a question of getting on with things somehow. I can’t even see our daughter in her birthday (5th) but we’ll do a FaceTime or soon call. Will see her for afternoon tea on Wednesday though hopefully. Fingers crossed.

Wishing everyone better days ahead and yes let’s all stay in touch if possible and support each other. No pressure obviously but it may help.

Love to you and everyone. Take care and stay safe. Xxx💜💖👍

[Hidden in reply to sassy59]

Hi sassy59, I do know what you mean about this second lockdown. No-one's spirit is very high about it and the 'Dunkirk' spirit we all kept going last time's just gone. We're tired of the strangeness of it all and the fact that we seem stuck in one spot with no light at the end of the tunnel.

Resignation seems to be the way to go and I'm glad you are feeling much the same way I am about it all. It is missing people and companionship which is getting to most of us and I think for the sake of our mental health, that's going to have to be addressed in a better way sooner or later. But for now we have no option but to 'crack-on'.

Thanks for your commiserations for my sister. The latest update last night was that they still hadn't taken her to theatre, but the hospital had been really kind and understanding and allowed not only my brother-in-law to visit for over the permitted hour, but all of the family bubble were allowed in too, one at a time. That has cheered up my poor sister even though she's still in a lot of pain and hoping that op's coming soon to reduce the fractures.

Take care too sassy59 and stay strong and safe! xxx💖🌈🌺😊🙏

[sassy59 in reply to Hidden]

Wishing your sister well and hoping she makes a full recovery. As everyone keeps saying, we will get through this, we have to believe that.

Hunker down and carry on. Xxx💜❤️😘💕🌈

[Hidden]

I'm sorry to hear about your sisters fall.

It's always the way that these things come in the same blow.

We are well here today and I have been busy this morning doing online courses and then had my usual lunchtime walk and got caught in the showers whilst out!

Back in September when I had heard those whispers about local lockdowns here in Wales I was ever so upset as it had felt like a smack in the face as I had just started going back to face to face socialising and then that happened.

It winds me up something chronic when you are led to believe that you are getting things and at the last minute the door is slammed shut in your face as no you aren't and I would rather do without altogether than have that happen.

Another lesson I have learned from this pandemic and from having had blood clots in my lungs back in 2017 is that none of us knows what lurks round the corner for any of us.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

So true catgirl1976!

[klr31]

I'm so sorry to hear about your sister and hope she soon has the op and begins to heal. What a worry for you all. We never know what is around the corner do we.

Take care.

Best wishes,

Karen x

[Hidden in reply to klr31]

Thank you so much for your good wishes Karen x. It’s true! Life loves to take us by surprise and not all of them are good.

[FlowerPreciousLover]

Sending good wishes to your family as you make plans for your brother-in-law and sister. What a double kink this adds to their daily lives!

[twinks]

Sorry to hear about your sister I hope measures will be in place to help the family to help them with care

[Hidden in reply to twinks]

Thank you so much for your kind good wishes twinks.🙏

[twinks]

I'll pm you ltr ok

[Hidden]

I really agree with you Scrumber. It seems unnecessary cruel for those people in the last few years or even weeks and months of their lives to be unable to have visits from their loved ones. I'm certain a way can be found to do this safely. I believe that there was such panic about the rapid spread of the virus in care homes in the early stages of the pandemic, that the tables were turned too stringently. There must be a middle way which can keep people safe but allow them this vital comfort. Failure to provide it will probably lead to deaths from a very different cause!

[Hidden]

My condolences to you and your family Scrumbler. It is also true that it's very disturbing to lose someone when a 'goodbye' would normally have been usual and encouraged. It's all really so sad.