Back to “normal” after shielding???

[LewLew19]

So I have a dilemma.....

mum is currently on keytruda, doing well with 6 weekly infusions, minimal side effects, etc. She is therefore on the shielding list. She’s bored, but of course understands why it’s necessary.

As a family, me and my 1 year old have visited mum in the back garden via side entrance, we’ve kept our distance to keep her safe. My mum loves seeing my little boy and she keeps saying that she’s really looking forward to looking after him soon.

As I know it’s going to be very hard to keep my mum away from my son after shielding ends (she’s dying for cuddles) I’ve decided to keep my son away from nursery for the time being. My thinking is that at the moment I know exactly who he’s in contact with and I can limit risk whilst the cases are still coming down.

However that’s only a short term solution, my husband will be back to work soon and I have a job too so really he would be needing to go back to nursery in August or September. His nursery are taking all the precautions they can, but we will never know really how effective that is! Also he’s really missing interacting with children his age and I worry about his development, he’s 21months and still not really talking.

So I’m wondering if anyone is in similar boat? I know we can’t eliminate all risk, and I’m doing all I can but at some point I guess we have to go back to “normal”. It’s such a hard balance to strike.

Hope you’re all keeping well despite the adding annoyance of COVID. As if we don’t have enough on our plate! X

[Mistyglo]

We are in a very similar situation , especially as my mum is saying it’s us and the grandkids that will keep her going 😢😢 we find it so hard that with the Covid my mum has no where to go so she can meet people who understand and going through the same situations is just so sad and scary x we tried shielding her the best we can but our mum has said she would rather have 6 months of cuddles than 12 /18 months of not xxx sad I know , good luck to you all and keep safe xx

[LewLew19 in reply to Mistyglo]

Thanks for your kind words. I think it’s all about measured risk and balance of living verses risk. Now that cases are declining there is less risk being around others but we have to be more careful than most! All the best xxx

[GoldenDoodle19]

Hi there

I’ve got to say that we made a choice about two months ago to start a ‘bubble’ with my mum (on keytruda like yours) and my dad. We don’t know whether these are her last few months and - in fact - my dad had a heart attack last week so he is on precious borrowed time as well. And because my whole family had been locked down without supermarket visits, as had my parents, we couldn’t see the point in not seeing them. It’s made a World of difference to my parents wellbeing. We’ve not regretted it for a second. Going forward, as the opening up continues and expands, we’ll have to look at whether to keep mum and dad a bit further away again and to wear masks perhaps, but at the moment we’re almost behaving as normal with them, hugging included. It’s a question of what’s more important to them I guess: an absolute guarantee of no Covid but also no physical contact or a slight risk of Covid and cuddles and hugs. It’s a choice only they can make. Neither myself nor my partner leave the house for work but both my sons are back at school.

[LewLew19 in reply to GoldenDoodle19]

Thanks so much for sharing your experience. It’s so hard, but you’re right there has to be a balance we strike. All the very best to you x

[RoyCastleHelpline Partner Ask the Nurse Roy Castle]

Dear LewLew19

It is a difficult situation to manage as you are trying to protect your Mum as best you can. Data is still being collected about the virus and therefore the information can change as more evidence comes forward.

As everyone knows this is going to be a new normal until the virus is gone.

You have done really well in protecting your Mum as best you can, but as you say you have to go back to work and return to a normality.

There seems to be some varying information on children under the age of 10 passing the virus on, it is advised it is unlikely but also the evidence is inconclusive. What they do know is that children are unlikely to develop severe symptoms.

You may know this already, but I have added the current guidelines for households that have grandparents and parents with children from UK Govt.

gov.uk/government/publicati...

This link is the latest on creating the support bubble with family members or from another household gov.uk/guidance/meeting-peo...

Hope you all keep well and safe.

The Roy Castle Support Team