Shielding

[Tillie20]

Please could someone advise how you are coping with shielding in the home with your family or husband when you have only 1 bathroom only enough bedrooms for your family as with me I have 2 bedrooms 1 is now an office so you onky have the 1 bed for my self and my husband. Please could someone let me know how you are coping.

[Moomin8]

Morning Tillie🙂 To be honest, we are the same as you regarding bedrooms and bathrooms. We are distancing as much as possible within the house and physical/personal space. We use as own towels - which we have always done - and are just even more careful about personal hygiene. We are lucky to have a garden, so I spend as much time, as the weather allows, out there: walking, reading and light gardening. I'm flaring at the moment so I am restricted to what I can and can't do physically, but just getting on with life 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Tillie20 in reply to Moomin8]

Thank you

[medway-lady]

We do have enough room but I think that is it a bit silly really, how on earth can you shield when you need to talk of watch the same TV etc. My husband and I decided that if one got it so would the other even if we lived on opposite sides of the house as we live in the same building. He wasn't too keen on living in his man cave in the garden!

And could anyone actually ignore someone whose ill. How would the ill person get food. Even if they eat alone because the plates been left outside the door someone still needs to pick up the dirty plate.

So we are doing our best we do have separate bedrooms and bathrooms that means twice as many to clean but share the kitchen and dining room and lounge. Lots of homes these days are open plan how do those people manage. We through being lazy don't have open planned like the dining room but even so its almost impossible to stay separate even if we wanted too. I don't actually think it can be avoided in the long term as it just takes one small bit of the virus to infect so until we get a vaccine then its do our best ; don't go out except in the garden but try to stay sane and watch Netflix with lots of books.

[Tillie20 in reply to medway-lady]

Thank you

[Sheila_G in reply to medway-lady]

My experience is the same as yours. We can isolate from each other in most ways but we are sharing bathrooms, kitchen and lounge. My husband isn't going out either apart from to the corner shop if we run out of milk occasionally. He wears a heavy mask and gloves and sanitises the milk bottle, the handles, himself when he gets back. I think we are doing all we can realistically. We are very fortunate to have amazing neighbours who shop for us. I appreciate that not everyone can manage like we can and at the end of the day all you can do is your best with hygiene. I wish everyone well. x

[Tillie20 in reply to Sheila_G]

Thank you for the reply take care

[NanaFifi in reply to medway-lady]

Hi Medway-lady,

I agree with you, we decided that my husband wouldn’t go out and he would isolate alongside me. No way am I sitting in a room by myself, eating alone, sleeping alone! Up until I got my letter last week (Scottish Government were a bit slow) he had been going out once a week to the bakers, fish shop and farm shop, everything else we get delivered.

I hope everyone stays well and sane!! Good luck everybody!! xx

[allanah]

I do have a spare bedroom now my daughter has left and a bathroom so not really qualified to answer this !! But I think you have to do the best you can .

There was a great programme on chanel 4 on how to social isolate which was very good. So you have to stay in same bedroom etc but as you normally do, do lots off showering and use you own towels but he said clean all the bathroom surfaces between uses.

My hubby cant go out either so that helped but if he or I go out to doctor etc we change clothes put them straight in washer and go in shower .

I know it's hard but actually on my letter it says it's a very personal decision to shield although they advise it , so we are doing the best we can. I really miss being in the same room as hubby and that affects me , so swings and roundabouts...

[Tillie20 in reply to allanah]

Thank you

[Ali_H]

So long as you are both staying home and not going out of your ‘bubble’ then you are shielding. If one of you is going out to work, exercising, shopping etc then you are not shielding but social distancing from outside persons.

I hope that helps.

All the best

Ali

[Tillie20]

Thank you

[Stayloose]

My husband is shielding so I have joined him as we are quite a huggy couple with each other. We are therefore living at home in the same way as we always do with extra care re food deliveries, letters etc. Some extra hand washing but nil else.We wake very early in the morning so could easily walk the streets meeting nobody, but resisted so far.

[Tillie20 in reply to Stayloose]

Thank you

[charisma]

I am shielding in a first floor flat ie upstairs (in case you are in the USA where first floor means UK ground floor).

I have one adult son here too. No chance of using separate bathroom as there is only one. He fetches my prescriptions and groceries.

We only eat in the same room at the same time once a week anyway, each doing our own meals as usual, except that one day.

I am ignoring ‘clean the bathroom’ after him and before I use it. I do go round now and then with spray bleach on a cloth, wiping door handles, light switches and taps though.

I forgot yesterday, after he came home with groceries, to wipe those too. But do wash hands plenty, as he does.

If one gets COVID-19, both will.

It’s the same for any household.

[Tillie20 in reply to charisma]

Thank you for the reply I do live in Uk centre of London we are doing the same as you except we do slip I'm same bed I look at it like you if one gets it the other will as well, take care

[charisma in reply to Tillie20]

Yes, the guidance to try and prevent anyone shielding from catching it, is so they won’t be severely ill.

Since it’s my son and we are not spending much time together (he sleeps most daylight hours), I am not too concerned.

Much tougher when it is a spouse or partner!

[jbzm]

Like most of us shielding, we are doing what we can. Four of us here as eldest is home from Uni, younger one should have been taking A levels, then hubby and me. No spare bed, much less a spare bedroom. However, I could have my own bathroom . . .

Boys not really going out at all (eldest has been out once in the three weeks he has been home), just hubby for essential shopping. Getting up like so many others at some silly hour to queue for a Tesco's slot as no email from them as yet although we always shop with them. Quite long gaps between the deliveries we've managed to get and, reality, two male teens/early twenties in the house - they can eat for England so bread and milk don't last!!

A case of taking as much care as we can short of one of us sleeping on the living room floor. I'd never get up from there if I did that!! (That's if I managed to get down there in the forst place!)

[Tillie20 in reply to jbzm]

Thank you for the reply, yes,my,husband and I are doing everything we can. My husband pops out for shopping must say I have been lucky with supermarket deliverys considering I am in the centre of London take care

[MadBunny]

There's only my husband and myself at home .We have a very small house with only 1 bathroom , kitchen and living room so avoiding each other and not sharing the same spaces is virtually impossible.Luckily we have 2 bedrooms and a small garden.He is still going out to work and does the shopping and I know he worries about the risks(although it does mean we are are at home together for only a few hours.)We do the best we can,trying to follow strict hygiene procedures as much as possible.We do try to avoid touching and using the same things as much as we can,have our own crockery,towels,etc.I do all the cooking,washing up so he spends minimum time in the kitchen.

Its hard, but I appreciate that its much harder for many others who have even less space than we do ,so I am thankful for what we have.

[Tillie20 in reply to MadBunny]

Thank you for the reply take care.

[Mr_Judge_Benny_Hinn]

I burned my letter in disgust! unless you have a mansion it's impractical..use your best common sense people! If some of you are lucky to have a garden, buy a tent and self isolate that way!

[Recorder500L in reply to Mr_Judge_Benny_Hinn]

I'm sorry but, I find your reply impertinent. Tillie20 asked a civil question. Lots of RD people have not got a garden and most including myself would not be able to get into a tent to lie down.

In reply to Tillie20, I think that you are doing the best you can under the circumstances and adhere to the 'letter' the best we can. Best wishes Tillie 20 and Take Care.

[Tillie20 in reply to Recorder500L]

Thank you very much for your kind reply to me I just ignored that reply thinking maybe they do not know what it is like to have RA as many people would not be able to get in or out of a tent, but thank you very much and take care.

[Mr_Judge_Benny_Hinn in reply to Recorder500L]

Having had RA for most of my life I see this virus as just another challenge to overcome in my life!

[Recorder500L in reply to Mr_Judge_Benny_Hinn]

Indeed, I agree with you, RD is a huge challenge to all our lives; I have had RD for over 30 years and as we get older it gets even harder to cope with. Then along comes the corona-19 virus we have to re-think our lives to cope with the people whom we love and share our homes with. Which is by no means easy. Take Care.

[juliea793]

We live in a 1 bedroom flat with 1 bathroom no garden. So shielding from each other impossible. Hubby goes shopping once a week. The allotment is both of our exercise. We just wash hands many times a day. We live on the coast so do not have a confined area outside just the sea air. I suppose we are very much luckier than some.

[Tillie20 in reply to juliea793]

Thank you for the reply take care

[Biofreak]

Hi Tillie. I am in the same boat as you and I am doing the same as Moomin. Not ideal but the best you can do.

[Tillie20 in reply to Biofreak]

Thanks for the reply take care

[Pamak]

We have plenty of room but not separated as that seems silly. My husband can go out so he cleans hands doors etc every time he returns. I have horses and i still do them but don’t see anyone. Food deliveries now sorted so should be okay with that. I change all towels every other day as I can’t see the point of continuous hand washing and dirty towels- defeats the object I think. Like all of us I do miss my coffee outings.

[Tillie20 in reply to Pamak]

Take care

[Evaflo10s]

I’m taking the same view really that we’re all going to get it if one gets it . Five of us and a dog in a small house, two key workers going out and my youngest one I’m meant to be home schooling . The only time I’m finding it somewhat easier to shield is when I’m meant to be teaching fractions , then I hide in the bathroom :).

Good Luck to you and yours .

[Shalf in reply to Evaflo10s]

Long division! Would happily hibernate.

Ohhh nooo

[Tillie20 in reply to Evaflo10s]

Take care.

[Pamak]

Take care and keep safe xx

[Weemillie]

Hi Tillie

Both myself & my husband are sheilding, but I live in an adapted property ,in which I am fortunate to have 2 bathrooms as my bedroom is also downstairs all on 1 level . However my son lives with us upstairs there is 2 bedrooms as my other son moved out there has again I say Fortunately his is a spare room . But between myself and husband none of us can go upstairs otherwise we would need to come downstairs to use our bathroom so it rules out the spare room as we cant arnt fit enough to get up and down . But there always a solution, my hubby sleeps on the couch and I'm in our double bed . That way none of us are using anything my son uses as hes a manager in a large supermarket so he is useful . But we just cant take the chance with him still out at work . The End of my long Story #staysafe.

[Tillie20 in reply to Weemillie]

Thank you for the reply please take care.

[Coriander18]

My whole family decided to shield with me.

We have 1 bathroom and a downstairs loo. It would have been too impractical for me to keep cleaning everything so everyone's doing the same (my daughter who lives in the next village is part of our bubble as she has refused to let her carers in to help her so it means the four of us have meals etc together.. she drives to us).

Luckily my teacher daughter is furloughed at the moment, don't know what she'll do when the furlough stops as she'll have to move out... can't swap with other daughter as it's adapted for her disability.

We all breathed a sign of relief at the end of week 2 that we were safe (though I'd followed instructions from Heathcare at Home and for the 2 previous weeks had not attended gatherings... so it may be week 7 but it's more like 9 weeks as I only went out twice in those weeks.

I'm hoping to see my grandchildren in a couple of years... did anyone realise that the original shielding letter that didn't get sent as the re-did it said you may have to shield for a further 6 weeks after the initial 12 weeks and you may be in and out of shielding for 18 months to 2 years.

This is so we live folks.... so enjoy your time now!

And I am (lucky?) enough that we had a spare room so I don't co-sleep with my husband.... the bed's harder than our own... but it was worth it as a bargain for everyone to shield so I didn't end up with the downstairs loo with a bowl and watering can (basin very small) in place of my daily shower... wouldn't have been good on the joints (and it's very cold).