Covid.: Is anyone else feeling anxious about the... - My Ovacome

My Ovacome

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Covid.

fendweller profile image
42 Replies

Is anyone else feeling anxious about the covid restrictions being lifted ,I'm really unsettled today , I'll continue to wear a mask ,but I'm still worried. I've had both vaccines but not sure how much imunity they will give me , I was still having chemo when I had the first one , I'm now on the parp Rubraca. What are you ladies thinking .

Cheryl.

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fendweller
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42 Replies
Slipper1 profile image
Slipper1

I'm with you too, as the infections are rising, I had started to go out albeit tentatively, but think I will might revert back to staying in and around my home, seeing crowds of people with no masks and not socially distanced does make me feel a little anxious .Why o why we didn't keep the masks and social distance into the future?

Frenchhouse3 profile image
Frenchhouse3

Hi Cheryl, I’m with you and sticking with mask and social distancing. I’ll avoid crowded places too.Hope you’re keeping well and the parps are more manageable for you now?

Lots of love xxxxx

rosebine profile image
rosebine

I am travelling on a train tomorrow and will wear mask, though not the FFP3 one, which I have ordered and hasnt arrived ! Got carried away and booked a break after good scan and thought about the train journey afterwards! Hoping carriage not too full, although the San dwich golf tournament finishes today and trains might be packed with people travelling back tomorrow.Ive decided to be as careful as I can but try and do what I want while I can. I do bounce between the two trains of thought though (pun not intended !)

I’m thinking exactly the same as you Cheryl. With you 💯 Love Angela x

Cumbrianlass5 profile image
Cumbrianlass5

I got sick of isolating so have been breaking the rules with regard to my daughters and two wonderful little granddaughters, but avoid other folk as much as I can. Not happy about the government's decision to lift all restrictions and put the economy first. It seems mad to me, but I guess it is because we are in more national debt than we were after WW2. It is a strange old world xx

Lyndy profile image
Lyndy

I have just ordered FFP3 masks and will be continuing to wear them in any indoor venue/shop etc I visit. On Olaparib and double jabbed but the oncologist reminded me yesterday that I should treat myself as extremely vulnerable as before….

Mumsie13 profile image
Mumsie13 in reply to Lyndy

Me too. I ordered FFP3 masks a few days back to try them out as I am going back on chemo shortly, all being well with the blood tests. Although I have had both jabs (wasn't on chemo), I am concerned about my level of immunity once my immune system is compromised. Plus I'm living near a town that, at the moment, has a very high infection rate - mostly 50 and under. I don't want to take chances with this new variant.

Manchesterlady profile image
Manchesterlady

I’m with you . I have an auto immune disease . So will just be carrying on taking the necessary precautions.

SASSY196 profile image
SASSY196

Hi Cheryl,

I think the risks will go up as it's going to run through the population. My daughter and her boyfriend who we thought had had it and are double vaccinated both got it a few weeks ago.

I'm on chemo and often netropenic so will be wearing a FFP 3 mask, avoiding indoor places as much as possible and limiting social contact to my friends and family. I ask people to do a lateral flow test before I see them.

It's so sad to have what is most probably a life long limiting condition in a pandemic we should be out and about living our best lives!!! I am lucky enough to have a nice comfy home and garden I love and a fabulous husband who has shielded with me, my heart goes out to those who don't have that.

Hoping you do get to do some lovely things and take care Cheryl.

Sending love

Sara xxxxxxxxxxxx

Mossey profile image
Mossey

I'm with you cheryl. I'm going to order pp3 masks in a mo.Scary times, when all we won't to do is enjoy living.

Keep safe

fendweller profile image
fendweller in reply to Mossey

Yes indeed ,is just got used to going in cafe's and restaurants ,was enjoying life again ,feel it's been snatched away .Cheryl x

SopSinger profile image
SopSinger

I'm anxious. I desperately want life to get back to normal, especially to start singing again. We're supposed to have a rehearsal this evening and the committee and the venue staff have worked their butts off doing risk assessments and making sure it's safe for everyone. This morning I opened my new lateral flow test kit and discovered it's missing a component. So I can't test, can't report, and can't go to the rehearsal. To add insult to injury, the test instructions said to ring 119 with any problems and the moron I got on the phone was completely useless and wasted another 30 minutes of my life. I have now finally found the link for reporting faulty tests, but it doesn't fix today. I am so angry and upset. I finally work up the courage to do the things that might help life get back to normal and they don't even function.

fendweller profile image
fendweller in reply to SopSinger

So sorry you're going to miss your singing ,I sing like a strangled cat 😀 it's so frustrating when we're prevented from doing things by no fault of our own ,hope you get it sorted soon .Cheryl x

SopSinger profile image
SopSinger in reply to fendweller

Thanks, lovely! I made it in the end, thanks to several wonderful helpful people (though I drove into London and paid the congestion charge, rather than coping with the Tube!). It was a good rehearsal and the chorus master was really encouraging. xxx

fendweller profile image
fendweller in reply to SopSinger

So pleased for you ,we need and deserve every bit of enjoyment. You are very brave driving in London , I get anxious just driving local now ,you get a gold star .⭐Cheryl xx

Barlow1951 profile image
Barlow1951

Totally agree with what you are all saying and very concerned about restrictions being lifted. On Saturday I attended a birthday barbecue party for my 3 year old great niece and sat outside in the shade, feeling quite relaxed. However, during the party, my nephew received news that their 5 year old son needed to self isolate for 10 days, because a child in his class had tested positive for Covid. Also a friend who has been doubly vaccinated like myself, texted me to say she’d caught Covid from her granddaughter and was feeling pretty poorly. I think we can only continue to take sensible precautions and not put ourselves in situations where the level of risk is too high for us as individuals. Keep taking care everyone!Love Barbara

fendweller profile image
fendweller in reply to Barlow1951

It's very worrying ,I have sixteen grandchildren aged between two and twenty four ,I can't expect then to keep restricting their lives ,but want to see them ,so will only have them here when we can be outside, Stay safe .Cheryl x

SASSY196 profile image
SASSY196 in reply to fendweller

Wow how wonderful to have so many grand children.

fendweller profile image
fendweller in reply to SASSY196

It is ,till Christmas 😀😀

SASSY196 profile image
SASSY196 in reply to fendweller

You just made me laugh in a massive sadness attack.

fendweller profile image
fendweller in reply to SASSY196

Oh Sassy ,hope you've got over your sadness attack ,we all have those don't we ,I can be fine ,then suddenly I'm blubbing ,learnt to tell myself " later or tomorrow I'll feel better" and I usually do .Cheryl x

SASSY196 profile image
SASSY196 in reply to fendweller

I'm ok. I am on sick leave and just got an email telling me I have a new line manager. It's a role I would have got if I was well and gone for it. My new manager is a friend of mine. Just felt sad that I can't progress in a career I have loved ( legally I can, I could have applied but ethically I can't!). Then I went onto Covid and was thinking about that. Then I snapped out of it! Thank you for messaging and it did make me think how expensive Christmas must be but how joyous with all those children,/ young people.

fendweller profile image
fendweller in reply to SASSY196

I'm retired but can understand how you feel ,just before I was diagnosed I'd decided I was going back to volunteer a couple of afternoons in the school where I used to work ,sadly I've never felt well enough and covid came along ,you'd think I have enough of children wouldn't you ..Cheryl.x

SASSY196 profile image
SASSY196 in reply to fendweller

That's a shame. Glad you still have your grandchildren . Night xxx

fendweller profile image
fendweller in reply to SASSY196

Night Sassy.

Mumsie13 profile image
Mumsie13 in reply to fendweller

That's pants. I volunteered at my village school for some years and then, of course it all stopped. I really loved working with the children (I don't have grandchildren - not holding my breath😊) and miss it so much. I haven't been able to go back. It's even more poignant as I live right next to the school in the old school house; I see and hear the children every day. I see the children I was working with graduate to high school but I feel I am no longer part of it. I was there three days a week and it was a big chunk of my retirement life. One thing I have learned over the past 16 months is that you can never have too much of children - well almost always 😄. Jackie x

fendweller profile image
fendweller in reply to Mumsie13

How sad for you,I understand how you feel ,I was a teaching assistant before I retired ,keep hoping volunteers will be able to go back in September , though I wouldn't be able to do more than a few hours ,take care Cheryl.x

bamboo89 profile image
bamboo89

Goodness me, you're all so mild and polite about 'Freedom Day', whereas I've had to take several deep, calming breaths to add a vaguely civilised response; I am absolutely furious about it, to the point where I'm surprised I haven't got bruises on my forehead from banging my head on the table in despair! Lifting all restrictions at once when we have around 45,000 new cases daily is utterly bonkers, and the rest of the scientific and medical world is looking on, aghast at what we're doing, they think its insane. And it is - we are now Plague Island, the world's petri dish for new variants.

Whilst I agree most restrictions should maybe go, the two that should not are distancing and most important, mandatory mask wearing. It is clear from recent figures that infections in the double vaccinated (mostly over 50) are rising, whereas infection in the unvaccinated is falling; the death rate in the double vaccinated who need hospital treatment was 1.5% two weeks ago, so whilst the connection between serious covid infection and death has been significantly weakened, it is not completely broken. Add to that the fact there are at least half a million people in this country who are immuno compromised,including us - Freedom day for us is actually Isolation day, because we are more at risk now than we were last week. And we will now need to wear FFP3 masks, which are expensive and single use only, if we ever want to mix with people again.

I watched the Citizen tv broadcast on this, I signed the Petition to retain mandatory masks and the John Snow Memorandum asking for a slower lifting of restrictions; I know other governments and epidemiologists have put in representations to this government to try to stop this happening because of the very high risk of a new vaccine escape variant arising - and I also know all of it will fall on deaf ears. And the Prime Minister trusting on us all to use 'caution' and 'common sense' is the most ridiculous statement I've heard probably ever, it's just a weasel statement to cover the fact this government has dropped its responsibility for public health and made it our fault if we get Covid ... the only section of society that will use common sense is largely older people or any family who has an immuno compromised family member - but we are at risk of getting the infection from the rest, and there's nothing we can do about it except restrict our activities. As for the 'if not now, then when' statement, that too is utter drivel -the last major pandemic (spanish flu) took 3 years to go, so why do we expect this one to be over in half that time? I'm afraid we've been thrown under the bus - but what I fear most is a vaccine escape variant, which has huge implications for the whole world, putting humanity back to square one with Covid.

Right, rant over... good luck everybody, we're going to need it... the rest of the world is holding its breath.... with the possible exception of the Netherlands, who, having previously de-restricted, has now apologised to its people, partially shut down again and reinstated masks. Stable, horse, bolt... sound familiar?

Miriam

fendweller profile image
fendweller in reply to bamboo89

Well said Miriam,elequantly put ,I'm in total agreement with you ,thrown under the bus is a statement I've used many times .Cheryl

Mumsie13 profile image
Mumsie13 in reply to bamboo89

I'm so in agreement with this. I feel as though we have taken one step forward and three steps back. Small consolation, on a trip to my MIL's place, we stopped at Macdonald's for quick loo break and coffee. All the staff were still wearing masks, safety precautions were still in place and most people were being careful about distancing. It's not enough though, is it, if the majority are not observing these practices.

fendweller profile image
fendweller in reply to Mumsie13

I've found a lot people are wearing masks and distancing ,sadly not all [edited by moderator] but we'll all keep plodding on ,it's what we're good at .😀Cheryl.x

OvacomeSupport profile image
OvacomeSupportPartnerMy Ovacome Team

Hi everybody

Thank you for your post fendweller and to everyone who has shared their thoughts on the easing of restrictions today. It’s clear that there is a lot of anxiety and uncertainty surrounding these changes. Ovacome is listening to your concerns and is here to support you.

Many of your thoughts align with the content of a joint letter to the government from dozens of the largest cancer charities in the U.K which can be found here: theguardian.com/world/2021/.... There is awareness across the charity sector that the end of social contact restrictions triggers fear for many vulnerable people across society. The Department of Health and Social Care have not yet responded to this letter but Ovacome is awaiting their comment.

Our Policy and Health Inequalities team are also working to highlight the issues faced by clinically extremely vulnerable people as restrictions reduce. They are continuing to gather information and are thankful for your perspectives which are very valuable when drawing attention to these issues through our policy networks.

Our support team are available to discuss any of these concerns further. Specific questions relating to your own circumstances or treatment regimes can be passed to members of our expert advisory panel on request, if you feel this would be helpful. Our Support Team can be contacted on the Support Line on 0800 008 7054 or 07503 682311, by email at support@ovacome.org.uk, via the Instant Chat function on our website. We can also schedule individual video calls if this works better for you. All our services are available Monday – Friday, 10am – 5pm.

The government website provides some guidance for clinically extremely vulnerable people from 19 July onwards which can be found here: gov.uk/government/publicati...

We emphasise how important it is to remain in close contact with your own personal healthcare teams who will be able to identify any unique risks associated with the easing of restrictions and your own individual treatment plan.

Best wishes

Annie

Support Services

Haeh profile image
Haeh

So glad I live in Wales and our first minister's mantra is slow and steady. Masks are still mandatory on public transport, health settings and in shops. If you come on holiday to Wales remember Wales Covid Rules are different from England's and don't forget your masks! Best wishes everybody.

fendweller profile image
fendweller in reply to Haeh

If only ours was the same .

27-359 profile image
27-359

Hear hear! What she said. My worries and feelings exactly.What is wrong with our government?

Jenny

fendweller profile image
fendweller in reply to 27-359

They're morons .x

Hi Cheryl, our covid restrictions have been lifted for some time now in Michigan. I feel ok with it and I don’t wear a mask anymore. It was hard to breathe with it on. We still have to wear one when we go to the doctor’s office or in the hospital. I had both of the Pfizer vaccines, so I don’t worry too much. I just try and be careful when I go out. By the way, did you have a ct scan on the 14th? I think I remember you saying that. How did it turn out for you? Hope all is ok. Take care, Donna xx

fendweller profile image
fendweller in reply to Pianoplayer731021

I haven't had the results of the scan yet ,I see my oncologist on the 4th of August ,long anxious wait this time .

Hi, maybe your scan was good. That is probably why the dr.’s office hasn’t called you. Hope your visit goes well on the 4th of Aug. I have a my chart that I log into on my I pad. I can see all my test results and dr.’s visits on that. I am hooked up with my health team and I really like it. My fingers are crossed that your scan is ok. The waiting can be hard. I have a scan for August 9. I will see my results within 2 days. Take care, Donna ( U.S.) Maybe they have that over there, could look into it.

fendweller profile image
fendweller in reply to Pianoplayer731021

Not sure I'd like that , if it was bad I'd be upset ,prefer to wait until I see the oncologist then we can discuss next option.Hoow all goes well with your scan on the 9th .Cheryl

Hi Cheryl, I know what you mean about looking at reports before you get to the dr. If it isn’t looking good, the dr. calls the house that day or the next day for an office visit. I was nervous in the beginning when I saw my high CA 125 was high, but I didn’t understand my CT scan report very well. I don’t always understand what my dr. will do with my blood count readings, so I just wait for them to call me. If I feel well and no phone call, I am relieved for awhile. Thanks for your message and hope things go well with you. Donna

rosebine profile image
rosebine

Have just been away for a few days, travelling by several trains. The FFP3 masks I had ordered were waiting for me on the mat when I got home ! i was pleasantly surprised travellin g via two major London stations and onwards at the majority of people wearing masks and when in the hotel etc where it is not required now. I may change my mind if I go down with Covid ! Although avoiding heat stroke at the moment is a challenge.

Re sun etc. I now we are recommended to use Factor 50 sunscreen but anyone got a recommendation as to which brand works

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