“Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”

teafor2 · 6 March 2020 at 2:49PM

Things are moving quickly. I've just found out by e-mail there was a school trip to Italy at half term and the headteacher is showing flu symptoms and has been advised to put themselves in self isolation for 2 weeks. Meanwhile, all the pupils who went are apparently attending school as normal!

Just keep coming on here and talking to us. I'm sure we can rally round somehow if you find yourself affected. xx

WannabeFree · 6 March 2020 at 2:56PM

Tea we have 4 teachers that have been in teaching after a trip in half term and only went into quarantine on Tuesday evening. It's ridiculous. School said it was because advise keeps changing and really brushed it off. I really wouldn't be so concerned if I didn't have youngest.

Luckily I've got antibiotics for myself today over the phone. The nurse has dropped some hand gel off. We need hand gel before and after giving some meds and feeds if we are out etc. Yet we can't buy it from anywhere. I went on to get the order ready for syringes and things. Some sizes have doubled in price! What was £9 for a box 2 weeks ago is now £17! I hope it levels out before the end of the month because I have no choice but to order. Amazon is still the cheapest though. I've checked. It's all these little things that are making my anxiety worse. The simple things of going to asda for some bread and there being no cheaper loaves left. Only the branded at double the price. I feel like I sound so petty about it. But I feel like I'm so on the edge of being crazy

teafor2 · 6 March 2020 at 3:36PM

I suppose it's a hard call to make until you show symptoms and even then it might not be Corona, so we're all expected to carry on as normal. I can definitely see where you're coming from with DD being more susceptible to picking things up. The professionals should be accounting for people like yourself who need hand gel etc. and making sure you have access to it. What about those medical gloves, would they be a good substitute? Glad you got the a/biotics you need.

I don't think there's any need for any of the panic buying. A few bits extra yes, but stores really need to start limiting certain items if it's getting out of control which in some areas seems to be the case. xx

WannabeFree · 6 March 2020 at 3:59PM

I wish I could post pictures without identifying what my local stores are to show the extent of the empty shelves.

I'm glad it's weekend and we can be in some sort of bubble at home for a couple of days. School have sent text warning of fines if you keep your child off. So I assume it is having an effect on the attendance of some.

Humdinger1 · 6 March 2020 at 4:06PM

WF, agree with comment further up that if it huts, we will all rally round. There is so much admiration and love for you here Humdinger x

Humdinger1 · 6 March 2020 at 4:07PM

And by huts, of course I mean hits! You need the fingernails of Cruella de Ville to get the right letters on my phone xx

WannabeFree · 6 March 2020 at 5:40PM

Thank you. I'm just so anxious about it. I think I just need to something to make myself less anxious and worried. What ever that may be.

There's obviously more confirmed cases coming in near to us and I think it makes it more real when it's so close. Youngests appointments have been rearranged so I suspect the NHS are preparing to step into the stage of non emergency appointments are being rearranged. Although it could be because her consultant practices at a hospital with a confirmed case in a child.

amanda_p · 6 March 2020 at 7:02PM

I don't often post but feel I should try and alleviate your mounting anxiety.
My son lives in Shanghai.They were on a lockdown (the whole city 21 million people) One person from each household was allowed out for an hour a day to go shopping.Everyone was calm,there was no panic buying no hysteria and no empty shelves.Shanghai is now back to normal, everywhere is open and there have been no new coronavirus cases for 10 days.
While I don't agree with some of China's regimes, in this respect they got it right.
There is no 24/7 news coverage in China,detailing minute information about the rise in numbers, what you should do, how you should wash your hands,how quickly it may spread etc..Unfortunately the media over here are causing hysteria and panic for what?A new mild flu virus.If seasonal flu was going around quickly, you would stay indoors and not mix with people.This is what the media fail to say. If it was reported as a new virulent strain of flu and to be vigilant about washing your hands, people would just take the information on board and carry on.
Put in another context, God forbid if there was another terrorist attack,corona virus would be lucky to get much more than a mention. I am pretty sure the people who have lost everything in the recent flooding have barely thought about this virus.
It is trying to rationalize and put things into perspective, which I know can be difficult if you are anxious, especially with your youngests immune problems.

Try and take on board that it is a flu virus, a mild flu virus. If you actually listen to the news, they report the facts which takes 30 seconds and for the rest of the time regurgitate the same 'news' that has been broadcast the hour before, the day before etc.
The newspapers are even worse.
The only epidemic at the moment is one of fear created by the media.Try and hang on to that thought.

My son said the biggest saving grace in Shanghai was to wash your hands with soap and water before leaving your home and washing them when you returned. Nothing fancy just ordinary hand washing. In a city of 21 million 306 people had it and all recovered.
I imagine within a few weeks this will cease to become headline news all the time.Remember the months and months of Brexit panic.That has now disappeared, as will coronavirus hopefully in the not too distant future.

WannabeFree · 6 March 2020 at 7:29PM

Thank you Amanda. I totally agree with everything you've said. I'm trying not to look at the news reports (I only have online access no live TV) I think the lockdown was obviously a good idea. As I said I think I'm worried as I'd have no choice to either take all 3 children with me or not leave home at all. However I really don't think our country will do that.

Also like I said before the older two I'm definitely not losing sleep over. Especially seeing so many have and do recover without even needing hospital treatment. However youngest doesn't even have the capacity of 1 full lung working between the two of them so even just a common cold lands us in hospital on high support. That's what concerns me. If she is isolated I have no where for the older two to go and be looked after.

I do think my anxiety is too much. I mean it's high with her anyway. I am very obsessive with cleaning and hand washing and the older two have been around the routine for long enough that it is just normal to them. It does make me wonder how people washed their hands previously to this though!

Other people's selfishness to this is what concerns me. As I explained I don't want to stockpile. I don't want to hibernate. But it's all the things I/those who are 'vulnerable' use regularly that have been dissappearing of shelves. As I said things as simple as a loaf of bread. Or trying to buy painkillers that I couldn't because they only had expensive ones available. It's not much to most to go up a brand but to my budget that's around £20 for 4 of us it's a big difference so I am worried how I will manage should people continue to clear shelves of basics.

I really appreciate your reply though I don't want this to sound like I don't. I'm really glad your son is okay too. It's hard to find positive outcomes.. Or even real people's experience without it being reported by media you can't really trust.