The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

herlig

I haven't left the house since the end of February. I am shielding partly due to choice and then confirmed by the receipt of the shielding letter.

I am of the personality that can do just fine without outside stimulus. I understand that others are of a different personality and need different stimulus but my thoughts won't allow people in my situation to be compared to those trapped in an unsafe and insecure environment. 

Rowan9

Just popped in to say I’m thinking of those who are having a difficult time, for whatever reason x

Nargleblast

A reminder that week beginning 18 May is Mental Health Awareness week and the keyword of the week is Kindness. Lots of people are struggling through this time for various reasons. I recently recorded a short video which may or may not be played on my choir's FB page that week (my choir is teaming up with the Mental Health Foundation that week) and one of the things I said was that you don't know what's going on inside other people's heads, you don't know what demons they are fighting.

[Deleted User]

Life is hard for ALL of us in this unprecedented time, we deal with the stress and fear in many diverse ways, some folks cope better than others and some of that is down to the type of personality you are and how you interacted with the world before the pandemic.  If you are an outgoing friendly person then you'll have had people in your life before the lock down, if you are a quieter and introverted person rather than being outgoing you'll have had less interaction with other people.  We can all reach out in this, we can all make one phone call, shout hello out of a window, do like we do and speak to people when we're out and about but some of the effort to make contact must come from ourselves, like prince charming in all the fairy tales of old, you'll not meet him if you sit in a room and look at the wall wishing to be found.   I ring my work colleagues once a week and my friends here rather more often than that, I can't go and visit but I can let them know I care xxx. 

Rowan9

Great re your choir Nargeblast and thanks for the info re Mental Health Awareness Week. 

I like that kindness is the key word for Mental Health Awareness week and also stressing that no one knows what goes on in anyone else’s head. Someone once used the analogy of everyone carrying a rucksack - you don’t know if it’s empty or full of heavy stones. There are some people I work with who could not take the step of making a phone call etc and who are very isolated and afraid. Compassion is so important 

maryb

I have the perspective of having a relative with early Alzheimers.  She can't cope with technology any more - she can barely use a landline, can't use a mobile phone and certainly couldn't Facetime.  She gets confused with the remote control so only uses a few terrestrial channels and can't use catch up and she gets too confused to use a Kindle.  But before this she had a routine which kept her happily pottering out and about each day which was a big factor in her being able to live independently.  It would be cruel to leave her in isolation, so I don't. In any case I have to go over to make sure she doesn't forget her medication.  

GreyQueen

From my perpsective, time spent in one's own company is time which magnifies whatever issues are there anyway. Those issues will be different for all of us, and I guess most of us have good, bad and indifferent emotional states, often within the space of an hour. I'm trying to entice a friend, who has mentioned a low mood and who has been on anti-depressive medication for several years, to visit me on my allotment. As in, to drive the mile up there at a pre-agreed time, and to bring her own camp chair and beverage. We can sit 20 m apart and have a visit and a (loud) chat. She can get some human interaction and be in nature and even pick some fresh salad leaves. She hasn't responded yet, I do hope she will consider it.

I'm socially isolating due to a serious health condition, and am WFH on my employer's instruction. I know I am privileged to have a job which can be done from home, and to still have my income. So many people do not have these things. Others have greater space at home and access to a garden, and spouses or children.  I lack those things. I can just about get my disabled self to the allotments to potter about gently. I am there, I am at home, I am in transit between those points, masked and gloved. I shop about once every 10 days, and am very careful both in store and to sanitise the groceries afterwards.

Apart from allotment friends at a distance, I don't see people IRL, although I have family I talk to daily, a weekly check in with a pal, and internet pals, all of whom are much valued.

I can live like this, but would suffer if confined 24/7/365 to my 300 sq foot flat. Relative suffering, of course, I would be bored, frustrated, physically cramped, deprived of sunlight and fresh air. Very suffering-lite, imo.

At times, I cast my thoughts back to the stories from the generations of my family who have recently passed in their nineties. We are not hiding under the table with our children during bombing raids over the East End. We are not watching a crippled American bomber miss crashing on the family home by mere feet. Considering some of the near-death experiences my parents went through as babes in arms and toddlers, they and I are lucky to be here at all.

We are (mostly), warm and dry, comfortable and safe. I do qualify that with 'mostly' because I know it is not universally true; home is the very last place some people are safe.

The world still turns and all things pass. Covid 19 will pass.  It is not The Black Death, it is not World War, it is a hiccup in history. We can be sad, and scared, and frustrated, and it is OK, but it will all pass.

[Deleted User]

Yes GQ it will pass xxx.

dreaming

I have already said that being an introvert makes this time rather easier for me.  There are things I miss - seeing my grandchildren, being able to jump in the car and visit a garden centre if/when I want, meeting up with my daughter for tea and cake and a mooch round the charity shops, and a couple of my group activities, although this time has also made me realise that there are one or two that I don't miss and will not take up again even when it is safe to so do. I'm not even in the "at risk" group but have chosen to limit going out to a vist to the local shops once every 7-10 days.  Apart from the "stay in, save the NHS, save lives" mantra the main reason I do this is to minimise putting any extra stress on my youngest daughter who is a nurse.  Although we have talked (e-mail/phone etc.) about missing each other I try to stay as upbeat as possible so she is not worrying (too much) about me - when she is not working she needs to rest and recuperate as she is pretty exhausted most of the time. I'm not downplaying how hard it is though, especially for those who do need much more social interaction then I do, but as others have said there are ways to keep in touch.  Social media is not ideal and obviously not everyone can or will use it but it is better than nothing.  Going out to clap on a Thursday can at least make you feel part of a bigger group, or even just the odd shouted "hello-how are you?" when putting the bins out. So yes, this virus may have impacted my life in various ways (to possibly a lesser extent than others) but this isn't all about the individual but about being part of the greater good.  I don't have a lot of money or the necessary skills to do a lot to help others but I can help them by minimising the risk of unknowingly infecting others and causing extra work and worry for others.

euronorris

As I've seen on FB, 'We are all in the same storm, but we are not all in the same boat.'. We all have our own challenges, and they are often different. Some are undoubtedly worse off than I (I have no worries of abuse, for example).

We are doing extra video calls etc with family and friends. None of our parents are completely on their own, but they are ALL missing family visits greatly. And DD (3) certainly misses her grandparents greatly. And just visiting other peoples houses for sure.

Me, I miss alone time. I am at the opposite end of the scale where I really struggle to get a moments peace at the moment. DH and I take it turns to try and provide that to the other, by occupying little one for a few hours. But even that I know we are lucky with. I can only imagine how challenging and tiring it must be to be a single parent right now, especially if your child is either a) very young b) a teenager c) additional needs or d) a combination.

Just keeping on, keeping on at the moment. Trying my best to remember to be kind to all, even if I feel like screaming in frustration sometimes. This will pass eventually. Taking joy in any small thing I can find at the moment, keep the happiness up.

Hugs for all!! Xx