Covid-19 A family tale. Remaining positive
Covid-19, A family tale. Remaining positive
Freedom Day, my take.
Covid-19, A family tale. This isn’t a political post, more a post about how we plan to approach ‘Freedom Day’. However, I find it rather ironic that two members of the cabinet are starting Freedom Day in isolation.
The teen is now entering his third week of isolation. Initially, he came into close contact with a school friend who had tested positive for having COVID-19.
This in itself is nothing new, this was his fourth period of missing school and self-isolating since the big return last year.
In fact, each of the kids had in turn been required to take the obligatory 10 day isolation period on more than one occasion over the last eleven months.
Monday 19th July 2021
As we all awake in our various parts of the house this morning, we are all still 6 nights away from any form of freedom day.
Let me explain, just over a week ago. As the men’s England football team took to the pitch and made history, my little lady started to develop symptoms. Not the symptoms I was expecting though.
For all-around, it appeared she had a tummy bug. Unpleasant, but fairly common S and D. She was determined for it not to interfere with the football. So we sat together with a bowl and she intermittently sipped at her bottle of water as the England team put up a gallant effort, but sadly (possibly predictably) lost on penalties.
Lateral Flow Tests – Covid-19 A family tale
As we all took our routine Monday lateral flow tests, the following morning, it became apparent that perhaps it was a little more sinister than I first thought.
At this stage, the eldest was already self-isolating. We had learnt over the weekend that the little lady was to also start a period of self-isolation, due to a number of known cases in her school bubble.
With all this in mind, it shouldn’t have come as such a surprise that at least one of the tests was showing the dreaded two lines.
Following the 18 months, we have had, you would have thought that I would be prepared for this moment. However, when it happens, a sudden panic overwhelms.
How have I not protected my babies? Who have we been in contact with? What do I need to do?
Keeping positive
Shit, we have COVID!
Once the initial shock had settled and I had managed to calm the little lady down. Who had managed to wind herself into a weird mix of fear and guilt. I started to fall into the natural world of parenting.
I say parenting, I actually mean winging it.
And drinking coffee.
Actually, more coffee than anything else.
I had (without much persuasion) banished the boys to their respective bedrooms with the orders to go play on their PlayStations and Xboxes respectively. The little lady was now sitting relaxing in the living room, bowl in lap, watching her favourite YouTuber and feeling rather sorry for herself.
I on the other hand was armed with my phone frantically searching the NHS web pages, searching for answers.
Queue The A-Team Music
It didn’t take long and a plan was etched out.
Both schools were informed. PCR tests booked.
I have received both jabs and decided fairly quickly that the little lady and I would stick together. She is only 10 and needs me around. If I was going to get it, the symptoms should remain fairly mild. So with this in mind, we made plans to take over the living room together.
I suggested that both the boys remain in their rooms, for the time being, only to leave when vital to do so. They both seemed happy with this, and why not? Teenagers, being asked to laze around in bed, watching TV and playing computer games. What’s not to love? I think they actually thought they had hit the jackpot. Literally living the dream.
I set about making the house as covid secure as I could. We had a hand sanitiser in each room. Everyone understood that, if you touched something you anti-bacterial sprayed and wiped it down.
Food would be served and the boys could collect theirs from the kitchen, once myself and their sister were out of the way.
BOOM! I’ve got this. For the next 36 hours, we were under control.
Under Control
As I awoke the next day, it hit me.
I felt awful. If you add flu, food poisoning, hay fever and being run over by a bus and times that by two while adding a high temperature, you start getting close to how I was feeling. If these were mild symptoms, then I for one am glad that I had received both jabs.
It appeared that not only I had woken up feeling bad. The middle boy also felt the same.
Lateral Flow tests that morning revealed the inevitable. We had now had three positive cases in the house.
Or as the teen put it. Three down, one to go.
Three down, one to go
Technically not much changed. We still needed to eat, drink and live under one roof. Over the course of the next few days, the PCR test results returned confirming what we already knew. Three of us were positive and we all were required to self isolate for ten days.
Drinking my morning coffee today, I began reflecting on the week. As it stands this morning. The little lady has made a full recovery. Myself and the middle boy are feeling the best we have all week and the eldest, the teen has made the odd appearance and quickly scarpered back to the sanctuary and security of his bedroom.
Normal, what is normal?
Although I finally have started to feel a little normal again. I still have no taste. My energy levels are still fairly low. Washing up breakfast this morning resulted in a sit down after. I still find myself a little breathless at times. However, the ache’s have started to disappear.
I’m not going to lie and say it has been easy. It really hasn’t. As a single parent, I have still needed to do the normal household things. I have constantly worried about the middle boy, who is severely asthmatic. All of this, with a very high temperature, achy body, feeling sick and zero energy.
I have cleared up sick, cleaned the house from top to bottom multiple times a day, cooked, washed up and struggled through the normal role of being a parent. In short, I’m exhausted.
The kids have been amazing. They have all contributed in little ways, the middle boy has baked and cooked, the teen washed up a few times. The little lady, once better, has cleaned and hoovered. I realised that at times in need, we can pull together.
My friends and my Mum have been amazing, picking up shopping, offering moral support and just making sure they are there on the end of the phone when needed.
One week to go – Covid-19 A family tale
We still have a week of isolation and by then the Summer holidays can begin in full.
We have also learnt that we may not get our taste buds back for several weeks, we could
still test positive for several weeks to come. But, we are not contagious after 10 days. The little lady is already counting down the days until she can annoy her big brothers again and the boys are already making plans with their friends for the coming weeks.
I am looking forward to laying on the sofa in darkness and am keeping my fingers crossed that we can keep the teen negative for a few more days.
So just like the government we are celebrating freedom day in lockdown and having been through what we have over the last week or so, will be embracing the new freedoms very cautiously in the upcoming weeks.
Covid-19 A family tale
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Ah, what a predicament Ian. I feel for you. I hope for a swift recovery and may none of you get long COVID. Interesting what you say about being vaxxed and still getting it. I thin many people misunderstand this point about the vaccination, that it may not stop you getting it but you’ll get a milder dose. Thinking of you and impressed with all the cleaning you’ve managed.
Thank you John. It has been an interesting week! I have been surprised by the number of people misunderstanding the vaccine. Like you, I have always been under the impression it may help give a milder dose. Thank goodness it does as well.