What will this year bring?

 It’s the 6^th January and the start of the New Year. Normally I know exactly what I want to write about, but I think this blog will be more of a diary entry as so much seems to have been going on over the last few weeks.

Our Christmas 2021 was able to go ahead as planned, however it didn’t pass without our own precautions being put in place. If I was asked last year,  I would never have imagined lateral flow tests being done before the entire family met. Christmas morning Facebook was rife with photographs of families LFT’s.
My brother and his family had arrived from Denmark and Switzerland several days before Christmas Day and were staying in a static caravan on Hayling Island. There were 16 of our family members that spent Christmas Day at my sisters house and boy did she feed us well. We even had a biscuit decorating competition in between courses, because I am unable to use my hands I was allowed to choose another family member to decorate mine and of course I picked my God Daughter who is also very good at art.


CMB had knitted Christmas Tree table decorations that contained a Terrys Chocolate Orange (my favourite). In the evening we had a rather lovely Christmas Cake but best of all she had made a separate Christmas Cake for us to take home.

Boxing Day hubby, SMD and I spent at home although we did have my brother and his family round for lunch. In the evening we had a chance to catch up on the Christmas Day programmes we had missed.

I can never get over how quickly the Christmas holidays fly by and this year was no exception even though it fell on a weekend and we had 27^th and 28^th as Bank Holidays.Hubby’s Mum celebrated her 91st Birthday during the Bank Holiday, we went up to Buckinghamshire and had a family meal. We did miss having my Sister in law there unfortunately as another key-worker she had to work.

My Nephew is at University in Denmark studying photo journalism and as part of a project he asked my dad if he could take a photograph of him in his Veterans Uniform. Of course my Dad said yes, we then struck up a conversation about the war which threw up one very surprising comment. I asked my Dad what he thought the difference was between WW11 and the war against Covid to which he replied “not a lot they are both very isolating” (Dad was away at sea during the war). His comment surprised us all.

I am sure like so many people at the moment Omicron is playing a part somewhere in your lives. For me, my eldest sister and SMD unfortunately it is a daily occurrence.SMD has always wanted a tattoo that reflects both her nursing and Covid and as our family were together over Christmas SO ( my nieces boyfriend) who is both an actor and an illustrator created an image that she will be able to use for her tattoo. On Boxing Day a phone call from the care home my eldest sister lives in delivered the news that one of the carers had tested positive for Covid. Thank goodness although there are now 5 staff/residents who are now positive GAL is not one of them, but what that does mean for her it is even more isolating. The affect it has on one’s mental health cannot be good, her room is probably 10’ x 10’ and in that space is all her furniture including a bed. CMB and I are back to visiting at the window and believe me in this weather it’s not fun for any of us, the window has to be opened so we can talk GAL’s room then gets really cold and we get really cold outside.

Then there is me and my carers, I suppose it was only a matter of time before I got the phone call to tell me one of the carers who saw me on Wednesday has now tested positive. Yesterday I was asked if hubby would act as a second carer, of course he agreed but low and behold I had another call this morning to be told now there were no carers to come and get me up as the other carer had done her back in. No solution was given to me by the Care Manager who was already out working in the community. Thank goodness we live 400 yards away from CMB and one quick phone call and she was able to throw some clothes on and come round. Between CMB and hubby they washed, dressed and got me up. Thankfully my PA is here and will be able to help with a few bits and pieces before she goes as this evening there is no one again. What will happen tomorrow who knows, but thankfully I am fortunate and have hubby and CMB on hand. My thoughts go out to all those who live on their own and don’t have relatives to help or people like my mother in law who at the age of 91 lives on her own and is still fighting with social services to get some care. Again in the meantime my brother in law is on hand to do the shopping and washing.

Don’t get me started on what is going on in our hospitals? Every nurse in the country wants to protect their registration yet they are being told to work in situations that go against their registration. I turned the news on this morning and saw an interview with a nurse who has worked 13 hr shifts for 13 days consecutively. I love our NHS and all those who work in it, I understand the need to keep our economy going but come on Mr Johnson surely at this rate there won’t be an economy because so many people will be off sick or in isolation. Is it about time you took a leaf out of Mark Drakeford and Nicola Sturgeon’s book and impose some restrictions?

 

I had a fantastic Christmas and a quiet New Year but ever since I have worried about the affect that all this is having on our front line workers. Thank you everyone for your hard work and dedication.