©Jenny Harrod 2019

What the hell just happened?

Ah, there you are, you can come out from behind the sofa now as a degree of normality is returning!

March 2020

Since my last blog the world was hit by a pandemic - CORONAVIRUS, or Covid19!

Originating in Wuhan, China this was soon killing thousands of people across the globe and there were fears that healthcare systems would be unable to cope, including our NHS! 

On March 23rd I received a letter saying that as an 'extremely vulnerable person' I was to go into voluntary lock-down and be 'Shielded' for 12 weeks. I was not to leave my home for any purpose except for medical appointments, that was fortunate as the following day I was booked to have an ultrasound scan at St Mary's Hospital.

We ventured out onto very quiet roads to attend the hospital imaging department, where I was the only patient. They had already implemented social distancing measures - blocking off alternate seats and encouraged use of hand gels. I wore a face mask and we made it home safely.

At the end of March people were told to work from home where possible and avoid using public transport to help prevent the spread of the disease. Calls went out for any manufacturer that could to make ventilators, and a new 'Nightingale' hospital was built and equipped within days in London, whilst elsewhere schools were closed and many workers were put on what was called the furlough scheme to ensure they could stay at home and still receive 80% salary (up to £2000 pm).

April 2020

We were encouraged to go outside our front doors on a Thursday night to applaud 'key workers, initially just Nurses and others on the 'front line', but later to include supermarket staff, bin men, teachers and care workers. 

I remained Shielded and fortunately was able to arrange for my pharmacy both my, and my husbands medications, and book online slots for supermarket shopping (provided I was awake during the early hours of the morning). 

Health-wise

I was still experiencing abdominal pain which, as I was waking with it every morning, was very debilitating, and throughout the month I was beginning to feel very unwell and unable to breathe on even the slightest exertion - even walking a few yards in from the garden left me struggling for breathe and very weak. My left leg was giving way and I got to the point where I was unable to get out of the bath (I had a couple of falls trying), and I was seriously worried that poor hubby would injure himself helping me out or getting me up from the floor. I had to make the decision to stop having a bath until alternatives had been considered. Of course everywhere was closed so I would have to wait until lock-down had eased.

Eventually, I was feeling so unwell I rang my Surgery in tears and they arranged for me to go in and see a GP to see if they could establish the cause.

A lovely lady GP, checked me over - With a low temperature she established I didn't have Covid, and listening to my heart and lungs she could find nothing abnormal. Eventually she took a blood sample which she took to the hospital herself. Her thoughts were that it could be severe anaemia. This proved to be the case and she ordered a 2 unit blood transfusion for 4th May.

 May 2020 

4th May - Blood transfusion.

I was very reluctant to attend the hospital which by its very nature was full of sick people with Covid19 as well as other infections. I was directed to the Respiratory Gym where the staff connected me up to the infusion pump and started the blood. The floor was marked out to establish social distancing (2m rule) and I was wearing a face mask, using hand gel regularly and washing my hands whenever necessary. I was still feeling weak and unwell and very glad to get home again.

5th May - 999 call

After a horrendous night of virtually no sleep, uncontrollable diarrhoea and  weakness (embarrassingly needing hubby to give me a blanket bath and change the bedding), the abdominal pain and tiredness was so bad that I had to put in a 999 call, despite being terrified they would want to admit me. 

The crew - Stewart and Roger, were wonderful, and having liaising with my GP suggested a couple of anti diarrhoea tablets (with more if necessary) and a sleep aid tablet should be enough to help and they signed me over to the care of my Mr Wonderful with no need to admit, but to ring again if I got worse. They believed that despite all my hand hygiene measures I picked up a Gastroenteritis type bug in the unit the day before. I worried it might have been Norovirus but they dispelled that myth fortunately. I joked that I must have had a dodgy pint!

29th May - Nasty Fall

I had a nasty fall today, just stood up from my armchair and my legs seemed to give way and I went sprawling across, and demolishing the coffee table. Of course hubby was out doing a bit of top up shopping so couldn't help. I managed to get up and take myself off to bed. He came home to a scene of devastation and a very shaken up wife. Fortunately, he managed to repair the coffee table lol, although my bruises have taken longer to heal.

June 2020

Since that fall my confidence has really taken a knock and I have to hold onto furniture and walls when moving about indoors as fear my balance and weak left leg could give way at any time. I purchased a pair of crutches to use outside in the hope I could increase my exercise tolerance, but sadly this did not prove to be the case, and fatigue means I am having to lie on the bed from 4.30, often falling asleep before my meagre supper is ready (my choice, although I am trying to eat a little more now).

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