Isolating over 70s for 4 months

If there are bigger things going on

Hithere

People who have ever been in involved in the emergency services or indeed suffered a crisis very often use what is commonly called ' Black Humour' it is a human mechanism used by many as a form of a coping system to deal with the stress and dire situation they are forced to be in.

Black Humour or as in the case of posters on GN being ' light hearted' is in the same vein.

It is not as you presume others are being vain, dismissing the fact we are ALL now in a crisis of an unknown proportion, how can anybody possibly do that!

Sorry but come off it Hithere. Wanting to look good is nothing whatsoever we to do with men/women equality. I want to look decent a) for myself and b) on FaceTime for the grandchildren. I’m very worried on very many counts and heartbroken to think I won’t see my immediate family for possibly many many months, I totally applauded medical staff as did the Spanish and the Italians the other day.

I am already making arrangements to self isolate. I am making my first online grocery order this week - to see how it works, I will be registering with a local chemist who delivers so I can get my repeat medication and have bought a puzzle mat and several jigsaws! Currently I am still going out, but not as often and have cancelled several group meetings. I see this as taking sensible precautions.

I had what I called the lurgy about 6-8 weeks ago and survived by drinking hot lemon and ? And I took paracetamol when I got a headache I eventually graduated into taking night nurse and day nurse. All is well now no problem I’ve recovered with home remedies. If I had these symptoms today what would it be called? Each day at a time no need to panic and no need to put arms and legs on to symptoms I’m speaking from my own experiences.

Oops posted too soon honey and cinnamon is a great drink if you’ve got a cough it can help sooth things

Lots of rumours France will go into lockdown tomorrow. Will be interesting to see what is put in place for food supplies.

This has probably been posted already, apologies if that’s the case, but there are so many threads about the virus on GN and I can’t read them all.

We had a Tesco delivery this morning, DH has a bad chest infection, the driver said that if we are going to self isolate ( we aren’t but DH is too unwell to go out shopping at the moment) in the ‘comments’ box on the online shopping list when you go to checkout, write ‘ self isolating’ the shopping will then be put into carrier bags, you will be phoned 10 minutes before the shopping arrives , it will then be left by your door, the driver will mark on his hand held thingy that you are unable to sign.
Simples!
All our shopping is now sitting in a spare room for 72 hours in case any products have bugs on them, fridge stuff is in a carrier bag on a separate shelf for a couple of days. We wore gloves to bring the shopping indoors and to unload the Crates.
Time for a sit down.......

Glad I'm not the only one Hithere. I'd far rather listen to Mary Beard than any of this stuff - and she gets all sorts of stick about her hair.

I only go to the hairdresser every six months or so anyway, have never had my eyebrows, nails or legs done.

It makes me angry when posters say that those on benefits can cope on £73 a week because they don't need luxuries. I certainly couldn't afford to have my hair done every couple of weeks and have never even been tempted by any other beauty treatment.

I look in the mirror and am happy with what I see. I'm even more contented with what is behind the face.

Oopsadaisy hope your DH has the medication he needs and is recovering well.

This is not ageism. Over 70s are the most vulnerable group.

You entirely miss the point, Hithere. Is it deliberately done to annoy or not?
growstuff too

As I said, I have family who are on the front line with this in more ways than one.

No, it's not done to annoy Callistemon. I'm genuinely quite disgusted that people are bothered about their hair and will insist on ignoring official advice.

As stated above, I don't do much with my hair anyway (apart from washing and drying it) and I wear very little make up, apart from moisturiser and lip jelly. I never have.

I really am disappointed that people are so bothered by their appearance when some of the same people claim that those on benefits don't need luxuries (such as haircuts).

I think you are conflating different posters' views on various issues and making five, though, *growstuff.

People are not so bothered about their appearance that they don't realise others may be worse off than them, do not realise the seriousness of this situation.

And what is the official advice at the moment?

I live with my daughter, son in law and 2 primary age grandchildren, I cannot self isolate for 4 months. My daughter has an cough and is home from work, both children have coughs. At present I am well., but for how long!!?

Today I am learning a great deal about minecraft from the eldest and he tells me that I need a diamond pickaxe from my inventory to craft a bunker and ...he goes on.....if you don’t want to die go to the pause button and then to settings ..go to survival button and a selection of options will open, but do not press adventure, press creative, then you can get ..iron pickaxes ...wings and breathing helmets......

growstuff

Do you not accept Black Humour and ' making light of things' are coping mechanisms in times of crisis for some?

Hithere you remind me of an uncle of mine, who had no sense of proportion. He would be as distressed by the idea that I had a slow journey to visit him because traffic was heavy as he would be if I said that I had been in a multicar pileup with four deaths.

At times like this when there are many serious things to consider we need to come up for air now and again and enjoy the froth on the surface - a bit like a good beer - and if you seriously think anyone is taking make-up and hair as seriously as the current crisis we face, then you really must a lack a sense of proportion.

And as for your odd ideas about why we like looking nice. I can only quote Jane Austen, who 200 years ago wrote :

Woman is fine for her own satisfaction alone. No man will admire her the more, no woman will like her the better for it. Neatness and fashion are enough for the former, and a something of shabbiness or impropriety will be most endearing to the latter

Looking good and feeling good feed into our mental health and that is what will be most at threat during any enforced seclusion. Nothing is going to induce depression and illness more than 4 months of thinking about the miseries of the world - about which we can do absolutely zilch.

The most important thing to do will be to do things to get us out of bed and out of our pyjamas, to find things that make the day joyful - and that is important for everyone over 70 regardless of wealth or circumstances.

I will you to read suitable improving books while I tuck into a re read of all my Georgette Heyer.

"I look in the mirror and am happy with what I see. I'm even more contented with what is behind the face."

Ditto!

I look in the mirror and am happy with what I see. I'm even more contented with what is behind the face.

I think that was fairly obvious as you tried to dictate those "contented" thoughts as instructions to others Hithere.

Do you not accept Black Humour and ' making light of things' are coping mechanisms in times of crisis for some?*

I accept that they are coping mechanisms, but I don’t accept that they are the same.

I also think many posters have missed hithere and growstuffs points. Perhaps even deliberately or to annoy.

Well said, M0nica. It is so sad that there are always one or two posters who will politicise and depress even the most light hearted thread. I don’t know why it helps anyone to spoil such a relief from the concern that we are all feeling. And I know from experience that if my mad wavy hair is not cut regularly I feel miserable as well as looking like a silver haystack!

I cannot think what message was intended by calling people vain, etc., Summerlove. It's an insult, intended as an insult and received as an insult. Now you may think that is okay but it's obvious some of us don't.

It seems some people just want to be talked about instead of letting us get on with the topic.

Actually, I'm glad you are happy with what you see in the mirror, Hithere and growstuff, and that somebody is content with what gazes back at them.

I look in the mirror and see a very anxious and worried look at the moment and not so much for myself but for my family and in fact for the world.
I know it doesn't help and I am usually a pragmatist.

I look in the mirror and am happy with what I see, but it doesn't stop me wanting to play around with it and set it off to its best advantage.

Like you Callestemon what lies behind my face is deep worry for my family, two of whom are considerably more at risk than DH and I, and for friends also at risk.

I am equally worried by a government policy that puts our physical health above our mental health and treats us like children.

I will end by quoting Shakespeare, Sir Toby Belch to Malvolio in Twelfth Night Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?

I will leave you to your virtue Hithere, I am off for the cakes and ale.

I think I’ll have to wait and See how I feel when I’m due to go, I’m high risk, and going to the hairdresser would make me feel / look much better, as the grey roots look isn’t very fetching.

Hairdresser emailed today, detailing all of the measures they are taking to keep us safe, wiping down surfaces etc. And sterilising all implements for each client.

DH said this morning, “ are you going to get some hair dye from Tesco’s “ bless him........ if only it was that easy.

I swallowed many pithy comments as he is still on antibiotics and knows not of what he speaks.