It's already depressing me

I have self-isolated at my family's request. I have suspended my two gym memberships Also my Silver Swans Ballet classes. My husband has set up a scaffolding trestle for me to use as a ballet barre, with Utube ballet instruction and my lovely SS ballet teacher has promised to film any new things taught in my class and to send them on whatsup. I am looking forward to more time in the garden and have spent all morning cancelling things I normally do. Early days yet but I can think of lots of things to do with the newly freed up time.

That’s a lovely idea GramCC.
Yes....all those on the front line really need our help and support.
Please don’t forget the hard working and under publicised District Nurses out in the community.

OCD, Paranoia, general health anxiety, depression to name but a few mental health problems. Hopefuly though we wont get this virus x

My DH has dementia and anxiety, the only way I can cope is when he goes to clubs etc or when the carers come for a couple of hours so am not looking forward to him being around moaning and worrying all day.i volunteer in reception class at the local school and it is my lifeline. We live with DdAnd teenage GSs so not totally alone. I think we can take the dogs out for walks as we live in Wiltshire and there is a lot of country. I may shout more than usual, actually I will shout more than usual! Not a natural carer me?

Have any of you that are in despair at the thought of spending 4 months in 'isolation' ( it's not isolation) read An Evil Cradling by Brian Keenan?
For those of you that haven't it's the story of his 4year captivity with John McCarthy.
What they would have given for just one of the benefits that we have in our own homes while we are in this so called 'isolation'

I watched Dr Sarah Jarvis this morning on the Jeremy Vine show. (Must be desperate to watch that!)

Anyway...she was absolutely ferocious and draconian, saying the over 70’s must not even go into their garden unless they kept a 2metre distance from other people.

I think this is a step too far. I am all for being responsible, but this is far too strict. No one will follow these over the top rules.

I’m just taking each day as it comes. Thinking about isolation isn’t good. We don’t know what will happen. It may be we can make the most of it by catching up with friends by phone or letter. Learn new skills. Do things we never seem to have time to get round to. Make a “Today I achieved....” list which you can look back on. Keep active, keep busy!

If the aim is social distancing, perhaps rather than face masks, we should go for wearing giant hoops or crinolines....or a more trendy beeper if we go too close to someone.

As I am in Scotland things may be different and I am not quite 70 yet.
But My husband and I live separate lives and I cope by doing a lot outside the home to get some space. I know that being trapped in the house together would badly affect my mental health, though he wouldn’t even notice.

Loretta Bruening ( innermammalinstitute) has a good podcast and video. Sorry , I can't do the link.

Thankyou for the link Meta.
Millymouse,
sorry you have lost your house purchase, we were going to try to sell ours this year.
Theoddbird
Your garden sounds lovely, a real haven. Mine is overlooked by everyone’s loft extensions!
The robin has been hopping about the garden today and the squirrel keeps me entertained doing his daily acrobatic routine on the bird feeder!

I have a husband and son living at home, my son also works but is trying his best not to bring it home, so total isolation is not possible for me.
but i intend to still go out in open spaces weather permitting for local walks
I'm also working out with my daughters how in the warmer weather we can all meet up again in the open, have a self prepared picnic, sharing nothing not even cups, doing our own food etc
Then we can enjoy a day out together without much of a risk
even if it's in their gardens or on our terrace perhaps be safer than going in to use public toilets as we can disinfectant all our own surfaces.

So have a think everyone I'm sure lots will have different ways
of keeping safe, but making it more bearable
Take care x

Personally I am most concerned about the homicide rate. My OH is unlikely to survive for four months if we can’t get a break from each other.
I bet they haven’t taken that into consideration!

At the moment I'm not too bothered about isolation. My husband and I don't go out much (out of choice, rather than illness). Art class, shopping & walking the dog. I do worry about those who enjoy a more active social life, especially when their family can't or won''t visit them.
My younger daughter, who renovates houses to rent found the elderly lady who lives in the house next door to the one she is working in at the moment looking out of the window very glum because she wouldn't be able to see her grandchildren who live a distance away. She has a phone but no computer. So my daughter has taken round an old laptop no-one at our house uses any more, set it up and has
gone to the shopping centre to get a wi-fi box for her. She even harangued the terrified young man behind the counter into arranging for everything to be set up immediately. Not everyone has access to a computer, certainly not round here where there is a lot of real poverty.

I'm like you aggie - I have plenty to do but I'm too jittery to stay on task long with things like knitting and crochet.
I'm doing some baking today, I thought some home cooked goodies might cheer up my family. Our DD is housebound normally and higher risk and is struggling to get any shopping, so we are taking what we can tomorrow, so I'm making bread and bakewell tarts to go with.

DH is high risk, and it's his last day at work today, for the time being, maybe permanently, he's been working past retirement age part-time. He has to go to the opticians today as he has somthing nasty looking growing on his eye. The gp gave him antibiotic drops a while back but they didn't work. It's awful having ailments at this time because you don't know what to do for the best. Was reading a post on mumsnet by a pregnant lady who is having breathing difficulities and had started coughing up blood, and was on hold for 2 hours to 111 then cut off. Really hoping she's getting some attention soon. People were telling her to go to 999 but nobody is sure what to do about things right now. I wish they'd give us proper guidance.

I'll just be relieved if he can get sorted and then we can work on the self-isolating thing. We plan on quiet walks as often as possible, have some dvds in and some board games. And DH has just started rock painting, so going out collecting rocks is on the list. I have my yarn crafts to do to keep him company. Plus I bought some colouring books.

Like you Lclaytonuk555 I am used to being housebound due to ME/CFS but I had started getting out a bit more lately, although I'm vary variable and often crash and need a week in bed.

Like others very fed up so looking forward to seeing AC and teenage grandchildren over Mother's Day, OH's birthday and Easter, now almost certainly not happening as the AC are more paranoid than we are, still I will be reading, spring cleaning and no doubt too much tele. I have promised myself I will do my physio exercises more as goodness knows whether any appointments can be attended. I suppose its trivial at present but it occurred to me that when we are finally allowed out many of our favourite shops and restaurants will be no more. I am normally quite a cheerful person ........ really.

The main thing that I am really down about is the holiday in Wales booked for the end of May. I have taken my granddaughters every year for the past 10 years and we all look forward to it so much. In my mind it was going to be the last one with all of us going as my eldest granddaughter is 17 this year so we were going to make it extra memorable, we had lots planned. Unless a miracle happens I have a feeling that we won't be going.

yes isolation is used as a form of punishment,but it can be an opportunity to sit back and witness our thoughts racing through us,most of them don't come true! A lot of the great thinkers spent a lot of time alone, it might do us some good!

Nice to hear something positive GramCC.. Whilst we are griping medical staff, carers etc are working under great pressure to help others.

I keep seeing and hearing references to the over seventies being allowed out as if we are a group of dangerous animals

25Avalon Otherwise how about writing up your memoirs - memories of when you were a child, or tales that your parents and grandparents told you that will be lost for ever unless you write them down.
I've been saying this on a few threads. Write your life story or your parents' life stories, add some photos. It can be as long and detailed as you like, or just something fairly short. It's very therapeutic and you will leave behind something of value for the grandchildren when they're older.
You'll need a file and some plastic pockets to hold the pages and photos. You can make this a work of art if so inclined!

Let’s look at this time as an opportunity. While we are home let us pray for those on the frontlines, doctors, nurses, caregivers, school leaders and administrators, those making decisions. We can write notes of encouragement, prepare pies, bread, food for children that are not getting breakfast at schools or overworked parents. If you are a former teacher or administrator offer to help guide parents who are having to teach their children at home. In this time of isolation we are given an opportunity to help. We are more free as grand parents and retirees to have the time and wisdom to provide hope and practical help.

We decided to cancel our one annual holiday to Portugal based information from friends who live there. We won’t get any money back so we won’t be able to afford to go away later in the year. I lost my mum at the end of last year after looking after her for 6 months and I am now struggling to recover from surgery so I was so looking forward to some heat on my bones. I am struggling with tears.

There is a link to a friendship line here-

www.oasisuk.org/coronavirus

Hope someone has a big enough shovel to scrape me off the ceiling after 4 months.

Another 2 weeks on a balcony in Spain is now not so appealing! not allowed to go out only for essentials and only by yourself. Police patrolling and barking orders. Got shouted out and ordered home yesterday for walking my neighbours dog too far. No guarantee we will be allowed to drive through Spain to get our ferry ..if it is still sailing by then. And the prospect of putting my husband into isolation because he is over 70 when we do get home, I am not looking forward to. But the sun is out!