“ I just called to say I am sorry”

Tweedle I also heard that item, and thought it was beautiful.

I wouldn't recommend watching the news too much. However, I've noticed that the avoiders and swervers amongst friends and family are far more upset by the situation than those who face it head on.

Whether it's cause and effect or just different personalities I don't know. My pathologist friend is very good at studying tragedy with cold, objective interest, switching off any emotion.

Personally, apart from being tearful over grieving alone (having lost a loved one on 11th March) I've not felt wobbly about lockdown or the pandemic situation.

I'm sad for the bereaved families, of course. I'm angry that health workers have had to be 'brave'.

This is not, by far, the most awful thing that has happened in my life so perhaps that makes a difference - as everything is relative?

We’re also finding this very difficult. My husband has Vascular Dementia and Parkinson’s and also suffered a stroke 2 years ago, plus he has COPD!
Prior to the lockdown I took him to various groups most days, one of which is a pilot scheme running as a first in the UK, and this is in a medium sized market town . The difference this made was huge, but, as you may imagine he’s gone downhill rapidly since the lockdown ! He’s lost so much confidence, needs to be with me all of the time, has no interest in anything apart from watching dross on daytime TV . I do make sure we walk every day, even when he’s reluctant to do so, and although it’s driving me up the wall I just feel so very sad for him ! He appears to understand part of what is happening but can’t comprehend the enormity of the situation.
We have a daughter who lives locally and 2 wonderful grandchildren who come every few days to wave and have a chat at a distance.
We have self isolated totally up to now, apart from the daily walk but today it has rained without stopping and already I’m climbing the walls !! I know this sounds incredibly self-centred compared with the horrendous situations many are going through but this is just another section of the community which has been overlooked when it comes to recognition of the effects of this awful disease !
How he’ll be at the end of this lockdown I can’t even contemplate !

One of the reasons I began writing the Lockdown Diaries was for the very reason so many have stated here.
I knew I'd be swamped with bad news - and I knew the consequences.

Wanting some sort of break from sadness doesn't make us any less compassionate, or caring about those who have died or are sufffering.

If you live on a diet of bad news, it is bound to affect your emotional health.
So my blog has interesting and/or funny/lighter things - because I'm protecting my own emotional health by writing it and hoping to bring a bit of cheer at the same time.

On a separate note:
" A few days ago we got a wee note to say that the Queen wanted to catch up and see how everyone in New Zealand was getting on in the midst of COVID-19. It was such a treat to speak with Her Majesty tonight. Her affection for New Zealand, her interest in what’s happening here and her memory of places and events that are special to us never ceases to amaze me." Jacind Ardern

the-lockdown-diary.blogspot.com

I put this up because I found it a very inspiring broadcast. As I said before, it showed the dedication and compassion of the doctor. It was not an interview: it was a sort of poem/monologue written by the ITU consultant.

Not watching much news at the moment. Grabbing the headlines mainly and read in papers the rest

An American friend sent me a link with hundreds if not thousands of clips of people who had died of the virus with comments from their loved ones.

Very moving but I only watched a few . It was desperately sad.

I watch very little news now. It’s so repetitive and mainly about the virus. I see the first few minutes, or glance through the headlines on the BBC news website. I usually watch some of the local Granada news, which always has some uplifting and amusing features, then switch off, or over to something else.
Tonight I watched the tribute to Ken Dodd, then a programme about Blackpool and it’s wonderful history of entertainment. Both bright and cheerful programmes which lightened my mood. An hour or two of Doddy every day should be prescribed on the National Health! He just lived to make people happy.
I also agree that most people who are able should go out for a walk every day. That is a good tonic as well.

I am not watching the news at all.
I have seen neighbours in their garden again with family and GC visiting, happening most days and I want to shout at them. Why will they not obey the lockdown ?

Saw another ambulance in the street tonight, another poor soul being wheeled away.

Thank you Iam64. As you say, all key workers, regardless of their occupation, are more likely than others to pick up this horrible infection. They all deserve a medal in my opinion, though they probably wouldn’t want one. And all their families are worried for them. It’s just a difficult time for everyone.

I turned the radio off this morning and asked Alexa to play Mozart piano concerto and she did.

I watched the news at 7 but switched it off as the next item was to be about how families and individuals with existing health problems are coping with the lock down. I miss my children and grandchildren but, the idea of being depressed or living with a disability and stuck in a tower block at any time scares me, much less what it must be like now.
Im trying to focus on the positives. My children aren't working in high risk occupations. Two are in key worker roles, two self employed so currently broke but we are safe. Maddyone, it must be so hard for you and for others whose children are front line health workers. Not to forget staff in supermarkets, delivery , transport etc.

I only watch the news at teatime so I don’t go to bed with it all on my mind. Felt relieved that none of our kids were expecting at this time only to be told yesterday our dil is pregnant (very early stages) She is a nurse and has been told now that she mustn’t mix with Covid patients or colleagues nursing them and must do admin duties only. However this is exactly what she has been doing so I can’t help but worry about this for herself and the baby. Anyone else in this situation? Keep safe and well everyone!

I do understand what you are saying, Happiyogi but there is only so much that we should want to put ourselves through, surely, without the ability to actually do something about it. That form of torture, I think, is something most of us would prefer to avoid if we can.

Avoiding endless news, cutting ourselves off from the reality of the worst of what's happening, the pain, the suffering of those who have lost family members, the anger that we feel for Care home residents, and when people don't seem interested enough to stay in and socially distance and take the whole nightmare seriously; not to mention anxieties for a future, what chance of a vaccine, the latest developments etc., etc. Maybe turning away from some of this is what we owe ourselves, especially when we feel fragile or are struggling to cope with what has happened and is still happening. News and counter news and denials and daily picking apart in the media of something so totally beyond our worst nightmares will actually start to affect even the most blasé and chilled amongst us very soon, if it hasn't done so already. We should stay aware of that.

For myself, I have definitely seen and heard more than enough because we are bombarded with it, every hour of the day with news bulletins, breaking news, newspapers, documentaries, special programmes, radio broadcasts etc., And it's certainly not over yet ! Many will want to turn away simply because there is absolutely nothing to be done except watch and listen to endless tragic stories and worry about the future. It's a bloody awful spectator sport !

If we were looking at some terrible natural disaster, an earthquake or famine, for example; those crying families and starving children would make all of us reach deep into our pockets - o.k., we can now do something to help- we can even volunteer. Here we can do nothing. In the Tsunami which resulted in such horrific loss of life and livelihoods one Christmas time in Sri Lanka and other countries, the staggering generosity of the people of the UK shocked the world in that it surpassed all other countries in the sums of money raised for the Disasters Fund. So much so that the British Government, who had already pledged a large sum, were forced to increase that help offered in order to match what ordinary, caring people had given. People, most people truly care and are wonderful in such times. Our family were able to buy a fishing boat - sounds grand, but the sum of £50 then would buy a little wooden craft to allow Sri Lankan men to start fishing again and feed their families and the locals. We could do something. From being so upset, I was excited that I could walk into the Bank and physically do something about what I had seen. This pandemic just makes me constantly distressed, so I for one do not want to keep reading and hearing of the tragedy going on all around me, and which only reinforces my feelings of desperation that I can do nothing about it. That's the most awful feeling: I feel I am only intruding on others' grief and pain whilst having to ignore what is happening to them. I am powerless in this. But, I am doing everything I can by staying in, staying safe, socially distancing, supporting my friends and family and neighbours in emails, and nagging the living daylights out of everyone I know to be patient and stick to the rules and stay positive until we are able to start leading some sort of normal life again. We are NEVER going to forget this and what has happened to the people of this world - not any of us, ever.

I agree, my husband watches TV all day, including the constant Corona virus updates which increase my anxiety levels. I really sympathise with all the families who have lost someone to this dreadful virus, but I can't mentally cope with it at present.

in the past, we only needed to know the 'pain' of others if they were family, friends or neighbours...now it has extended to the whole world in a very short space of time.Nobody really knows the effect this can have on us.
we need to know a certain amount, it's true, but there is a limit.

lizziepopbottle ...well said.I gave up watching much news a few years ago for that very reason.Rolling news...who needs it?
At the moment I give all sad stories the heave ho and try not to read many even when times are normal as well.It doesn't do anyone any good.I think women are more inclined to watch emotional stories and then to brood on them afterwards [given the friends who try and tell me about them.]When did a man do this? I think men are less likely to do so anyway, and it's certainly better for their mental health.

Tweddle24, thanks for sharing that. I heard most of the programme but somehow missed that item. It's a very moving story.

I understand the advice of some to limit our exposure to the news. The concept of 'rolling news' and repeated flashing 'breaking news' items can definitely cause anxiety.

However, I'm concerned that most of us do need to have an awareness of the reality of the situation and how it affects individuals, the country and the world. Refusing to engage with any of the detail won't help us cope and learn from this.

Posters on here are immensely kind and thoughtful when an individual experiences loss or faces a personally difficult situation. Although we can't possibly extend sympathies or friendship to the huge numbers who are affected nationally, I feel uncomfortable that the way to cope with the awfulness of their situation should be to look the other way in order to spare ourselves. I think we need to know, and feel something of the pain of others. Otherwise...

The phrase "Lest we forget" comes to mind. But we can't remember what we protect ourselves from ever knowing.

Yes Tweedle I heard it too, it was done so well, and I found it really moving.

Thank you Nannan2 you’re absolutely right, I’ll try to think positively first thing in the morning. Thank unfortunately I can’t do much of the sorting and tidying that I would probably have done because I had hand surgery to my dominant hand in January, and I’m still quite a long way from getting full use of the hand back, despite doing the physio each day.
We had been completely self isolating for four weeks, but last week we started to go for a walk, not every day, and that was helpful. We didn’t go near other people and only walked locally for an hour. We’re not over 70 (both 67) but our daughter insisted we don’t go out right from the beginning as she was worried about us as we’re both on blood pressure tablets and I have asthma.
Like other grandparents we miss our grandchildren but my major worry is our daughter and her husband. I put on another thread about my son in law, a GP, who worked last weekend. He visited nine care homes and some of his patients were Covid19. He had only two face masks for the shift. My daughter also tells us there is very little PPE at her surgery. I worry about them a lot. I want my grandchildren to have two parents at the end of all this.

I agree about avoiding sad stories etc. I cry after every FaceTime with my 18 month old granddaughter, she is changing so much and is my only grandchild so far, it breaks my heart as we were so close, she would always hold out her arms to me whenever she came to stay and I’m afraid she’ll forget me. Sometimes I think I’d feel better with no FaceTime at all but then I’d be a total stranger to her soon. It’s so hard.

Try not to watch too much news as itl make you more anxious about everything.

Try not to get too overwrought Maddyone, from when you wake,try make a point of thinking of something nice first thing, something positive- maybe something nice for your breakfast,or a 'to do' you've promised yourself,for later- like maybe,"ill sort out those cupboards"- then reward yourself by putting your feet up for a feelgood movie afterwards.complete with popcorn or chocs. Or an hour with a good book..or ring a friend to chat..or whatever makes you happy.just to focus on a bright spot to look forward to, from the beginning of the day..and don't maybe watch late news as you'll go to bed dwelling on it.

Ive not done that every single day lately either,maybe 3 times a wk, and try get fridays& mondays in, to see if anything's changed greatly.

That’s good advice Nannan2 , I think you’re right. Although my low feelings start as soon as I wake up, before I look at the news.

I stopped watching the breakfast tv when my son left high school- and I've never looked back- now i dont start my day immersed in bad news! now my sons moved on to college, he (normally) takes his breakfast up to his room to get ready,so I'm spared the tv on for time alerts! And now we're in lockdown,i just try catch up with coronavirus update at end of afternoon.

My middle son is a bus driver,and i worry so much for him- he says theres still old people getting on for market day, even though they've been told to stay home..and one young lady got on,obviously being careful,wearing gloves and mask, used phone to pay,etc,then went to sit in middle of two others,even though there was plenty of room to sit distanced! (She didnt even know the others!) I cant fathom the stupidity of some folk,i really cant.And why arent gov't shutting the markets.? Then the elderly might ALL stay home!