Life on Lockdown

Hello everyone,

Who would’ve thought my first official post on my blog in 2020 would be during a global pandemic? Crazy right. This is seriously strange times for everyone especially since it wasn’t expected, literally came from nowhere figuratively speaking.

I know everyone is probably sick and tired of hearing about COVID-19/Coronavirus/”The rona” whatever you like to call it. But I thought I should just share my general experience with the whole situation and being in lockdown at the moment.

With me being deemed high risk with having diabetes, I was more cautious of the risks of me contracting the virus and the negative implications it would then have on me managing my condition. I am usually told annually when it gets to winter times to have a flu vaccination which I do get. As a result, I tend to experience cold and flu like symptoms throughout the winter period. 2020 was no different as mid February I started to experience those same flu symptoms as I had done the month prior, and during Winter 2019. I put this down to my general immune system being rubbish. Furthermore, the COVID cases at the time in the UK was few and far between at this point so I had ruled that out initially.

On 10th, March 2020, I started to feel similar flu symptoms as I had done a few weeks prior.  I was frustrated with my body for being so weak as I thought I had gotten over what seemed to be the flu many times already this year. However,  one key part of my symptoms was that I experienced shortness of breath. I never struggle with breathing so it did seem quite strange for me to feel like this. I had planned to ignore and complete the remedies that  I had taken to combat the flu the months before (hot water lemon, ginger and honey), until I had seen an NHS poster regarding COVID symptoms.It stated a list of general symptoms such as temperature; cough; shortness of breath, and instructed for people experiencing at least one of those symptoms to contact NHS 111. 

In addition to this, I was worried as there was hearsay around my workplace that someone had been in contact with a person that had come from Italy. Italy was a high risk location with COVID cases reaching the thousands, and increasing rapidly by the day.

My workplace’s rule was to allow only those that had come into contact with someone abroad to isolate. I was very sceptical with this chosen method, a contagious virus doesn’t just stop spreading when it comes into contact with one person especially if that person had been in the office, contaminated workspaces that colleagues like myself would be using, but hey I’m no expert.

I decided to take the advice that was on the NHS poster, and contacted NHS 111 as soon as I reached home from work that evening. The operator at 111 took me through a series of generic questions about my health to which I explained I was diabetic and my current symptoms. I informed them of the situation with the colleague at work being sent home also. However, it appeared that all this information had been overlooked as following the series of questions, the operator had concluded that my shortness of breath and tightening of my chest was down to a heart attack that I was apparently having, and so ended up calling for an ambulance to come to my house.

Upon arrival the paramedics arrived unmasked after being told that I was having a potential heart attack and not that I had come into contact with someone who could be infected with the virus. They then had to leave my house and have 1 paramedic suit up in full protective gear to assess my condition. I had the general checks of my heart rate etc to which they concluded I wasn’t having a heart attack and strictly advised that I request for a COVID test and isolate for 14 days.

I attempted to do this once they had left but was told by NHS 111 that I didn’t meet the criteria of getting a test because I had not been abroad. Which to me was a very backwards way to deal with an evidently contagious virus.

I ended up staying at home til June, although I never received a shielding letter: stating that I need to stay indoors for 12 weeks. I voluntarily opted to do so anyway for my own safety. However, I was in two minds with being stuck indoors, on one hand I was frustrated that I would be seeing everyone out enjoying themselves and on the other hand I felt at peace knowing I was protected in my house. It turned out that I wasn’t going to be alone since the UK was put on a national lockdown til June anyway.

Lockdown came as a blessing in disguise as it gave had more time to finish my dissertation thus completing my Masters, the opportunity to explore new ventures, not forgetting the ever-growing list of movies, and series I wanted to watch .

At the moment I am working from home which I love, as much as the office environment is fun, I am very reserved at work so enjoy my own company on lunch and breaks. The fact that I’ve been able to save some money from not having to commute to work or buy lunch (although Just Eat and Uber Eats continue to be my guilty pleasure) has been so helpful since I am trying to manage my money much better this year.

It’s upsetting the amount of lives lost and affected by this virus already, and it is very unclear when things will return back to “normal” or a “new normal”. The way the UK Government is handling this pandemic at the moment it seems it will take some time.

I try my best to maintain a positive outlook on situations that are out of my control, this pandemic being one of them. As much as I want to go out and have fun, I am thankful for the downtime that lockdown is allowing. Not to downplay the negative implications lockdown has on a person mental health.

If you are reading this and are struggling with lockdown and/or the pandemic in general below are a list of free services that can offer assistance. If you are not comfortable with speaking on the phone, I have added the SMS and websites for webchat services. (These are UK based)

Samaritans: 116 123 www.samaritans.org

Anxiety UK: 03444 775 774 www.anxietyuk.org.uk

Mind: 0300 123 3393 or 86463 www.mind.org.uk

Calm: 0800 58 58 58 www.thecalmzone.net

Text SHOUT to 8588

khadija mary xo