Covid? still got it?

I feel rough so I did another covid test. It’s positive again. I managed to avoid it for all the years it’s been around. I think I’ve just been unlucky and seen too many people recently. I really feel bad incase I’ve passed it on to others. According to the government you don’t have to self isolate any more, but why would I not protect my friends and family?

Sore throat, dizzy, runny nose, aches, hot and cold shivers. I hate it, I don’t need it. I want to be better. I’ve got things I need to do but I have to be patient. It’s very frustrating, and the longer things get left the less I want to do them.

Someone told me if it’s just one line even if it’s the C line it’s negative? Googled it and apparently you have to have both lines to be positive. I will test again in the morning but might be good news. X

Bad news

My hubby is ill. If I’m not around much it’s because I’m sorting things out. I wasn’t going to say anything, but I just thought I should let people know.

At present I don’t know much. But I want to say how much I am grateful to the NHS. After ringing their helpline we were advised to go to Accident and Emergency. My hubby was triaged within half an hour. He was taken to a very busy set of cubicles. Blood was taken and he was given painkillers and seen by a doctor. I left after three hours because he was booked for a CT scan.

I saw him today on the ward. The nurses were so kind and supportive. I don’t know the prognosis but I’m hoping to get the information tomorrow. I’m very worried, but life is what it is. But I want to salute the NHS. Thank you.

Health

Age and health can go hand in hand, your body can start to get wear out. Things don’t work as well as they used to. My hubby hasn’t been well for a few days. He usually throws things off, but he’s not right at the moment. I’m not going to describe his symptoms and I’m not going to Dr Google to see what it says. I think a trip to the doctors is the right thing to do. Fingers crossed it’s a passing thing and it won’t be long till he’s better.

I don’t go out much

How have you adapted to the changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic?

I still wear a mask when I go in shops, especially supermarkets. I rarely go out except to try and walk a bit to keep myself fit. Sometimes the world seems like an alien place and I feel like I have walled off the world. I have stopped visiting many friends and don’t like going in pubs or places where there are a lot of people. I still have covid testing kits and I try and remember to test once a week, mainly when I go out to choir practice. I have not had covid19 (yet) and I do hope to continue to avoid it, but I think people are forgetting about it, and really it’s not surprising because it isn’t in the news headlines any more. But millions died and millions more have been disabled by it. I’m not going to put my life at risk if I can help it. Stay safe x

Drawing and painting

Digital art

What activities do you lose yourself in?

I have always drawn and painted. Hours can disappear and I don’t notice them. I think that’s called ‘flow’, I’m immersed in it. Even now when my left arm shakes I can’t stop. I end up with shake lines or I have to put things on an easle to stop it. I now have golfers elbow in the same arm and gout and trigger finger in my right hand. But I keep being creative. I really think its my reason for living. When I stop drawing that will be the end of me. Even if I can’t hold a pen or paintbrush I can doodle on my phone and finger paint as in the digital drawing above.

A few years ago I was in hospital. I made my hubby bring me a sketchpad and pencils, I think that was proof I was getting better!

February’s steps

After several months of little or no activity my brain kicked in and I’ve started walking again. I went from virtually zero to around five thousand steps a day. I think I am finally better after illness and sad times. My health is by no means perfect, I’m having lots of problems with pain, but if I don’t make the effort things will only get worse. Sitting watching daytime TV is not the best use of my time, and I’m hoping more activity will also get my creativity going again.

Went singing!

I went back to choir practice tonight after about six weeks off. My chest infection seems to have finally subsided and I’m just left with a tight feeling in my chest and my voice is a bit growly so I was coughing a bit after trying to sustain notes.

I did have fun, we sang some sea shanties, including Haul away Joe. A Ghanaian song, a song from Australia and one about a Low bridge on the Erie canal.

Sopranos, Altos, Tenors and Bass singers were all there and we harmonised really well together. I’m really sorry I missed the Christmas Carol pub crawl and the Wassail in January. I’m glad to be back!

Shopping

I have just been shopping, for the first time in a week. But really I’ve only been out a few times in a month through ill health. The trouble is the superstore I go to was refurbished in the summer and because I’ve been going to a cheaper, smaller, super market I don’t know where things are. It took me about half an hour to get eight things! I used to be able to go in and get what I wanted in about five to ten minutes. Now I have to search. Plus they have added a lot more self checkouts. I prefer the manned tills, but there were big queues today so I used the self checkout. I had several ‘unexpected item in the bagging area’ situations. Partly because I took my own bag and it didn’t like it. Then it kept telling me to put the last item back in the basket? A woman manning the checkouts had to come over and sort out the computer screen. Oh for old fashioned checkout people. I went home and vowed not to go out again tonight.

Grey day

It’s been raining a lot today, but I noticed it was slightly lighter this afternoon and the sun seems to be setting a little bit later. Soon the sun will be setting after five pm, that’s when I know we are getting through the winter. Sitting in the house with the curtains closed to help keep the warmth in makes me feel sad. But I realise how close to being a recluse I can be. I was thinking that I have only been out of the house for a few hours in the last month. Last week I took myself to the shop on my own for the first time in about three weeks (hubby has come out with me to keep me safe while I’ve been ill). Am I being lazy, or sick? I don’t know, I think I’m probably protecting myself, I don’t want to catch anything else and I don’t want to pass this bug on. It’s strange how your mind muddles and loses time when you are in the same place for a long time. It makes you think.