Category: Our stories

First day working 11 hours in full PPE. If you don’t think nurses deserve a pay rise look at this. If you think nurses should put up with the abuse of frustrated patients and relatives look at all of the photos like this.

If you think bankers and CEOs should be paid more and more money look at photos like this. There might be some fat shaming comments but I ate once all day, I drank water twice and I went to the toilet once. If I’d allowed a patient to be looked after like that then I’d be prosecuted for negligence. This is the reality, this is our life for the foreseeable future.

DON’T GO TO A AND E UNLESS YOU’VE HAD AN ACCIDENT OR YOU’RE HAVING AN EMERGENCY!! Your headache for 2 months is not an ACCIDENT. Or an EMERGENCY. Your backache, chest pain, abdominal pain for months is not for ACCIDENT and EMERGENCY. If you have clear Corona symptoms but you do not feel too unwell contact 111 DO NOT COME TO ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY FOR INFORMATION.

Credit https://www.facebook.com/tom.keeble.73

This may come as a surprise but ….we aren’t on a routine.

I’m not homeschooling. The younger two have their packets and are completing them when they want to. The older two are doing it when they feel like doing it.

The packets are there to keep them busy and challenge their brain but it is nothing “new” I have to teach them.

We aren’t getting up super early to do it either.

Because the truth is, this situation is the pits. They are missing their friends, gym, art, after school activities and I feel like the last thing they need from me is forcing them to do “schoolwork” for an hour or so when the truth is THEY HAVE ALL DAY!

We have made cookies, been outside, played the WII, watched TV more than we probably should and they have been on their phones chatting with friends and I don’t feel bad about it.

My house is not a school.
It’s a place to feel safe, loved and encouraged…especially during this time.

I have given myself a lot of grace during this time and am doing the BEST I can.

So for all those asking what our “schedule” is like? Pretty much anything goes about now😂

Oh and apparently the kitchen is open all day😳

Because if this quarantine has taught me anything it’s that we got all the time in the world right now!

TAG a mom that needs to hear it!

Credit https://www.facebook.com/happyhealthysarah/

I went to my well baby checkup today alone. I recorded the heartbeat for Ben to hear as this was the first appointment he’s had to miss due to the circumstances.

My doctor and I elbow bumped. Followed by a little half chuckle through totally uncertain, weary smiles.

He asked how I was holding up, I asked him how he was holding up.

There was a heavy energy in the room, yet we tried to keep things light. But there was nothing light about making sure not to share pens, having him sign my accommodation paperwork to try to protect me at work, hand sanitizing every 2 minutes and placing the Doppler on my stomach from a distance.

It was all so heavy. And completely unnatural.

As soon as I got into my car tears just started rolling down my face.

I’m sad for the pregnant women being triaged alone.

I’m sad for the grandma who doesn’t get to watch her first grandchild be born.

I’m sad for the mom who doesn’t get to hold her daughters hand when she’s scared.

I’m sad for the dads who have to miss out on the well baby check ups and listening to the heart beat.

I’m sad for the sisters who are going to be aunts, yet can’t be there for their best friend throughout this all.

I’m sad for the best friends who can’t visit, bring flowers, and shower the baby they’ve patiently waited 9 months to meet.

I’m sad for the first time mom being sent home so soon, so unsure, wondering if she’ll have the support she’ll need.

I’m sad for the NICU parents who are only allowed one parent at the bedside for the day.

I’m sad that there are no guarantees of spouses attending c-sections due to lack of protective gear.

I’m sad for the doulas, photographers, and birth centered small businesses

So much is rapidly changing.

Understandable precautions and standards, but equally devastating for what many consider the most joyous time in their life.

Today I’ll sit or lay or even nap with my feelings, and let them be. Im not going to wrestle with them, avoid them, or numb myself to this reality of expecting mommas.

I will let them be. And I will be. And I will trust that none of us know what the future holds, but stand firm in knowing the one who holds the future will carry us through.

Credit https://www.facebook.com/devanml

Poem for children to understand.

🌍 🌎 🌷 🌷 🌞 🌞

The Time We Spring-Cleaned the World

The world it got so busy,
There were people all around.
They left their germs behind them;
In the air and on the ground.

These germs grew bigger and stronger.
They wanted to come and stay.
They didn’t want to hurt anyone –
They just really wanted to play.

Sometimes they tried to hold your hand,
Or tickled your throat or your nose.
They could make you cough and sneeze
And make your face as red as a rose.

And so these germs took over.
They started to make people ill,
And with every cough we coughed
More and more germs would spill.

All the queens and kings had a meeting.
“It’s time to clean the world up!” they said.
And so they had to close lots of fun stuff,
Just so these germs couldn’t spread.

We couldn’t go to cinemas
Or restaurants for our tea.
There was no football or parties,
The world got as quiet as can be.

The kids stopped going to school,
The mums and dads went to work less.
Then a great, big, giant scrubbing brush
Cleaned the sky and the sea and the mess!

Dads started teaching the sums,
Big brothers played with us more,
Mums were in charge of homework
And we read and played jigsaws galore!

The whole world was washing their hands
And building super toilet roll forts!
Outside was quiet and peaceful,
Now home was the place for all sports.

So we played in the world that was home
And our days filled up with fun and love,
And the germs they grew smaller and smaller
And the sun watched from up above.

Then one morning the sun woke up early,
She smiled and stretched her beams wide.
The world had been fully spring cleaned,
It was time to go back outside!

We opened our doors oh so slowly
And breathed in the clean and fresh air.
We promised that forever and always
Of this beautiful world we’d take care!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

This is Bergamo, a city not far from me, where two of my best friends live and in the past I’ve spent many happy days. This is the army taking away people who have died because the crematorium is full. These people are dying alone and making their final journey alone, without family, friends and loved ones.

Please lovely friends in the UK – STAY IN YOUR HOME’S. Schools are finally closing, this is not half term, this is not a holiday or time to go to the park. KEEP YOUR CHILDREN AT HOME. I know it’s not easy but they made the mistake here of letting kids treat it like half term and look where we are now.

More than 31000 cases and yesterday 475 dead in one day.

You are not there yet and you don’t need to be if you act to stop the spread now.

As I’ve mentioned before, the hardest thing about being in lockdown is being trapped thousands of miles away from my parents who have two jobs that put them in a vunerable position. Just the thought of anything happening to them while I am stuck here is unbearable, I don’t know if I’d be strong enough to deal with it as a reality.

So at this point I’m literally BEGGING you, read this, share it if you want, but do everything you can to stop this spreading further in the UK and persuade others to do the same.

I understand people are worried about work and money, I am not working, I am not earning, I get it. But honestly now when I wake up it’s at the very bottom of my list of things to worry about.

Financial hardship is temporary, the loss of a loved one is forever.

-Stay in your homes for all but essential tasks.

• If you need to go food shopping send only one person from your household and if you safely can, leave your kids at home.
• Practice social distancing if you are out, keep a metre or more from others.
• Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly.
• Avoid touching your face.
• Remember that it may be hard now but it’s not forever and when this is finally all done it will be the happiest day on Earth!

The more we work together, the quicker we can stop this.

Edit: When I wrote this I honestly had no idea it would be so widely shared, if I had known I would have added two very important things which I have written in previous posts.
1) I am not writing this to scaremonger, or add to fear, in fact I want to encourage people not to panic. I wrote this only to try to encourage people to take more action now, so that the UK doesn’t head down the same path. It is true, the majority of people who get this will be fine, but if we don’t change our behaviour this will be passed onto more and more vulnerable people and that’s where the problem lies.
2) Please stop panic buying. There is really absolutely no need. I have been in lockdown for almost two weeks. I go to the supermarket for food as I would normally, the only difference being we queue outside (at a safe distance from each other) and they let a certain amount of people into the shop at a time. The shelves are always stocked and full. By panic buying you are forcing elderly and immunosuppressed people to travel to multiple locations for what they need and adding to the problem.

Credit https://www.facebook.com/kelly.leach.35

Tonight you went to bed asking if people were poorly because they’d been bad. If somehow you’d made things worse by washing your hands for 18 seconds instead of 20. I told you no, it wasn’t that. You asked when would people start smiling back at you in Tesco’s like they used to do. You said you were going to really miss your school friends, and that you wanted to be able to have play dates again and hug them. Those I couldn’t give you an absolute answer to. Things no 5 year old should be worrying about.

Yet here we are.

As a 40 year old woman, I’m struggling to get my head around how much we’ve taken for granted, how different things are going to be for the foreseeable future, so heaven knows how heavy your brain must feel trying to process everything.

Our actions are viewed by everybody. The way we treat others, how we behave… all on show.

My darling, inquisitive girl. I truly hope that one day we can look back on this as that exciting time we had our learning adventure at home. The time that things changed for the better, and people realised the importance of helping others. The time that we saw communities come together to look after each other without greed or selfishness. The time you managed to turn people’s frowns upside down and they started to smile back at you again. The time we all pulled together to beat this.

To whoever is reading this: Next time you’re taking the last 3 tins off the shelf in the supermarket, or arguing with other people over toilet roll, please just stop and think. Think about who’s watching. We’re all scared. All worried about what’s going to happen. Our actions today are going to have a long lasting effect on our children. And behaviour breeds behaviour. Do we really want our children growing up thinking it’s normal to be selfish? That it’s ok to leave others with nothing, just so we have more than enough? That one person is more important than the next?

Tonight my daughter is sleeping but I know tomorrow the questions will start all over again. The worry in her eyes, the sadness in her voice as she quietly asks if any of it is her fault.

It’s not fair. And it needs to stop.

“Be Kind” has been splashed all over the media lately, but seriously… do it. It doesn’t take much, and an act of humility and generosity – no matter how small – will impact immensely on our children and WILL make things better for somebody else.

Community spirit isn’t dead. It’s just scared. So let’s be scared together, and work together.

Credit https://www.facebook.com/sally.evans.9

A message to anyone that isn’t taking note of the social distancing request. This is going to be a long one, so bare with me!
Covid-19 has become world wide and it has come to the UK with a bang of selfish panic buying and individuals who are selfishly going about their daily lives as normal because “it won’t affect me.”

This is a virus that attacks the respiratory system, but can also cause other complications if the case is severe. Most of the country have perfectly healthy lungs and aren’t classed as vulnerable, so they’ll have a fever, a cough and be absolutely fine again. However, “healthy” does not make you invincible.

In July last year I suffered a stroke, caused by, none other than a virus. This virus attacked my perfectly healthy heart and caused it to fail. While it wasn’t working properly (myocarditis) it created clots, these went up to my brain and caused a stroke. I was lucky, A&E and Intensive Care weren’t overrun and they saved my life, all because there was a bed, a ventilator and enough staff to help keep me alive.

I was 100% healthy, no underlying health conditions, young, ate healthily and exercised regularly. Illness can happen to each and every one of us, this virus doesn’t care what your life is like, if it sees a way in, it’ll take it. This Coronavirus has caused Myocarditis and other major health conditions in patients and if there is no equipment left to help you, your body will become unable to carry on.

For the elderly and vulnerable, as well as others in our society, this virus could cause a stay in the ICU. Let me tell you about ICU after spending 5 and a half weeks in there last year. It will be the scariest and loneliest time of your life. For me, I had family and friends visit me daily, which kept the loneliness at bay, but they still had to leave me there alone. With the virus spreading, do you think you’ll be allowed visitors when you’re contagious?

No, you’ll be left there alone and scared, fighting for your life. The fantastic nurses and healthcare assistants do an unbelievably amazing job, helping to keep you safe and also helping to combat the lonely times. Those that looked after me really helped to keep my mental health from falling into pieces, during those times when there was no one but the cruel voice inside my head. Do you think there’ll be enough workers there and that they’ll have enough time to have a chat and make sure you’re doing alright mentally?

With an already stretched system, you’ll be extremely lucky.
This outbreak has brought back a lot of memories and flashbacks, I’m terrified. I’m terrified for myself, my family, my friends and everyone who will suffer from this illness. Being on the brink of death is not something that is funny, it is not something to be seen as “not a big deal” or an “overreaction”, it is awful for you and everyone who knows you. And this virus makes that a very real possibility.

Why would you voluntarily put yourself at risk of that? Why would you voluntarily put a family member, a friend or keyworker at risk of that?
I hope with this post I can just stop one person going through the life changing trauma of severe illness, or stop one person who may die from this awful virus. Think of who you could spread this to. Everyone has someone elderly or vulnerable in their life, wouldn’t you do anything in your power to stop them from dying?

By social distancing you are slowing the spread and helping the NHS to be able to deal with these life threatening cases. By not panic buying and crowding the shops, you are also slowing down the spread and leaving food available for those that are unable to carry bulk items home, or are unable to afford to buy the extra that everyone else is.
Please, please, please listen to someone who has been so unwell and in a similar situation and treat it like a big deal.

Be clean and wash your hands, use a tissue and dispose of it properly. Be aware of those around you, don’t go out unnecessarily. The NHS needs us to comply to these simple, life saving rules. In reality all I’m saying is, #dontbeadick, please.
Stay safe everyone and let’s save lives.

Credit https://www.facebook.com/faye.mansfield1

This is the face of customer service.
Customer service is constantly apologising for things that aren’t your fault and are out of your control.

Customer service is getting abused daily and being expected to suck it up. Customer service is being worked to the bone with 0 appreciation or acknowledgment. Customer service is starting earlier and finishing later with no extra pay just to make sure everything gets done to keep everyone happy and make others jobs easier.

Customer service is exhausting. I do not hate my job but it is just getting harder and harder. We are not robots.

Screaming at us is not going to help anyone. All it’s doing is making our job harder. We try our absolute best. We really do. We go above and beyond to try and make everyone happy. I will never understand why people are so horrible to workers in retail and why no other customers stand up for us while we are being abused.
Welcome to the life of an assistant customer service manager and a retail worker.

Credit https://www.facebook.com/hellokittyjunkiebaby

Something positive that I wanted to share..

😁 ONE YEAR OF SINGLE DADDING 😁

A whole year of being a single Daddy. This was the first photo I took of my daughter and I together after the split.

It’s amazing how much can happen in a year.

I remember all the sadness that weighed heavy on my chest every second I was with my little girl. I constantly grappled with the fact that I no longer lived with her and never would again.

I remember the brave faces, the tears and the forced smiles…

The ‘just getting through it’ days.

My daughter has always been a Daddy’s girl, but since this picture was taken we’ve grown closer and closer every day. I have a little best buddy now and I couldn’t be more proud.

I’m stronger in myself than I’ve been in years and more comfortable and content in my life right now than I can ever remember.

Time is a healer and, thanks to this perfect little lady, life is good.

I can’t wait to spend many more years watching my sweet little girl grow into the beautiful lady I know she’ll become.

If you’re going through a separation right now and it feels like the world is about to end…Stay strong.

You will get through it and life will be better in the long run, promise. Just need to support each other…

Credit https://www.facebook.com/danbetts1989

I nailed this homeschooling thing for exactly 3 minutes before crazy started coming out of my mouth.
.
There’s only ONE of me and FOUR of you. BE PATIENT!
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Is THIS how you act at SCHOOL?!
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Speaking of four of you WHERE IS YOUR SISTER?
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Because he’s a BABY! Watching Frozen 2 IS HIS HOMEWORK.
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I AM trying to explain it to you. But you’re also trying to explain it to me. Yet you’re the one who asked me to explain it to you!
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THE ANSWER IS 4. JUST WRITE DOWN 4. LIFE WILL EXPLAIN IT TO YOU LATER.
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NO I’M NOT YELLING.
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WIPE YOUR DIRTY HANDS before you touch my computer!
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Orchestra is CANCELED. You cannot “play” your violin indoors until real school resumes.
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Yes you can “play” your violin outside. It will keep the bears at a safe distance.
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RECESS TIME! You have extended recess. All doors to get inside will be locked until 4 pm. Consider it a self quarantine. Stay 30 feet away from me at all times.
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Teachers, we miss you! We love you. I am so sorry for all the things my kids are. I don’t know how you manage 30 of them in a class and they’re not even your own kids. I don’t even want to deal with the 4 that belong to me. They have so many needs. All at the same time. When school resumes I’ll bring you gifts of Starbucks and lunch and Adderall and Xanax and Tylenol. Once they’re all back in stock.

Credit https://www.facebook.com/kimfearingspeaker/