I’ve coped well so far. No one close has caught it, I can work easily from home, my wife’s and my jobs both look secure, we have a nice house and a nice garden and no children so homelife is calm and pleasant.
But these last few days, I’ve learnt what covid world can upset. My 93 year old mother started radiotherapy last week for a cancerous tumour on her lung, then on Thursday she fell at home and fractured her hip. She’s in hospital and none of us can visit her. My father is frail, distraught and confused. And now my country is going back into lockdown - I’m 100 miles away and won’t be allowed to visit him either (I have relatives close by). I can’t stop crying, I feel so helpless.
I always knew aging parents would need my help one day, I just hadn’t anticipated not being able to give them that help (except spend all day on the phone to reassure and arrange support). It took us two days to speak to a nurse to get my mum to switch on her mobile (which she has never used before).
I feel for you. My parents are gone, but my father-in-law has become frail, confused, and combative in the last few months. We are not where you are at this point, but we know what’s coming. We are hoping to stave-off any hospital stays as long as possible. Stay strong!
I managed to get a ‘rapid response’ nurse pay my father a home visit. He’s someone who panics about his heath (gets short of breath), particularly when he’s alone - he always feels better when he gets attention from medical professionals.
