Day 14 in isolation

Today is my last day in isolation.  I have mixed feelings about this and was anxious for most of the morning before I started my work from home which distracted me.  I spoke to one of the others at work has to socially isolate due to the medication they are on who made me feel better.

I know that we screen people at work before they are seen, and that there is probably a greater chance of catching COVID19 from someone at the supermarket than from someone I see right now.  Well the logical part of me says that.  The issue arises of what to do as someone becomes more unwell.  Also, the numbers of those affected by this disease will increase and when that happens, the chances of me seeing someone who is unwell with this will go up.  We do have PPE to wear if needed, but it is so flimsy, I am not confident that it really offers any protection.  Hence the GIF.

But I feel sorry for myself.  I have just watched the news which has shown a team working in ITU in London.  They are at much higher risk than me and are still seeing and helping people.

On a more positive note, played throw and catch with my daughter who is looking forwards to being able to go out for walks again.  And have watched The Clone Wars with my son.  One bright side of all this is that I have had time to spend with my family.  Something which I am now going to have less of.

Day 13 in isolation

As I type this, I have heard news that Boris has been admitted to hospital due to COVID.  I wish him well and hope he gets better soon.

I do not like the way that people like me in the NHS feel exposed by the amount and quality of PPE that we have (let alone those who care for people in the community).  And needless to say, I do not like the way that he made the suggestion that the NHS would get a huge dividend after Brexit, let alone the cuts made to it while we was a Tory MP, and the lies and manipulation that have occurred about the NHS while he was been in power.  And as noted before, the inability of our nation to test for COVID19 properly is down to cuts made by the Conservatives (though locally, this was while he was out of parliament).

But, he did not act like Trump and Jair Bolsonaro when it came to COVID19.  He listened to scientific advice on how to manage it with the limited resources available to the nation and when that advice changed he adapted.  His stepwise manner in bringing about the lockdown was well executed though could possibly have been done sooner.  And he was also lucky, the decision of the Premier League to cancel matches after Arsenal was struck down by COVID19 helped in not spreading this horrible disease like happened in Spain and Italy.

So, like many who do not agree with him politically, I do wish the best for him and a speedy recovery.

But back to the family, today was spent relaxing and doing bit around the house.  I have ordered the last two scrubs that I could find on the internet in my size that should come back soon.  And we made use of the garden today playing throw and catch again.  We need to use it more really, but it really needs to be cut!  And as you can see from the title, I will be back at work soon seeing patients face to face.  And while I am keen to help my colleagues, I am feeling more nervous.

Day twelve in the Big Brother house

Today has been both fun and interesting.  My wife and I had a long chat with my son about how he has appeared to learn how to avoid work.  He was not keen on this chat but had to be reminded of how well he had done in his sats last year.  Watching Star Wars, there are lots of quotes about the importance of hard work.  He has so much potential and it is heartbreaking when it appears that he just wants to squander it when so many others do not have it.  Educationally, he has the potential to be a Jedi, or he can take the quick and easy path to become part of the Sith.

Anyway, we spent some of the sunny day playing throw and catch.  I tried to repair our lawnmower only to find that I had bought the wrong spark plug on line and could not change it anyway as I lack the tools to do so.

We watched Knives Out, a pleasant film and one with an ending that I had guessed wrong.  And now I am watching how a little green alien is brainwashing a bounty hunter with my son.

Day eleven in the big brother house

School is out for my daughter.  Technically it is out for my son as well, but he has yet to finish the work that they set him.  Which means that he will have to work into his holidays.

My wife has been reorganising the house and that has meant more recycling.  Not all can be recycled and we have been burning what we cannot recycle as our shredder has broken.  However a comment was made on the WhatsApp group for our road.  As shame, as technically we have to stop...

Day nine in the Big Brother house

Not much again today.  My daughter is still hard at her school work and my son and wife rearranged an unused corner of the house.  I am still watching Clone Wars with my son.  It is odd as the episodes appear to be out of order.  In addition to this, am coming to the end of the Friday Night Dinner episodes with my daughter. We are to run out of those on Netflix soon.

Yawn...

Day eight in the Big Brother House

Just a quick post before bed.  I was working from home today again.  When at work, Monday and Tuesday are my long days, which is important with the amount of work I get.  I am kept busy but have a clear run at paperwork.  Now I am working from home, it is a millstone around my neck.  It means that I cannot relax properly.

Saying that, it is nice to be with the family and I think that they are finding it odd to have me at home.  We did play Trivial Pursuit today and my wife and I attempted the quiz run by Jimmy Carr as well.

My son got to enjoy freedom as his quarantine has ended.  With him being the index case, he can now leave the house while the rest of us are still stuck inside for another week.  But he went off to the local shops and came back laden with supplies of chocolate.  Friends of ours have helped as well, two friends delivering shopping to our door which would have been too heavy for my son to bring, assuming that what they brought was in stock.

Day seven in the Big Brother House

Another day in the house.  My son gets to leave the house tomorrow, but the rest of us have to wait another week.  Saying that, we can go into the garden.

The grass is growing and our lawn mower is not working.  I have ordered a spark plug on Amazon and hopefully that is the issue which needs to be fixed.  If not, it is more of a wait until it can be sorted.

Today was quite boring for me, work work and work (from home).  My daughter is being quite diligent and my wife has been active as well sorting out things at her job.  The only person treating this like a holiday really is my son and we are going to have to address that soon...

Day six in the Big Brother house

A quick post as I would like to go to sleep soon.

I had done some learning about COVID on Saturday and in the evening we bought a delivery, the lady hurriedly leaving it on our doorstep when it arrived.  I also spoke to a friend who is ill with probable COVID19 who like me is not able to work seeing patients.  But he is will with it while I am in isolation because my son had a temperature and I feel fine.

Today has been another relaxing day, watching Star Wars with my son, The Clone Wars, and also my daughter has started to get into watching Friday Night Dinner.  I feel like my batteries are recharged for tomorrow but I need to get to bed for the work that tomorrow will need to be done.

And if I am lucky, testing will be made available to me to allow me to get back to work in a face to face role again.

Day four in the Big Brother House

So far today, we have had a game of throw and catch in the garden after lunch when I was taking a break from work, and we have been annoying each other a bit.  I am known for finding ways of getting on my kids nerves, and they have been bickering a bit.  My wife decided to put on an accent which annoyed my daughter as well before lunch.  We also took part in a bit of arson when we burned the food packaging from our takeaway last night.  While the boxes recommend recycling, the information that I have read before states that they cannot be recycled.  So we had fun burning them (in a safe manner) in the garden before playing throw and catch.  I am not sure if it is a good idea to teach my children how to set fires though!

It was bin day, but we only had the one bag to take out, and on guidelines, we have to wait 72 hours before leaving it out.  Next week, is when I will need to do this, ensuring that I am not touching the bins when I move them.  I have worked out how to do this already, my training in aseptic technique from working in the health service has interesting outside uses!

After dinner, it was board game time and this time, we played the family edition of Trivial Pursuit.  Not that I am competitive, but I won both games!  And afterwards, while my daughter bonded with her mother, my son and I watched the latest episode of The Mandalorian.  My son still thinks that the little green alien is good, I know that it is exerting mind control on the star character.

And the music is from a video shared by a friend of mine.

Day 3 in the Big Brother House

Quick post before bed.  Have been working from home, doing my Wednesday job on other days as well as my normal job using the work laptop, ringing people and providing advice.  I feel guilty that I am not physically at work, but have to remain in isolation.

Today, I was brought to tears by the #ClapForCarers, as I did not think it would have such a response from people, and those signing up to help the NHS makes me proud to be British.

After that, it was a virtual pub quiz and we played Labyrinth.  I came last which the rest of the family loved, and I learned that my wife cheated years ago when we all played Risk in Italy!

We were able to sign up for the Disney channel and I watched The Mandalorian with my son.  We disagree about it. I feel that the star has been brainwashed by the little green alien.  My son considers it to be cute.  I guess time will tell as we watch it over the next few weeks.

Day two in the Big Brother house

Yesterday I got a call about my son.  He was noted at school to have a high temperature. The thing was that he was otherwise well in himself.  But that meant that I had to leave work and enter quarantine.  My daughter was really glad about this as she has not enjoyed her time at school when most people are not there.

But this means only going into the garden for the next two weeks.  Luckily we have friends who are willing to get supplies as trying to get a slot for an online supermarket delivery is a nightmare.

I have been working from home, not being able to do much by the time online access was obtained yesterday, but I have been very busy today.  Anyway, time for bed as I am knackered.

Just a note though, gloves are only of use of the are changed as often as you would wash your hands.