Is anyone scared to go out now?

Hi, I noticed you hadn’t had any replies and thought I’d share my feelings. I’m not in the most vulnerable group as none of my treatment suppresses the immune system, so I haven’t had to stay in. However I’ve spent much of the last couple of months in abject fear that I’ll catch it. The Friday before lockdown started I was in the hospital for my injection, and although they already had precautions in place, I had to go to the pharmacy where there were a few people milling around. For the next two weeks I was terrified, waking up in the morning with my stomach churning. I settled down after that, but I have been paranoid about things coming into the house from outside. I plucked up the courage to go to the supermarket twice, very close to closing time, when there was hardly anyone there, but I still worried that I’d got too close to someone. Then, nearly a fortnight ago I went to the hospital for a blood test requested by my oncologist. Very strict precautions so I wasn’t too worried. Then they closed our hospital, as cases of Covid-19 were rapidly rising and 40% of the staff were estimated to have the virus. So I have been terrified again. I have no intention of going back to normal life. I will stay at home, having my walk,  an occasional trip to the beach (5 minutes away), and will pluck up the courage to try the supermarket occasionally and only when it’s very quiet. 

Hi,

I nursed Coronavirus patients in the nursing home where I work. I took temps and other observations, gave paracetamol, held hands with sufferers. And I did not catch it....or if I did ( which I doubt) I had no symptoms.

I am 57 not particularly healthy, on Letrozole and asthma inhalers. 

So don't worry. Keep your distance from people use your hand gel and keeo outdoors. 

Hi Snowys Mum I am working in a care home too as a Senior.Returning back to work in 2 weeks time after 1 year off sick.Although still on treatment I know the risks but my boss amended my duties only to helping out in the office and I will just work 2 days in  a week.I have to go back cant live all the time in a fear and also missing to see my friends at work.My mental health was suffering just to beeing at home.

Janet

Hi, yes I’m not comfortable being out and about, fearful that I will bring a bug home to my husband. We are both in the over 70 age group and he is also diabetic, has very bad spinal arthritis (total) and overweight because he can’t exercise, so would probably be at high risk if he got it. Also our daughter is in the highly vulnerable group (needs immunoglobulins) so again I would hate for anything to delay us being able to get together again when we are allowed!

Hugs xxx

Good luck you will smash it xxx

Keep up with your PPE and be obsessive with hand washing and hand gel. When you get home strip off and jump in shower xxx

Thanks so much for sharing your feelings, you feel just like me! I take my temperature every morning just to check, and I do get headaches which I worry about too, although I think they are because I play a lot of daft games on my I-pad.

you are so lucky to live near the sea, I am in a country village so can get out for short walks, so that is nice but I am very worried about being in an enclosed space with nursing staff who may have the virus.

let's all hope we stay safe.

Hi Sally my hubby and I have been isolating for ten weeks as he had a letter telling him he is extremely vunrable, we have been ok I think you sort of get used to it. I had breast cancer 3 years ago I am on Letrozol and find it hard being on it , I am constantly tired and feel like a 90 year old. We are still not going out only in the garden don’t trust the government think we will leave it until the end of June. They are just using people as Guinness pigs, lets just wait an see how long it will be before there is another Pandemic. We live by the sea and it is lovely but now we have droves of people coming here leaving there rubbish getting drunk and having parties we are staying put until we know it’s absolutely safe. Keep Safe.

Hi Snowys mum thank you.I have already obsessed with the hygiene since working in care:)My boss told me they have enough PPE but I have my own face masks so I am ready to get off my sofa after 1 year.

Luckily dont have to use public transport the home is only 30 min walk from my house.

Janet

Hi

Yes - I feel completely like you. I was on a course of chemo which was stopped at the peak of the outbreak (after 3 of 6 sessions). About 4 weeks later I had 5 daily radiotherapy sessions. I was very worried about the last of the chemo sessions and the radiotherapy sessions because I knew people would need to come close to me.   However certain things helped. First the hospital was very quiet. They let me book in at reception and then go back out to my car while waiting to be called in (by mobile phone). If I hadn't had a car I would have been able to sit on a bench outside in the open air  until they were ready - that meant I had no close contact with 'members of the public'. Inside the hospital staff were generally very helpful and of course very aware of hygiene procedures. All were 'gowned up' and I could have worn a mask and gloves if I had chosen to - but didn't. I did take my own hand sanitiser with me as most of the hospital supplies in the public areas seemed to have disappeared - though there was some in the treatment areas. .I decided that if anything made me feel uncomfortable I would tell them - and on my last chemo visit I thought my chemo 'chair' was too close to the next patient and mentioned that - so the nurse offered me a place in a small side ward where I was the only person.    

Inevitably there had to be a bit of physical contact during the treatments but that was kept to an absolute minimum - remember the staff want to protect themselves from you as well (even though I know you haven;t been out and about). As soon as my treatments had finished the staff were swabbing down all the equipment / chairs etc.  Once I got home I stripped off - put all my clothes into the washer - and had a shower. That was probably overkill but made me feel better.  

Add to all of that  - the CV virus is much less active in the community than it was a few weeks ago, so the probability that you will come into close contact with an infected person is far less. The staff are not allowed to touch you unless masked and gloved. And you can control your contact with potentially contaminated  public surfaces using the sanitiser and being watchful. So all-in-all I would say it's pretty safe for anyone staying alert and taking care - almost certainly far safer than going shopping! If you are still worried you could ring the hospital and ask them to explain to you the processes they have in place to protect you - that may help,

I agree with you that it is all very unfamiliar and scary - but probably not as risky in reality as our crazy brains make us believe - especially after weeks of shielding isolation. I've been taking my first couple of walks outside the garden in the last few days and it feels very very weird.  My sister helped me by reminding me how disproportionately scared some people are of flying. You thoughts aren't always a good indicator of risk. 

Not sure if this helps. Good luck with your scan.

It is very worrying and scary especially as there is so much conflicting information about.  I'm not going to rush out yet as I want to wait to see what happens in the next couple of weeks with everyone else.  I'm on 3 weekly herceptin injections and have been going to hospital for this and it has always been fine, well organised and easy to keep a good distance.  For blood tests I now go to a super green surgery, specifically set up to treat vulnerable patients who are shielding.  I've also just had my 3 monthly ECG and my first year's mammogram and again the staff were very prepared and at no time did I feel compromised. The one weird thing is having to do it alone rather than having the support of my OH who has been by my side throughout. I feel so sorry for anyone starting these treatments and having to do it alone.

However, I'm lucky, I have a great partner and we work from home which has a lovely garden so together we are shielding.  We live in the country so can go for walks, cycles and drives without coming into contact with anyone. I think if you don't have these things the need to get out must be hard.

We are making one concession though, one of our kids is a primary school teacher, she's been off work and in strict lockdown for the past 3 weeks but goes back to work next week when her school reopens so she is coming for a visit on Thursday to sit in the garden with us for a little bit because once she's back at work we wouldn't want to do so.  Really looking forward to it.

It's worth bearing in mind your local surrounding area too, there are 18 council areas where the virus is still rising and they haven't reached the peak yet, I live in herefordshire actually, and is another reason why I won't be rushing out and would certainly avoid anywhere other people are.

Here's a link of the list of areas where the virus is still rising

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8367397/amp/Nearly-20-UK-council-areas-NOT-seen-coronavirus-peaks.html

Stay safe and take care

XOXO