Coronavirus diary, Monday 26 October

Seven months ago coronavirus cast a cloud of uncertainty and fear over the world, affecting the lives of billions of people.

Despite all the efforts the cloud still hangs over us 

My life changed again when I was one of eight Sunrise residents tested positive and I obviously wondered what form it would take.

For the first week or more? Not very significantly, almost like a serious cold, but it deteriorated with nausea, swings from being too cold and too hot, sleeplessness and even delusions.

A fall in the bathroom in early morning proved disastrous. I was unable to get up off the floor and spent two hours trying to reach the alarm pulls. I was rescued by two carers who got me  back into bed via a hoist. My condition worsened and I asked to be taken to hospital.

That was weeks ago and it was the right decision, With constant nursing, I am on the mend. One problem was I had a broken ankle and my knees problem made me immobile.

After three weeks in hospital and some very difficult days the nursing and treatment is working. Progress was slow until a few days ago when I was given some new tablets to stop the pain and enable me to sleep. There was an immediate effect. I asked for an increase and there was a remarkable effect. The pain is less than for months, I can get out of bed and am starting to walk again and manage to look after myself. What a difference from being helpless and reliant upon others.

My recent experience, different from anything in my life so far, makes me appreciate how fortunate I am and how much I want to go on to enjoy some happy months, years perhaps.

I have always taken inspiration from Mum who combined incredible resilience with good humour. She even managed to convince the doctor she knew what she could manage, making him give way on how she lived. Of course it was Dorothy who saved Mum by caring for her for fifty years after Dad died but her spirit was indomitable. She was stubborn. Told she had to stay in bed until lunchtime she compromised - but insisted on moving downstairs so she could see and be part of life. She had constant visitors, family and friends And, best of all for her, the children all, of who loved Nanny. She even, worked from her room in the front of the house. Dorothy had for years worked at home on the store finances for Peacocks stores, which were then owned by a friend of the family. Mum used to operate a mini counting machine but could work just as well without it - she had been a book keeper before she married. She was stubborn, too. Despite being told not to walk downstairs when in Winnipeg Drive she fell and we feared the worst. But when we got her off the floor she was laughing.

Another fall, when she was 101, broke a hip and was taken to hospital - but she was out in a week.

Rosemary, lovely Owy, has kept me going especially over the recent dark days. I have been talking to her. And I know I have the whole family behind me. Why would I not want to carry on enjoying life? The uncertainty continues for all of us but it will end, or at least lessen. People just can’t stop. It would help if we just stopped concentrating, obsessively, on coronavirus. There is good news about but it is being swamped by the avalanche of statistics and research. 

Let’s get on.