Living alone during the pandemic and dealing with the isolation.

pip48

New Member
I am 72, and up until 5 months ago was working part time, doing grocery shopping, having my grandson spend the night, going to the movies, seeing my son and his family, having pedicures and manicures regularly. Now............I stay home, have my groceries delivered to my porch, no contact, if I see my children or grandchildren it is outside and far apart. I even had my medications sent by mail now. I am in solitary confinement! I read romance novels, total fantasy, or watch tv. I talk on the phone with a couple of friends and my son, but human contact that is about it. I have only been to the grocery store 5 times in 5 months. I had to get a ct scan, and I have canceled dentist appointments, eye doctor appointments etc. I have had virtual doctor appointments, but, I am going to have to go get a blood test for a medication that I take and I am uncomfortable about it. How are you all coping with this isolation?
 

Hi @pip48 , welcome to the forum! I am still working as a nurse so once I get home on workdays I am glad to be isolated after a busy day lol. However, the weekends tend to be rather barren. I'm trying to work at a creative solution but part of the problem (I have noticed for myself, anyway) is that with all the conflict and contentiousness in the country + work + struggles within my family +++, I find my ability to concentrate on much of anything is very low. I think one thing I am going to start doing is listen to more classical music to ramp my concentration back up. I do enjoy playing on-line scrabble.
 
I am 72, and up until 5 months ago was working part time, doing grocery shopping, having my grandson spend the night, going to the movies, seeing my son and his family, having pedicures and manicures regularly. Now............I stay home, have my groceries delivered to my porch, no contact, if I see my children or grandchildren it is outside and far apart. I even had my medications sent by mail now. I am in solitary confinement! I read romance novels, total fantasy, or watch tv. I talk on the phone with a couple of friends and my son, but human contact that is about it. I have only been to the grocery store 5 times in 5 months. I had to get a ct scan, and I have canceled dentist appointments, eye doctor appointments etc. I have had virtual doctor appointments, but, I am going to have to go get a blood test for a medication that I take and I am uncomfortable about it. How are you all coping with this isolation?
Welcome, Pip. Your routine sounds almost like mine. Early July I started going out for groceries and a trip to Walmart for various items. The numbers in my state (CT) have greatly improved, but we still need masks and caution. Lately I have been seeing a bit more of family, but at safe distances.

Yes, it's lonely but I'm almost used to it by now.

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Welcome, Pip. Your routine sounds almost like mine. Early July I started going out for groceries and a trip to Walmart for various items. The numbers in my state (CT) have greatly improved, but we still need masks and caution. Lately I have been seeing a bit more of family, but at safe distances.

Yes, it's lonely but I'm almost used to it by now.

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My state (SC) and city is bad, it seems to be getting a little better but not much and they are going to open schools at the end of the month! I fear it is going to get a lot worse when that happens. We did just go from 1800 cases a day to 1200 today, so when I say improvement that is what I mean. If what they say about our case numbers being 10 times what is showing, and I think that they are, then 20% of the population of our state has been infected. I have quit my part time job. I just couldn't go back under the circumstances.

I play games on my phone, read, and do online crossword puzzles but there are days that I don't even get dressed! What is the point?
 
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We are all pretty much in the same situation. I do get out a few times a week, though, for groceries and other things. I'm very careful. I sterilize my hands before I go into the store, again before I approach the check-outs, and again when I get back into the car. I wear a mask, of course. And I wash my hands with soap and water when I get home. I see this as my way of life at least until there is a vaccine and it's been tested. :unsure:
 
@pip48 "What is the point?"
Well, if there is no point, why not actually see, touch, and hold your family? Why not be a bit bolder and try to live as normally as possible while still wearing your mask and being socially distant with strangers, not the people you love. What are you protecting if there is no point?
 
I am 72, and up until 5 months ago was working part time, doing grocery shopping, having my grandson spend the night, going to the movies, seeing my son and his family, having pedicures and manicures regularly. Now............I stay home, have my groceries delivered to my porch, no contact, if I see my children or grandchildren it is outside and far apart. I even had my medications sent by mail now. I am in solitary confinement! I read romance novels, total fantasy, or watch tv. I talk on the phone with a couple of friends and my son, but human contact that is about it. I have only been to the grocery store 5 times in 5 months. I had to get a ct scan, and I have canceled dentist appointments, eye doctor appointments etc. I have had virtual doctor appointments, but, I am going to have to go get a blood test for a medication that I take and I am uncomfortable about it. How are you all coping with this isolation?
Hi there. Welcome. I haven't had too much trouble. I'm an introvert & used to the isolation. But some of it is hard. Not being able to see my family. No hugs. Feeling like home is my new prison. Then when I do go out I feel very anxious about having to be around others & not knowing if they have it & if or when I'll get it and get sick or worse. I have things to keep busy so I'm ok.
 
Hi @pip48 , welcome to the forum! I am still working as a nurse so once I get home on workdays I am glad to be isolated after a busy day lol. However, the weekends tend to be rather barren. I'm trying to work at a creative solution but part of the problem (I have noticed for myself, anyway) is that with all the conflict and contentiousness in the country + work + struggles within my family +++, I find my ability to concentrate on much of anything is very low. I think one thing I am going to start doing is listen to more classical music to ramp my concentration back up. I do enjoy playing on-line scrabble.
This is one of the ugliest times that I have ever seen in this country. No one trusts anything anymore. Our federal leaders do not inspire confidence in any of our trusted institutions anymore. This "FAKE NEWS", crazy stuff. Our regular news medias are the same as they ever where.........if there is fake news it is SOCIAL MEDIA, NOT NEWS MEDIA. No one should be getting their news from social media!!! The BBC, CNN, ABC, all of the trusted sources for news are still that. Again, .....federal leaders have propagated distrust in everything. Sorry state of affairs. I also have trouble focusing. I quit my job today. I haven't gone to work in 5 months and they finally said they have to have someone to do the work so, I couldn't go back. I just can't put myself in a building with 100 people, that may or may not be doing all the right things in regard to social distancing, mask etc. Even if they make them at work, who knows what they do outside of work.
 
Hi there. Welcome. I haven't had too much trouble. I'm an introvert & used to the isolation. But some of it is hard. Not being able to see my family. No hugs. Feeling like home is my new prison. Then when I do go out I feel very anxious about having to be around others & not knowing if they have it & if or when I'll get it and get sick or worse. I have things to keep busy so I'm ok.
It is good to hear that I am not alone. I too an beginning to feel like my home is my prison and I get anxious when I have to go out. I think one of the things that bothers me the most is I don't see an end to it all. At first, it was, something I had to do for awhile, but awhile is beginning to look like forever. Even a vaccine wouldn't be 100% effective, they are saying if it is 50% we will be lucky. Dr. Fauci said he would be thrilled with 75% efficacy.
 
I like most of what you say. The part I disagree with is I'm not afraid of 100 people around me. Maybe I'm stupid. Just can't feel the fear.
You are probably better off for it, not feeling the fear, I mean. If I had children at home to feed and care for, I would probably be braving it, but I don't. They are making people wear masks in the public areas, but not in their offices. I also work where we cater to a high risk group of people.

My son was exposed at work, where a coworker went to a bar unmasked with friends. Luckily he doesn't have direct contact with the individual, but he has direct contact with those who are in direct contact. He didn't get it, thank God.

I am 72, and lung compromised already, so I suspect that if I were to get it, it would be bad. And now of course, they are seeing long term effects that are pretty scary. They had a young man, 3 months after having covid-19 with mild symptoms, go into multiple organ shut down. So, I am fearful of it. I also live in a state that is having like 1200 to 1800 new cases a day and a city that is a hot spot, chances go up the more the cases around you that you will be exposed. I also live in a state where there are a lot of people that don't believe they have to wear masks. I would say that the last time I would in the grocery store 25% of the people where not wearing masks.
 
@pip48 "What is the point?"
Well, if there is no point, why not actually see, touch, and hold your family? Why not be a bit bolder and try to live as normally as possible while still wearing your mask and being socially distant with strangers, not the people you love. What are you protecting if there is no point?
The " what is the point" was about getting dressed everyday.
 
You are probably better off for it, not feeling the fear, I mean. If I had children at home to feed and care for, I would probably be braving it, but I don't. They are making people wear masks in the public areas, but not in their offices. I also work where we cater to a high risk group of people.

My son was exposed at work, where a coworker went to a bar unmasked with friends. Luckily he doesn't have direct contact with the individual, but he has direct contact with those who are in direct contact. He didn't get it, thank God.

I am 72, and lung compromised already, so I suspect that if I were to get it, it would be bad. And now of course, they are seeing long term effects that are pretty scary. They had a young man, 3 months after having covid-19 with mild symptoms, go into multiple organ shut down. So, I am fearful of it. I also live in a state that is having like 1200 to 1800 new cases a day and a city that is a hot spot, chances go up the more the cases around you that you will be exposed. I also live in a state where there are a lot of people that don't believe they have to wear masks. I would say that the last time I would in the grocery store 25% of the people where not wearing masks.
I have asthma & COPD & I work in a hospital. I have managed to calm down & deal with the situation at hand because I have no other alternative.
 
The " what is the point" was about getting dressed everyday.
I am 72, and lung compromised already, so I suspect that if I were to get it, it would be bad. And now of course, they are seeing long term effects that are pretty scary. They had a young man, 3 months after having covid-19 with mild symptoms, go into multiple organ shut down. So, I am fearful of it. I also live in a state that is having like 1200 to 1800 new cases a day and a city that is a hot spot, chances go up the more the cases around you that you will be exposed. I also live in a state where there are a lot of people that don't believe they have to wear masks. I would say that the last time I would in the grocery store 25% of the people where not wearing masks.
 
I have asthma & COPD & I work in a hospital. I have managed to calm down & deal with the situation at hand because I have no other alternative.
If I didn't have a choice, I guess I would have kept working, but I do have a choice. My son and his wife have no choice they have children, but because they brave the world everyday, I don't have contact with them.
 
I hear your concerns and can relate to you on the lung problems as I have two nodules on my lungs that are being watched for signs of cancer plus I have diabetes and cirrhosis of the liver and I'm overweight and I vape which I know I shouldn't but I do. I worry too much about getting the virus because I live alone and I'm caring for a dog and two birds who are my family and I'm not so worried about dying or being sick but more worried about them and who would care for them. I live alone, too, and have no family near me to help out. I've used delivery for many months but just went back to grocery shopping and have been trying to be very cautious even though I saw one guy without a mask and a girl with a mask pulled down to her chin.

It's hard to live this way but it's going to end and a vaccine will be found. I have hope and faith in that thought.
 
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Bring Out Your Dead: The Great Plague of Yellow Fever in ...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/328783.Bring_Out_Your_Dead
"Bring out your dead" did not originate as a Monty Python catch-phrase. It was an urgent call to clear homes of the deceased as the plague swept through cities both in Europe in America. This book, by J.H. Powell, details the horrors of the 1793 yellow fever epidemic that descended on Philadelphia, as well as providing fascinating insights into medical and social history.

Bad stuff in 1793, no questions on what's the point? We need to know our history, how
they thought, how they coped. The survived, that was their goal, that is the point.
 
Welcome-we-love-new-members.gif
... We have all the same problems here in the UK that you have over the pond @pip48 ..although the vast majority of restrictions have been lifted, we obviously still have to sterilize hands and wear mask in public areas ( not outside ) , and social distance, after we were in lockdown for 3 months ... the whole vibe of the country has changed now, the world has a very different feel to it .. there's a sense of people not being relaxed in anything they do away from home now, and we have to try and get over that in the best way we can, or life will be very restrictive indeed..
Glad you found us, hopefully we'll give you a little more purpose to you day (y):)
 

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