So Emma, what exactly have you given up this year in order to fight against Coronavirus? Because from where I’m sitting it doesn’t look like very much at all. Please tell us what has been missing from your usual life because it seems you’ve eaten out as normal, visited shops as normal (if not more so), went out for drinks (takeaway and sit ins), been into family’s houses, had family into yours, been on many many day trips out, been able to consistently make money through work all year etc etc. Yes you may have missed a holiday but I reckon that’s it. You never see friends or family and never do any hobbies, so come on Emma, what have you missed out onexactly?
Here’s my list;
- my son’s education and socialisation at nursery for 6 months,
- my son’s right to an adoption celebration hearing at court which should have been a really key part in his life story,
- being able to take my son to parks for 5 months, soft plays/play centres for 8 months all of which have affected his physical and social development,
- my son not seeing anyone else bar me and my husband for 4 months as he couldn’t cope with doorstep visits and after those 4 months only allowing 2 people into our garden at one time to see him,
- important socialisation with friends and family to help build my son’s attachments and relationships, something that is absolutely paramount in an adopted child’s ability to understand who they are and where they fit in life,
- being able to work for 10 months meaning a dramatically reduced wage,
- my husband not working for 2/3 months, so again a drop in household income
- eating/drinking out (I’ve only eaten out once since March and have only been to a Costa once for a takeaway hot chocolate),
- shopping (I’ve probably been to a shop 10 times this year, if that! - and only for absolute essentials),
- any day trips out anywhere beyond our closest locality
- a holiday we were due to go on in April (baring in mind it had been about 18 months at that point since our last one)
- any face to face contact with anyone except my parents, my in-laws, my brother, my sister-in-law and my Aunty for the best part of the year - these contacts were either at a doorstep, in a park or my garden for the very brief window over summer when it was allowed,
- the operation I was due to have in June being postponed till November meaning I waited a total of 14 months in lots of pain for my surgery instead of 9.
- the aftercare of my op being nonexistent as there just isn’t the staff to allow for follow up appointments
- not being able to get important medical appointments for my son or my husband which led to my husband being very ill with pneumonia as a result of not being seen quick enough.
And I’m sure there’s lots more but you get the idea.
ETA - Just been told my Grandma has tested positive for Coronavirus! She’s been in a home since May as my dad and Aunty could no long offer her the 24 hour care she needed. No one has been able to see her since July - there was a brief window in June when they’d allow one person at a time to see her in the garden for a few minutes and I was lucky enough to go. She has severe dementia so is unable to speak so we can’t even talk to her on the phone. There’s a pretty good chance we could lose to her to Coronovirus and none of us will be able to see her. This virus is spreading like wildfire because of people like you Emma who have NOT stayed at home all year. Stop posting stuff that you think makes you look good and take a real hard look at your actions and behaviours as we all know actions speak louder than words!