I’m sure we’re all following the news fairly avidly right now but as always, it’s the personal stories surrounding Covid-19 that interest and move me the most. I asked you guys how Covid-19 is impacting you, and the responses were overwhelming. For our part, we very sadly had to pull out of my cousin’s wedding this weekend after Abe was displaying symptoms for a baby. (He seems fine now, thankfully). Really gutting though. There were so many heartfelt answers, from different walks and corners of the world, and everyone with a story to tell. From awful snippets of loneliness, anxiety and job loss to real hope for the future, here’s just some of the ways coronavirus is affecting you and your loved ones. And thank you so much for taking the time to share your stories with me…
“Lost a job but it’s just a job. Now hoping for good health for me and my loved ones”
“To be honest, it’s massively impacting my mental health, after years of ‘coping’. Just feel overwhelmed with emotions right now and am finding them all hard to process. Heading into a dark place. But the alternative is far worse with a poor immune system.”
Don’t want my gran to be lonely in self isolation
“I’m homeschooling ! Decided to pull kids out of school”
“I’m autistic an not coping well mentally”
“My recently separated husband and I are forced to spend quarantine under one roof”
“I had to shut down my small massage therapy business and I’m a sole practitioner”
“Parents flights cancelled, haven’t seen them for nearly a year now. They live in North Italy…so worried”
“My return to work after mat leave pushed back :))”
“Hoping for a big global change on how we live. GloCalisation!”
“University student and part time teacher here. So I have nothing to do, no job, no income (this isn’t the same for all teachers, some are still being paid, it depends on your contract). I’ll miss the kids at school and the social interactions with colleagues and friends. Feeling a great sense of loss, kind of like after a bad break up. BUT I’m young and I’m healthy, I don’t have kids yet, and have enough savings to survive without a job for a little while.”
“I work for the NHS (Resp Physio) so very much at the coal face + husband runs an independent pub = stress”
“We’ve had to close our coffee shop s no income and as I’m pregnant I’m home schooling”
“Gratefulness for all the beauty in these times of fear”
“Serious fear that I can’t go home to my vulnerable loved ones – have to fly to see them”
“My anxiety is the worst it’s ever been. I have asthma and I just feel constantly on edge”
“Worrying about the children in my school who only eat at school due to poverty”
“I’m 20 weeks pregnant and have been told by work that I’m fine to go in – feel uncomfortable”
“I’m pregnant but also a nurse. I don’t know how self-isolating is going to work”
I couldn’t get calpol for my 8 week old who had just had injections because of people stockpiling”
“I have a 3 month old and all my baby groups have been cancelled.. quite a lonely time”
“I lost my job”
“Avoid places with many people but I have to go to work in a school with 700 people??”
Masters of elementary education here – probably wont be able to graduate”
“Worrying day and night about my brother with asthma working in ER in France”
“I’m in lockdown with 2 under 3, trying to be calm but…”
“I’ll be paid but I feel for kids in unstable hoes who had no time to prepares (feels/food)”
“More than anything it has got us thinking about what’s going to shift in us when this passes…”
“Baby groups cancelled – feeling lonely already!”
“We are living in a new country…I had a remote job that I have just lost due to COVID-19”
“Feeling terrible that my son will miss out on social interactions and being outdoors running free”
“Pregnant and I work in a school so just been told I’m not allowed to go back in”
“Worry about money. My partner works in hospitality and his pub is shutting for a month”
“My husband is a teacher so he’s home now until at least April. I’m so happy to have us all together”
“Pretty introverted normally so it hasn’t been a huge difference besides to shop”
“I’m self-employed, pregnant and work with children. The perfect shit storm”
“7 days PP, fever from potential infection but not allowed to hospital. They wanted to separate me and my newborn which I refused to do”
“Feeling hopeful for a positive societal shift towards more community based living”
“Luckily none. I am holidaying in Iceland having the time of my life”
“I’m a travel agent. My projected salary for 2020 is down to 0 whilst my workload has increased x2”
“It’s so lonely”
“Anxiety!! I feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders”
“Just got laid off. I worked fora a commercial real estate broker”
“Enjoying slow living – slow food, yoga, meditation, reading, catching up with things”
“I’m a florist and all events / contracts have been cancelled for the foreseeable future”
“I’m a nurse on the frontline, a grandmother, and have a heart condition. Scared”
“My husband is head of sound at a theatre. The theatre has been closed”
“I’m petrified. Asthmatic, pregnant and have a three year old son. What are we to do?”
“Lack of formula. I felt guilt enough failing to breastfeed and now this?!”
“I’m having twins next week and my parents wont be able to visit from Canada”
“Very little which is lucky! Just a cancelled holiday and a struggle to buy frozen peas”
“A real headache! Partner and I work in NHS, been told we need to work. If nursery closes, who takes the kids?”
“Not wanting to buy loo roll on principle// but then nearly running out! (thankfully baby uses cloth!)”
“A colleague of mine is experiencing domestic abuse. We have to WFH and I’m terrified for her”
“Despite all the stress and the fear, I am finally having more time to be with my boyfriend”
“Husband has been tested. Waiting on results…So scary”
“Triggering health anxiety from a traumatic birth – I’m finding it hard and confusing to get outside”
Thank you again for sharing your stories with me, wishing us all a safe time ahead.
Emma xxx
P.S A DIY Hand Sanitizer and The Ultimate Stay Home Spring Playlist
Such uncertain times for us all. It really hits home when you see these personal stories. It’s such a huge thing and many people’s lives will be changed forever. I hope there’s some good that comes out of it all in the end too, because it all looks really sad right now…
Innes x
https://aboderie.co.uk
We my 4 year and nearly two year old have to isolate at home for 12 weeks as my husband is vulnerable. He has less than 20% lung capacity. And I’m pregnant with our third baby. It takes us all the way through to mid June. Thankfully he can work from home so we do have some stability in a really uncertain time for us. Wishing everyone well. And thank you Emma xxx