Today I have seen, my mum, in real life for the first time since February, socially distanced of course. At first, it took her a minute to realise it was her youngest daughter stood in front of her but that's nothing new, my mum has always been a bit dippy, ask my sister!
Lockdown has certainly taken its toll on us all and I don't think it's helped my mum, I looked at her today as firstly my mum but also a frightened lady ( I better not call her old!) who is frustrated with her remaining siblings thinking that COVID is a cold, and the people around her not socially distancing themselves or wearing face coverings. She has been shielding during COVID because of her age but also because of a heart condition.
I sat on her garden bench in the scorching sunshine and she sat in what she calls the office. We listened to Barry's birds (neighbour at the back), she thinks they are something like little budgies, but couldn't remember? And as always, we debated life and aired our frustrations and put the world to rights.
She asked how my girls had got on being home again with James and me, and how much they had missed me and needed their mum.
Our conversation soon turned to how we are worried that COVID would return and how the world would change again and possibly another lockdown would follow, as most of us are well aware flu season is just around the corner and COVID would make this even more difficult!
We talked about all of James' carers and how wonderful they had been through a lockdown and how they crave normality? Then again what is normal, who knows I certainly don't!
I was talking to mum about one of James' carers going back to Leicester University for her third year as a medical student and how she was going on placement in the hospital, and this is probably the last time she would care for him and what this meant for everyone and how we will miss her very much.
I went on with how James has got pancreatitis again but since we started the new pancreatitis drug for malabsorption, he has put on weight for the first time in 3years!
She asked me can I come to see him I miss him so much! She said if I stay in and isolate for 2 weeks after she had done all her medical appointments. Yes, I said he would be thrilled to see you in the flesh, she doesn't do that well with tech! It's hilarious when you FaceTime her as she puts the phone to her ear instead of looking at it, even James thinks it's hilarious looking at Grandmas ear, not her face!
Our shielding journey continues