Has Covid changed life for you?

DD3 has just had an MMR booster (there's a lot of measles about too) and felt awful the following day. She hasn't improved and eventually did a covid test. It was positive.

ExDancer

Yes It has today!
Yesterday my DH tested positive for it, so yes - things have changed. He's totally wiped out, exhausted, running a temperature, coughing and spluttering and weak as a kitten. He's really very poorly, and he's not someone who whinges when he's ill.

I'd been wondering what was the matter with him for a couple of days until I heard someone in the group we were out with on Sunday had covid, so he did a test.

This girl (woman) works in the local doctor's surgery (admin) and says staff are expected to keep going and to treat covid as you would a cold! Apparently its only a mild affliction now its 'mutated'.
I can't believe it!

Surely that's wrong?

A colleague went off sick last week, she tested positive for Covid.I ring and text her as she lives alone and have put groceries on her step.She’s had it before but this time feels really ill and weak.Non stop coughing.
It’s still around, even in Summer even for those who’ve had the vaccines.

Luckygirl3

Well it is changing life for me right this minute!

I am still testing positive, and, whilst the major symptoms have subsided, I feel as though I have been switched off at the plug. I am not dressed yet and am dragging myself about. Add in the cocktail of drugs that I am on for my heart which lower my BP and pulse to nothing, and it is all a pig's ear.

It is hard to imagine feeling well again at the moment. I am supposed to be going to my DD's 90 miles away tomorrow and sharing a singing day with her on Sunday - lord knows how I might do that. I am going by train and they are awful on that line - rammed with people and nowhere to sit. I would have to wear a mask if I am able to go - I can't bear the idea of infecting someone else who might be vulnerable.

Don’t go!
Unfair to yourself and anyone in contact with you.
Singing!

For us, we lost my MIL during COVID. She was living in a care home at the time, so it meant no visitors. Finally, when she was designated as palliative, one family member was allowed to gear up and visit, but both her sons here have health issues making them vulnerable, so I was her only visitor. I would call family members over speaker phone, but it wasn't the same for them or for her. Such as sad way for a life to end.

Personally, it has just made us more aware of viruses and crowds, which is probably a good thing, although my DH, (one of the vulnerable sons), is reluctant to be in crowds. Where he was a bit anxious of crowds before, he is doubly so now. I can't say it affects us too much, since we never really have done larger events, but I have a hard time dragging him to even local theatre events when I may have convinced him beforehand.

maddyone I was talking very exclusively about those of us who stopped doing things because of COVID restrictions and nothing else, and have to really beat ourselves up to get back to normal.

But during COVID other aspects of everyone's live continued. Sadly, for you, ths included your daughters marital difficulties and events like that always change people's lives.

I have a friend who has become housebound since COVID. Not because of COVID but because COVID started 4 years ago and her existing disabilities have got worse. This would have happened whether COVID had happened or not.

Yes it has changed my life. My husband died of Covid in February 21. He was only 68. So I've missed out on our retirement together. We had 50 years and 2 months of .married life so now I have to manage on my own.

M0nica

I am going to make myself very unpopular now.

I do think that we are all responsible for our own lives and have to be determined to take ourselves in hand when we get pushed back.

Like many here my life became very insular during COVID and frankly left me very lazy when lif opened up again, it was too much effort to get up and go to meetings, if I could zoom them, and if I can't I couldn't be bothered. I hardly drove so I began to feel lacking in confidence there as well.

Now I was also dealing with DHs health problems, but I was stressed and low and decided that the only way to iproce matters was to grit my teeth and do something about it. So I forced myself to go to meetings, to attend gatherings. I took over all the driving for aa month when we had at least long round journeys on motorways and by night and day.

The result is now all my confidence driving has returned, I have just returned from a weekend away, which included a special tour of a historic site with a group I belong to. I am attending two musical events in churches today and tomorrow and we are currently booking a holiday.

I appreciate that for some ill health and disability will limit what they can do, but for most people, it is a question of forcing themselves back into normal life or else living the rest of their lives in seclusion and, from the sound of it unhappiness.

Sometimes the changes are nothing to do with us, or not making the effort. We couldn’t stop our daughter going to New Zealand with her coercive controlling husband, now ex husband, during Covid. It was used as an excuse, because lockdowns were fewer and less severe there. He said they’d go for one or two years. We tried to talk to her as we were aware of what he was like but she was under his control. They are now getting divorced. Details have now emerged about his behaviour during the marriage that have shocked us. We are trying to help her return home but he refuses to allow the children to return. This was nothing of our doing, but it has changed our lives irrevocably.

I’ve sort of changed my routine since Covid - but not unhappy with these changes! I’ve now become a more regular (and constant) morning participant at my local gym ….I’ve also joined another tennis club a little further afield and it’s been a really nice experience, meeting and playing with new and different people. I’ll still drive on the highways - but only in my husband’s car now because mine is definitely a ‘potter around the town’ type vehicle and I just feel more secure in his! I refuse to let the Covid years diminish the quality of my life - which, like it or not, is on a timeline! I’m in my eighth decade so therefore keeping active ( even though I know I’m slowing down) along with the importance of socializing is really what gets me out of bed these mornings!

This thread has made me realize that it isn’t just me.
I have lost my confidence with driving. I don’t read anymore because I can’t seem to concentrate. I hope gradually to be able to get my confidence back !

I do all the things now that I did before covid. So , no it has made little difference .
I have some health issues which means I am slower than I was and some days are more painful than others but I and thankfully my family and friends seem happy to keep on keeping on.

Immunosuppression will affect people's ability to fight off a whole host of infections.

It certainly is not a mild affliction for many

Of course not and I sympathise with anyone who is badly affected.

But it's practically nothing for many (possibly even most) as well. This has always been understood but largely blocked out.

Also, I understood the title question to be more general than just about the illness itself.

It certainly is not a mild affliction for many; my DGD for example who is immune-compromised by her treatment for Crohns Disease.

I missed your post Luckygirl but couldn't agree more. I think we'd forgotten what a horrible affliction is can be.
I'm not sure all the rules were 'petty' - we were dealing with an unknown threat and strong methods were justified at the time.

I had an epiphany during Covid.I found that I am a solitary soul despite having a husband,three children and six grandchildren.I now block out huge swathes of alone time and am happier.Shielding during Covid worked for me.

Yes It has today!
Yesterday my DH tested positive for it, so yes - things have changed. He's totally wiped out, exhausted, running a temperature, coughing and spluttering and weak as a kitten. He's really very poorly, and he's not someone who whinges when he's ill.

I'd been wondering what was the matter with him for a couple of days until I heard someone in the group we were out with on Sunday had covid, so he did a test.

This girl (woman) works in the local doctor's surgery (admin) and says staff are expected to keep going and to treat covid as you would a cold! Apparently its only a mild affliction now its 'mutated'.
I can't believe it!

Surely that's wrong?

Well it is changing life for me right this minute!

I am still testing positive, and, whilst the major symptoms have subsided, I feel as though I have been switched off at the plug. I am not dressed yet and am dragging myself about. Add in the cocktail of drugs that I am on for my heart which lower my BP and pulse to nothing, and it is all a pig's ear.

It is hard to imagine feeling well again at the moment. I am supposed to be going to my DD's 90 miles away tomorrow and sharing a singing day with her on Sunday - lord knows how I might do that. I am going by train and they are awful on that line - rammed with people and nowhere to sit. I would have to wear a mask if I am able to go - I can't bear the idea of infecting someone else who might be vulnerable.

I was surprised to hear my mother say that living thru covid was worse than living thru WW1 in London. Her mobility had deteriorated in her last two years but had many social contacts from friends, family and neighbours. But then it was 'garden visits' and talking thru the patio door and those living abroad could not travel. She celebrated her 100th birthday with a carer and one family member, thankfully at home. I notice how zoom is still a feature of groups I used to attend in person.

The title asks "Has Covid changed life for you?"

I answer: Nope, not a jot except perhaps to make me feel more rebellious about authoritarianism from politicians and others.

But I'm really talking about lockdown and idiotic rules, not covid.

Covid itself didn't affect me either as it happens.

I am going to make myself very unpopular now.

I do think that we are all responsible for our own lives and have to be determined to take ourselves in hand when we get pushed back.

Like many here my life became very insular during COVID and frankly left me very lazy when lif opened up again, it was too much effort to get up and go to meetings, if I could zoom them, and if I can't I couldn't be bothered. I hardly drove so I began to feel lacking in confidence there as well.

Now I was also dealing with DHs health problems, but I was stressed and low and decided that the only way to iproce matters was to grit my teeth and do something about it. So I forced myself to go to meetings, to attend gatherings. I took over all the driving for aa month when we had at least long round journeys on motorways and by night and day.

The result is now all my confidence driving has returned, I have just returned from a weekend away, which included a special tour of a historic site with a group I belong to. I am attending two musical events in churches today and tomorrow and we are currently booking a holiday.

I appreciate that for some ill health and disability will limit what they can do, but for most people, it is a question of forcing themselves back into normal life or else living the rest of their lives in seclusion and, from the sound of it unhappiness.

I personally do not know anyone whose life is significantly different now to what it was before the pandemic.

Things are back to normal, children back at school, adults at work etc.

Obviously, life was different during the pandemic, but surely no-one is still isolating themselves, fearing infection?

Definitely after covid my husband aged 73 decided marriage wasn't for him I was post total knee replacement op when he left a note divorce it is. Walked off with 1/2 the money from our house never mind I had been widowed at 34 and I owned 75% of the house.

I moved house during lockdown 100 miles away nearer our son. 12 miles from him. Knew no-one else just his family.
Had to stay locked down with grocery delivery for 1.5 years.
Thanks to government warm initiative giving money for daytime clubs for the elderly we have three a month nearby. One funded by the church. Made friends . Enjoy chats, card playing, quizes, dominoes, bingo once or twice. Taken my neighbours and expanded their social circle.
Other things are on too occasionally in the hall now yoga, line dancing, bowls. Just hope it doesn't stop with government changes coming. Local bus to town for shopping used to be hourly. Changed to two hourly last year. Three hourly this year sadly.
To nearest town times are 5 am, 9am when bus pass can't be used if elderly/disabled. Then 1pm lunchtime! Then 4pm too late if you need a Dr or dentist! When they talk of encouraging cars off the roads bus services are decimated and lost altogether in Many towns and villages.
Many over 50s clubs in neighbouring villages and towns. Supplying hot drinks and food too if people could only get there.
Donations welcome but not necessary.
Isolated by government neglect.

Hi annsixty thank you for posting, I had little idea that other people had similar results in lifestyle post covid.

If a person had asked me 4 years ago, would I be a mostly indoors person, I would have thought the comment was strange.

But now I don’t go out, felt shakey and unsteady the last two times I did, so prefer staying in.

A friend comes around for tea once a month, my pastor pops around every three weeks or so plus most of my human contact is by social media.

A very different world.

Warm wishes to others here on GN living with changes post covid.

Annsixty I empathise. I didn't get Covid until December 2021 and was virtually symptomless BUT:
I knew people who caught it and died. A family member was on a ventilator for 3 months, although she survived but has subsequently died.
In 2020 after months of being depressed with restrictions, my OA worsened resulting in a great lack of mobility and a total hip replacement in 2021. Second hip had to be replaced early 2024.
My job ended by chance at the beginning of the first lockdown and my husband retired in 2021. Plans for travel were cancelled and at 72 and 74 we have not so many years ahead of us when we can travel abroad.
I remain not as mobile as before the pandemic and mentally will never be the same.