COVID-19 Pandemic 2021 Part 10
I last wrote about the pandemic in February. Six months on the lockdown and most major restrictions have now been rescinded and life is returning to normal. COVID-19 cases are still occurring with many still requiring hospitalisation. The question of whether they’ll be another wave in Winter still remains, although the government has announced a programme of booster vaccinations. At the time of writing the United Kingdom has currently administered 91.2 million doses of the various vaccines. 43 million people are now fully vaccinated which is 64.6% of the population. The current focus is upon the 16 to 24 age group and there are currently plans and ongoing consultation to extend the vaccinations to school age children. All of which is happening against a background where the pandemic is slowly being pushed out of the news agenda. The UK government is certainly keen to move on and a substantial percentage of the public no longer wish to be constrained by COVID-19 protocols.
Caring for the Elderly: Part 10
My Mother, who has had limited mobility for a decade, fell and broke her arm just before Christmas. She subsequently spent nine weeks at a specialist rehabilitation unit at our local hospital. During that time she had surgery on her arm to repair the fracture and extensive physiotherapy to try and increase her mobility. She was discharged at the beginning of February with a support package in place to facilitate her return home. Sadly, despite physiotherapy, she is immobile as the day she was admitted. Until she sees the Consultant at the Fracture Clinic and is told if her arm can bear weight, she is not allowed to do anything for herself. Hence she is currently having four home visits a day from two carers and is confined to her bedroom. The carers help her get washed, dressed and use the commode in her room. Naturally, the current situation and the inability to do anything for herself, along with the uncertainty of her long term recovery and future, is causing a great deal of anxiety not only for my Mother but the rest of the family as well. At present we have a 3 week wait before she gets to see the consultant.
Thoughts on Blogging Part 10
The end of Blaugust Festival of Blogging 2019 presents the perfect opportunity to write another entry in my “Thoughts on Blogging” series. According to the Blaugust schedule this is the “lessoned learned week”, although I’m not too keen on that specific phrase. It sounds too much like the sort of bogus, sombre platitudes that politicians trot out in the wake of some national tragedy. But such is the nature of semantics and such is the curious fashion in which my mind works. So rather than worry of the wording, I’ll just simply reflect upon the past month and consider what it means for my writing, both present and future. Because I do believe that over the last month, I have had a minor epiphany with regard to my relationship with blogging.