Days 51-57 – Week 8
Monday 4 May 2020 – Day 51
So today this happened after a slight accident involving a non-gloved gardening frenzy mummy and a very sharp thing lurking in the undergrowth.
And can I just interject at this point and say how difficult it is to touch type with one finger bandaged up! The other extremities are really struggling trying to compensate for one man down. Mr Index is a key component in helping everything run smoothly with keyboard operations. It’s causing havoc among the other digits especially Mr Middle and Mr Ring who are particularly confused and acting a bit pathetic not used to their new roles suddenly enforced on them without prior training.
Anyway back to the episode. There was a serious amount of blood. No, I didn’t pass out. Blood has no effect. Although if someone had fainted at the sight of the blood I’d have been in trouble. A quick survey of the damage and it was decided it would require stitches so hubby dropped me off at Urgencias (A&E).
Now I’ve been to the Coin health centre many, many times over the years. At one point I think the nurses and I were on first name terms and staff would have bets on when son would next be in. But I have never been in when it’s been totally deserted.It was never this quiet even one post-midnight visit one summer 6 years ago with my nephew, who sliced his head open after he fell onto a metal bed frame, just 2 days before my wedding. Horrible night involving then driving to hospital, endless waiting, x-rays, 9 stitches and not getting home until dawn. My sister will recall it vividly as will my traumatised nephew.
Anyway I signed in.
Asked if I had a cough or felt unwell. “No. I’m in fine fettle. Just bleeding to death from a finger wound.”
Straight through to a very lovely doctor who checked it, cleaned it, injected it (insert expletive) and then stitched it (insert several more expletives). Last tetanus jab was 8 years ago after a feral cat bit me. Possibly the same finger I forget. So that’s all fine and back in 8 or 9 days to have the stitches out.We were all masked and gloved up. Very civilized and to be fair if I hadn’t gone in the staff would have been sitting around twiddling their thumbs. So nice to help folks pass the day and keep them active in their work….
So gardening all done for today. Clearly. And I’ll just wait for the throbbing pain to kick in later.
Tuesday 5 May 2020 – Day 52
- Spain Coronavirus cases: 248,301. Deaths: 25,428. Recovered:151,633
- Malaga region Coronavirus cases: 3,120. Deaths: 253.
- Coin Coronavirus cases: 26. Deaths: 2
Quick round up of data during the start of Week 8. So, the number of infected daily is dropping significantly to around 1,180 daily which is such positive news whilst there’s a 164 daily death rate registered Sunday and Monday, an all time low. Let’s hope the de-escalation plans don’t upset the downward curve. I think stringent social distancing and hygiene protocol will be a must for some time.
It’s back to virtual work/school today for the Carter household after the long bank holiday weekend. Kids are delighted and raring to go. Not. So dealing with grumpy unmotivated children with a throbbing finger is not a good mix.
And yes thank you for asking – my finger is fine and as I can feel it throbbing at least I know it’s not fell off. I’ve replaced the bandage with a lesser covering as the weight lifting it up whilst typing is making my hand ache! Finding muscle groups I never knew I had. I’ll get carpal tunnel after this probably. I’m intrigued by comments about the stitches! Are they that bad?! Had a discussion with kids over stitches (as you do at times like this) and who’s had what – it became a competition between them oddly.
So daughter has had 3 lots of stitches – appendicitis scar (think she wins on size and severity), 2 stitches to a cut on her chin from banging it in a swimming pool a few years ago and a couple on the end of her big toe when she sliced it on a sharp tile a couple of years ago.
Surprisingly son has only been stitched up once. When he was just 3 and during his first month at school he fell into a toy box and cut just under his bottom lip. I remember they had to almost sit on him in Urgencias whilst they stitched it. It was traumatic.
His injuries are often more bumps and bangs – a bee sting on his eye lid at 12 months old (pictured); concussion after landing on his head from a mis-judged bouncy castle jump; zipper in eye injury; a mystery bite; drinking of a bottle of Calpol… I think I’ll stop there or social services will be in touch.
Anyway another beautiful sunny day. Pity I can’t garden at the moment. Or wash up. There is a god. Hubby and I watched Scorsese’s Casino (classic) yesterday and we’ve just started the Gangs of London series. Nothing like violent gangster plots, blood and gore to make you feel less queasy about pain.
Wednesday 6 May 2020- Day 53
Running a bit late again. Another busy day. Have you missed me? Possibly not even noticed. Karen who? I wonder when this blog will have run its course in either you lot getting sick of my ramblings or me getting sick of my own ramblings?!
So today the government has voted to extend the State of Alarm until May 24th which will give them the authority to continue lock down and other Coronavirus related regulations. Not surprising. We’ve come this far so it has to continue. The infected rate initially was increasing by around 35% daily. This is now at 0.40% and the government’s aim is to keep it below 1%.
It’s been quite a social day as it happens – I’ve been a busy bee. Maybe I’m upping the ante to prepare me for next week when we can hopefully hook up with friends and family. It’s like physical and mental training to release me back into the realms of real live people, albeit maximum 10 at a time!
I will warn those now: I’ve lost my ability to form full sentences and tire very easily due to lack of conversational practice. Bear with me. If I drool, stumble over words, bore you with lengthy ramblings or nod off I apologise. I know you might not notice any difference to pre-CV19 but believe me I think I am worse.
So this afternoon involved a trip to the launderette. Didn’t bump into Daniel Day Lewis sadly but I did bump into a friend. So sat and watched the world (well curtains!) spin round and managed a quick chat whilst social distancing at the same time. Who knew it could be so much fun doing laundry.
Back home for an online group chat with girlfriends and a call to my friend Lynn over in the UK for a birthday catch up. We’ve spent some fun birthdays together in the past. The Amsterdam trip mentioned a few days ago was for her 50th year (and my 30th) and the following year we went to Las Vegas together with Louise (to our Thelmas). Next year we celebrate our big ones – 70th and my 50th – it may require some planning….
Thursday 7 May 2020 – Day 54
Full moon tonight. Apparently it’s the last SuperMoon of 2020 and because it appears at the beginning of spring is called the Flower Moon. How lovely. Just like my first born. I don’t know about you folks but I feel like a good howl at the skies tonight.
Having a flat day today. Too much excitement yesterday probably. I should pace myself. Most adventurous thing undertaken today has been a trip to the supermarket. I must go round on auto-pilot because I totally forgot I’d parked underground this time and having exited out of the wrong door, I then had to U-turn and re-enter to get in the lift, thus confusing the security man, queuing shoppers and myself quite frankly.
Meanwhile much discussion going on here about who’s going to complete their level with required points to get to Phase 1 of the de-escalation chart. Apparently there are a few towns who haven’t quite cut the mustard. All to do with figures it seems. Very complicated stuff but it seems Malaga city, Rincon and Granada might not be able to jump up to the next level and as such will have to continue another round stuck in Phase 0..I believe we here in Coin have reached our target and should be going onto Phase 1 as from Monday. Few little treats in store for us! Meeting with friends/family. Cafes open 50% terrace capacity.
So with that in mind I shall be preparing this weekend for my re-appearance into the ‘real’ world next week at some point. I’m taking it slowly. I don’t want to be over-zealous or peak too soon. There are things to consider. Body parts to prepare. Mental training to undertake and some practice in mask wearing without hyperventilating or overheating from menopausal hot flushes combined with a sudden surge in temperatures.
At the beginning of lock down I did have some hopes and expectations for this day. I had a vision of emerging exquisitely at the end. Like a caterpillar transforming from its lock down pupa stage and bursting from the chrysalis heralding its triumphant metamorphosis into a beautiful Red Admiral. I saw myself gloriously tanned, supple, lean and flicking my long golden locks as I sublimely and gracefully enter into a new world.
Instead I’ll be more like an overweight moth with dead ends, grey roots and anxiety hives
In reality I am Heimlich.
Friday 8 May 2020 – Day 55
Thank Crunchie it’s Friday! Not that I have any plans. Or Crunchies. But the allure of a weekend still manages to make me feel better even if it’s a much of a muchness.
Finished off some work today ready for a fresh start next week. Son had a day off school work. His head wasn’t in it. Mind you his head isn’t really in it Monday to Thursday either to be fair. Anyway we downed tools and took the dogs for a long walk and did some practical classes on natural science and environmental issues – ie: poked a dead toad and tutted at the household crap someone’s dumped at the bins.
Fresh air. Never did you any harm. As my mother always says.
One family fable is the story of how when we were babies my mum used to wheel my sister and I into the garage in our prams and leave us there for the best part of the day. I presume she fed us. I’m not entirely sure. But I don’t think I saw the living room until I was 4.
The garage doors were left open and we were parked up to experience ‘fresh air’ or as I call it ‘harsh Northern winters’. Rain, hail or blizzards were all apparently acceptable. Anything except fog. Thank god she was cautious.
Apparently “fresh air does you good.” So much so I wonder if the reason I left the UK at 21 to find warmer climes might have something to do with my exposure to the bleak and brutal hypothermic elements as a delicate newborn.
I also wonder if said parenting techniques have something to do with her mother’s story that she used to put the twins (my mum and her brother) out in the street in the play pen.
“I’d stick them out there most of the day while I cleaned,” my nan would say, “But I’d chain the play pen to the lamp post mind. Didn’t want someone nicking it.”
Anyway I realised the apple perhaps doesn’t fall too far from the tree as I ‘suggested’ to my two they “vacate the building” and go outside after lunch. Daughter suggested sunbathing. I’m not sure son fully grasped the concept however.
Saturday 9 May 2020 – Day 56
Fed up. Malaga didn’t make it into the premier league table of those regions who will go through to Phase 1 and we, as a province, remain stuck in Phase 0, for how long I’m not sure. I believe it will be reviewed again next week so now May 18th is like a huge strawberry daiquiri tempting me, but just too far to reach, so I’ll have iced water instead
Big sigh and a ho-hum. I was looking forward to May 11th for one reason only – so my kids could go out and visit their friends. They need company and they need to socialise. Or maybe that should be re-socialise.
It’s akin to the school system here whereby a failed student repeats an academic year. Apparently 51 per cent of the country failed to get the grades – including Madrid, Cataluña and half of Valencia – and so they all get to re-sit Phase 0 classes all over again, whilst the smug others have graduated to the next stage. We donkeys just have to peer at them enviously from the back of the class whilst scratching profanities with our compasses into the desk.
Malaga and Granada were the only two out of 8 regions in Andalucia not to pass Go. There are 12,287 confirmed cases of Coronavirus in Andalucia and 1,301 have died to date. Malaga seems to have had a surge in figures. I don’t know why and I don’t care really.
It’s like one kid in class is naughty but the whole class gets stuck in detention. It’s shit but there’s nothing you can do about it except do lines: “We must try harder.”
So I got up early and did some one handed (challenging to say the least) gardening to vent some frustration.. Tried to make an appointment for stitches to come out but can’t do via the APP so will have to mask up and head to the health centre on Monday see what I can sort. That or I’ll take the gardening shears to them myself.
Meanwhile I read an excellent article this morning and I feel the need to share it, especially at the moment with posts and comments all over social media playing the blame game and arguments over conspiracy theories, politics, Covid-19, Brexit and any other nonsense to be honest.
Sunday 10 May 2020 – Day 57
Woke up to rain this morning. I love this cooler weather. Lazy-ish day today. Son and hubby did some model making. Son has finished his plane and has entitled it ‘Corona’ and has made a start on a Spitfire. For those who know my son may be baffled by his ability to have the patience to work on a model. I have no answer I’m completely baffled too to be honest. He’s full of surprises.
We are about to start an Avengers movie marathon shortly with the intention of watching them all (over the next few weeks I mean – not in one night) in chronological order starting with Captain America. I think there’s about 20 odd in total.
We miss going to the cinema. I believe the last time I went was to see Mama Mia II and made a complete fool of myself.
Picture the scene. La Trocha cinema with about 5 or 6 of my girlfriends and at least the same amount of kids including daughter and her friend Latinia. As I waited in the queue with an order to get some drinks and buckets of popcorn, the kids and other ladies heading off to get seats saying they’d grab a row so we could all sit together. An absolute must for the sing-along.
By the time I reached the cine the lights had gone down and the adverts were playing. Bugger. So I tentatively climbed the steps with popcorn and drinks precariously balanced in my arms and tried to locate ‘our’ row. Having spotted a friend at the end of a row on my right I happened to glance to the left hand side of the stairwell and noticed daughter and Latinia sat by themselves.
I ‘psssstttttt’ them to get their attention and the conversation went something like this:
“Girls! Why are you sat over there?! We are all over here!” Waving my arms in the direction of the row on the right hand side of me. Spilling popcorn as I did so.
They stared at me.“Can you hear me?” Louder this time. “We are sat over there” Another wave of the arms. “Move over and sit with us” More arm waving.
They looked at each other and then back at me. Other people are shushing me but I stand my ground. In the middle of the stairway.
“WE’RE SAT OVER THERE” Very loudly this time so those who weren’t party to my conversation before, definitely were now.
As the 2 girls looked at each other again, I stepped up another couple of steps and as I got closer I realised it wasn’t my daughter or Latinia at all. Just 2 girls who looked (without my glasses) remarkably similar. As I glanced over to my right I could see daughter and Latinia waving at me with slightly withering looks, which to be fair was better than the horrified looks from the other two girls.
two steps freelance 