Covid 19 Lock Down

Thursday and Friday March 12/13 2020

My last gigs of the year as a free lance musician, one night in Taunton and another in Exeter. About a 100 or so brave people turned up for each of the shows and there was much talk of the now official Covid 19 Pandemic. We kept our distance did not shake hands, even tried the weird elbow bump, relieved that we had an enthusiastic audience but aware that we were moving into very strange times.

The following week I realised that all my work for the foreseeable future was now cancelled. My diary was wiped clean. What a strange sensation! Everything that I was about, who I was, my work, my social interactions, was now impossible and would be for at least 6 months if not more. Official lock down was announced on Tuesday March 24^th 2020.

I was stranded in Cardiff unable travel anywhere, unable to help my parents once a week in Aberystwyth. I was only allowed only to leave the house for a big food and essentials shop once a week wearing a mask and plastic gloves and then a walk or a cycle as exercise once a day. On returning home I would strip off all my clothes and put them in the washing machine, wipe down all surfaces with disinfectant, wash hands with soap very thoroughly and often and most importantly not touch my face.

Introduction

I decided to write this blog to raise awareness for this type of cancer. I had no idea that it was so common in women of my age (60) or that the symptoms are very similar to a number of other illnesses. As a 60 year old woman who has been fit and healthy all my life it was a shock to be catapulted into the throws of hospital tests, visits and consultations with difficult conversations and finally the start of  treatment. This also happened right at the beginning of the Covid 19 Lock down with all its implications and complications. So here's hoping that I can do my bit to help other women who find themselves in un-chartered territory. I'd like to be able to warn other women who are as ignorant as I was of the confusing symptoms.

I am still at the beginning of my journey through this and I am sure it will be a bumpy ride. I hope my positive outlook on life will carry me through as well as the fantastic support from the cancer consultants, specialist nurses, NHS workers from all the different departments I have already received and finally all my family and friends that surround me with love and strength. I hope that reading this will give many women hope and strength and endurance through their journey if they happen on a similar one to mine. Yours with love XXX