Bríd’s Bright Blog
Hi everyone! I hope you are minding yourselves in these strange times. A second lockdown due to COVID-19! Can you believe it? First time was bad enough but now it’s the winter….ugh. I know everybody is feeling like it’s never going to end, but have faith, the end will come. We’ll be back to normality soon. If you are like me you are really missing the things you love and can’t wait to be able to do them again. My mental health suffered as a consequence of all the restrictions. However, it hasn’t been all bad. It has led to some terrific positives too.
In the first lockdown I found both the travel restrictions and the shops being closed the hardest. Sometimes I got upset and expressing it was difficult because I need to use technology to speak. Personally it’s the social outings I miss the most. I used to go to town shopping every weekend, go for walks, play cards with grandparents, orienteering, cinema, dining out, swimming and meeting up with friends and family. In pre-Covid times, I would splurge and buy bags upon bags of socks, hair bobbins and lip gloss in Penny’s. Oh, what I wouldn’t give to browse those busy, colourful, tempting aisles again! I also really miss my grandparents calling over to play cards. They usually call many times a week then with over 70’s cocooning we had to rely on Skype to catch up. I usually team up with Granny and gang up on poor Grandad! Also I had joined an orienteering group called the Kingdom Wheelblasters and I loved it. I have family all over Munster and would see them all the time.
The most important thing for me is that I used to go swimming in Tralee IT pool which is a huge passion of mine. I miss swimming because it makes me feel free. When I’m swimming both my body and mind feel unrestrained. Then BOOM! Leo Varadkar is on the TV announcing a lockdown. My social life went from hectic to harrowing. From shopping sprees to sitting in the car park in Dunnes while my Mom did the weekly shop. Great!
Recent research indicates that COVID-19 doesn’t just make people physically ill. It also led to higher levels of anxiety and mental illness across Ireland. A Maynooth University study was launched 19 days after An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced sweeping restrictions on the movement of people, and two days after Irish residents were required to stay at home. The study was in relation to mental health problems, 41% of people reported feeling lonely, 23% reported clinically meaningful levels of depression, 20% reported clinically meaningful levels of anxiety, and 18% reported clinically meaningful levels of post-traumatic stress. Like these people I feel my own mental health has declined over the past few months. I felt very depressed and lonely. I remember the day we were told about the 2km travel limit and my heart sank.
I think the Irish duo,§ The Heathers said it best ‘It’s Alright Not to Feel Okay”, and I think we can all relate to this!
To help with mental health challenges my sister and I began to bake more. If I had my way I would bake chocolate-based recipes everyday, but coming from a house of 7 I had to compromise. We made caramel slices, rocky road, apple tarts, brownies, cheesecake, banoffee pie, banana bread and brown bread to name but a few. Needless to say that's when flour was available. Tesco reported that sales of flour increased by 300 per cent over the course of last month. Mom often had to try multiple shops before the suddenly popular grain could be found. Baking did bring us closer together and we had really good fun making things, however, after a few weeks family members began noticing that our jeans had mysteriously shrunk in the dryer; what an odd coincidence!
The other day I heard the song “You’ve got a Friend in me” from the movie “Toy Story”. Good friends were essential in helping me through the lockdown. Reconnecting with an old friend was a pleasant and unexpected surprise . Hannah was someone I went to play school with. Hannah, like me, has CP. Over the years we lost touch but with social media we reached out to each other. My heart filled with excitement when her name appeared on my Facebook friend request. Although we only met once in person between lockdowns social media platforms have helped us to talk about our lives and how the lockdown has affected us. Like Leo Varadkar said publicly on St. Patrick’s Day when he addressed the nation ‘Come together as a nation by staying apart”.
COVID-19 has been profoundly difficult on everyone. Social media, hobbies, family and friends have helped me through this time. During the lockdown I realised how lucky I am and although I can't go where I want to, I’m surrounded by love and support here at home. I hope you find what helps you get through this time and I wish you health and happiness as we approach a New Year.
Stay safe,
Bríd
