New year, much the same as the old year

[white_hart]

I don't think I can face trying to write a review of 2021. While I know my year wasn't anything like as bad as some people's, it was a year spent on the brink of total burnout and it seems likely that 2022 will continue along much the same lines. And unless the government bring in further restrictions, in particular around moving university teaching online, it seems likely that I will end up getting covid at some point soon, which I'd much rather not do.

At least this year I was able to spend New Year's Eve at my parents' in Norfolk, thereby avoiding the midnight re-enactment of the Somme that has become the norm in built-up areas. And I'm very glad to have got to spend time with my parents (we more or less isolated for a couple of weeks beforehand, to try to avoid bringing covid with us - by the time we got there on Thursday, neither of us had been in a building other than our house since the previous Wednesday, and that was the Kassam Stadium when I went for my booster. Though my brother's partner has just tested positive having visited them on Tuesday, so we're all hoping that she picked it up at work on Wednesday or Thursday and wasn't incubating it then), though every time we visit them my dad has visibly declined and that's very difficult.

So I'm not feeling at all optimistic about 2022, even by my normal standards of not liking New Year. I do hope that it treats all of you well, though.

Comments

[nineveh_uk]

I'm glad you got to see your parents, and avoided the fireworks. There was a positive fusillade of canon here last night - my parents slept through it!

I'm with you on no 2021 review. It is not something I feel will do much for me!

[white_hart]

Yes, this time last week I was sure that the government were going to introduce new restrictions and we wouldn't be able to go. I still think that they should have done that, but I am glad to have been able to see my parents.

[mountainkiss]

I have never forgotten my mother describing my sister going to Oasis play Knebworth in torrential rain in c. 1996 as "It's going to be just like the Somme."

I am so sorry about your father. That is very horrible.

[white_hart]

He's got no energy at all any more - he just sleeps most of the time, and when he's awake he's confused and sleepy. And walking is really hard - he stood up yesterday and got so dizzy from low blood pressure that he couldn't stay on his feet Fortunately I was sitting right next to him and managed to catch him and help him back into his chair, but it is really grim to see it.

[mountainkiss]

Oh this sounds really really hard. Am so sorry. What is it that's wrong with him? (Don't answer that if you don't want to talk about it.) Sending you lots of love xxx

[white_hart]

Heart failure - he had myocarditis in 2014 which left him with severely reduced heart function. They fitted an implanted defibrillator which let him live an almost normal life for a few years, but in early 2019 he had a massive heart attack and spent about six months in and out of hospital (including at least two nights in ICU when no-one really expected him to come out again). And since then his blood pressure has to be kept incredibly low for his heart to be able to handle it, which leaves him with no energy at all, and the other medications he takes make him tired and affect cognitive function.

[mountainkiss]

Oh this is horrid and so so difficult for you and your family. Am so very sorry. Sending lots of love and good thoughts xxx

[cmcmck]

Hugs

I suspect last year has done nothing for the mental health of a great many of us.

I think governments and 'experts' need to be challenged this year with the concept: 'exit strategy'!

[white_hart]

It would be easier to think of an exit strategy if they didn't keep opening things up too soon and letting case numbers rise again!

[hilarita]

It's very hard to see a loved one's decline - it happened to my grandfather and is just horrible.

I am glad you avoided the fireworks. I was particularly pissed off with the gits who decided 00:15 was still an acceptable time to be making loud bangs.

I hope you manage to stay covid-free in 2022!

[white_hart]

Round here there's always a massive fusillade at midnight and occasional bangs carrying on for the next hour or so. It's very tedious.

[gwendraith]

The fireworks here sounded like dozens of big field guns being fired together, a tremendous noise for 10 minutes. Luckily the cats didn't mind.

It's so difficult to see a parent decline. My dad went relatively quickly and was only 69 (dementia). Mum just got old and gave up.

I hope 2022 is a better year for you. *Hugs*

[white_hart]

Thank you.

[mrs_redboots]

I'm so sorry about your father. We went through a long, long time of watching mine decline before he finally died on St Patrick's Day 2019. So sympathy and empathy!

Re Covid, since you are fully vaccinated and boostered, if you should be unlucky enough to catch it, it will almost definitely be no worse than a mild cold. My husband has just had it, and if he hadn't tested positive, we'd have had no idea that he didn't just have a cold. And the silly thing was, I also had quite a bad sore throat but tested negative - even on a PCR! It's all quite mad, really....

[white_hart]

Thank you.

I'd hope so, but I know enough fully-vaccinated people who've been seriously ill with "mild" covid that I don't feel complacent about it at all.

[sfred]

I hope 2022 is better.