Teresa, Volunteer Mentor
@hopeful33250
@hopeful33250
Posts: 10865
Joined: Mar 28, 2016
Isolation: How Do We Handle it?
As boundaries are being mandated in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, these boundaries are affecting every area of our lives. Many hospitals, assisted living facilities, places of worship, libraries, restaurants, community centers are being closed to visitors and public gatherings. For many of us, these keep us from our typical ways of connecting with others and engaging with a supportive community.
What are you doing to keep yourself connected?
Ellen
@helenfrances
@helenfrances
Posts: 464
Joined: Aug 30, 2019
Colleen, thank you for making me smile!
I will pass it on 🌝
Idk how we keep connected but it seems coming through 5 years of self inflicted isolation… There is a writer..a journalist..a scientist in us all. Ive been one whose always sold self short. In due..cuz its what we do. Gladly. Even when it hurts.
Ive been almost trapped.. Seemingly.
But its allowed a huge expansion of self selves and non self.
What to do with a culmination of this five years work is my question.
John, Volunteer Mentor
@johnbishop
@johnbishop
Posts: 7732
Joined: Mar 22, 2016
Idk how we keep connected but it seems coming through 5 years of self inflicted isolation… There is a writer..a journalist..a scientist in us all. Ive been one whose always sold self short. In due..cuz its what we do. Gladly. Even when it hurts.
Ive been almost trapped.. Seemingly.
But its allowed a huge expansion of self selves and non self.
What to do with a culmination of this five years work is my question.
Hello @adk, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. In my humble opinion, it is easy to sell ourselves short in difficult times. You mention what to do with a culmination of this five years work. I'm really not sure what you are referring to but maybe it's just a simple matter of trying to learn from the past and do better in the future. I have always tried to learn from the mistakes I've made in the past…not to say that I haven't repeated some of those mistakes. 🙂 May tomorrow and the following days be better for you than today.
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Parus
@parus
@parus
Posts: 2520
Joined: Jul 14, 2017
The most difficult thing for me is no time with my grandson. I so miss his energy, hugs and playfulness. Fortunately his dad is still working with hazard pay. I tend to be more the solitary type. Grocery shopping is it for me. These employees are to be heralded. I also bake bread for those unable to get bread. Hoping to get more flour tomorrow. Being a creative cook is helpful. Some of what I do to handle the isolation from family and neighbors.
I do email and text with family. I stop here at connect at times to see how others are doing.
This has certainly rearranged our lives. Still smiling too.
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Parus
@parus
@parus
Posts: 2520
Joined: Jul 14, 2017
Hello @adk, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. In my humble opinion, it is easy to sell ourselves short in difficult times. You mention what to do with a culmination of this five years work. I'm really not sure what you are referring to but maybe it's just a simple matter of trying to learn from the past and do better in the future. I have always tried to learn from the mistakes I've made in the past…not to say that I haven't repeated some of those mistakes. 🙂 May tomorrow and the following days be better for you than today.
@johnbishop I have learned many things through mistakes-those stepping stones to learning and growing.
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Parus
@parus
@parus
Posts: 2520
Joined: Jul 14, 2017
I think being alone and isolated can be considered two different things. Like others here, I am an introvert by my base nature. But there are still sometimes when I want to have some interaction with people. I rebel against those who say I have to be isolated. Of course, I just don't do well with rules anyways LOL. Being able to go for a walk and wave at neighbor helps, as does watching people in a distance, or even hearing people doing their yard work. That serves to not feel so isolated.
In this time of mandated isolation or less frequent contact with others, I'm fine with grabbing art supplies or books to keep myself busy. So far I have not Resort it to taking on long overdue projects like sorting through old papers or finding things that need to be recycled. To me those will always be there!
Ginger
@gingerw Think any of it can be used as toilet paper???
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mayofeb2020
@mayofeb2020
@mayofeb2020
Posts: 512
Joined: Feb 10, 2020
The most difficult thing for me is no time with my grandson. I so miss his energy, hugs and playfulness. Fortunately his dad is still working with hazard pay. I tend to be more the solitary type. Grocery shopping is it for me. These employees are to be heralded. I also bake bread for those unable to get bread. Hoping to get more flour tomorrow. Being a creative cook is helpful. Some of what I do to handle the isolation from family and neighbors.
I do email and text with family. I stop here at connect at times to see how others are doing.
This has certainly rearranged our lives. Still smiling too.
Yes, I miss my only grandchild. My son sends videos of him but it's not the same as being with him. He is going to be 2 this summer and I don't know if I can be at his birthday. He's getting a good vocabulary and I just miss cuddling him. My daughter's birthday is next week. She said they have a fruit cake they brought back from England before this virus outbreak and that would be her birthday cake. I guess those of us who are healthy have to be grateful and pray for those who are not.
Colleen Young, Connect Director
@colleenyoung
@colleenyoung
Posts: 11015
Joined: Jul 23, 2014
@mayofeb2020 and @parus, if you have't already, please join the discussion
– Hey there grandmas and grandpas…..opportunity knocks! https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/hey-there-grandmas-and-grandpas-opportunity-knocks/
In this discussions grandparents are discussing creative ways to stay connected with the grandkids.
FaceTime with my daughters. Facebook with other family. Also watch our pastor online for church service.
Ellen
@helenfrances
@helenfrances
Posts: 464
Joined: Aug 30, 2019
FaceTime with my daughters. Facebook with other family. Also watch our pastor online for church service.
Thank you for the reminder of Facebook …it reminds me that my grandson wants to Skype. New ways to communicate as grandparent 🤗
cecilias
@cecilias
@cecilias
Posts: 23
Joined: Feb 15, 2020
FaceTime with my daughters. Facebook with other family. Also watch our pastor online for church service.
Wonderful, those will bring you such great memories! I dearly love my friends, but my God given family, Wow! Enjoy the time folks..Celia
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Teresa, Volunteer Mentor
@hopeful33250
@hopeful33250
Posts: 10865
Joined: Mar 28, 2016
Hello @adk, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. In my humble opinion, it is easy to sell ourselves short in difficult times. You mention what to do with a culmination of this five years work. I'm really not sure what you are referring to but maybe it's just a simple matter of trying to learn from the past and do better in the future. I have always tried to learn from the mistakes I've made in the past…not to say that I haven't repeated some of those mistakes. 🙂 May tomorrow and the following days be better for you than today.
Hi @johnbishop, I wish I could "triple like" this post about the mistakes of the past and looking to the future. Nice writing!
cecilias
@cecilias
@cecilias
Posts: 23
Joined: Feb 15, 2020
Yes, I miss my only grandchild. My son sends videos of him but it's not the same as being with him. He is going to be 2 this summer and I don't know if I can be at his birthday. He's getting a good vocabulary and I just miss cuddling him. My daughter's birthday is next week. She said they have a fruit cake they brought back from England before this virus outbreak and that would be her birthday cake. I guess those of us who are healthy have to be grateful and pray for those who are not.
I know what you mean. Before we retired and our Grand Children were babies I missed them so much. We lived in Fl. They lived in Mo and Va, now they are in their mid twenties and call often. I thank God their parents spoke of us often. Please be happy you now have Facetime and at least they see you ! Blessings Celia
John, Volunteer Mentor
@johnbishop
@johnbishop
Posts: 7732
Joined: Mar 22, 2016
Hi @johnbishop, I wish I could "triple like" this post about the mistakes of the past and looking to the future. Nice writing!
Thanks @hopeful33250 appreciate the kind words!
Liked by Parus, Ginger, Volunteer Mentor, Ellen
@colleenyoung
Welcome recent members and first-time posters @lindyki @wanda1 @wisco50 and @cecilias. Nice to see you here.
Among the social distancing, I have noticed more smiles. People who used to walk past one another, eyes cast elsewhere, are now making a point of saying hi, waving or simply smiling. Smiles are free and have the benefit of spreading good the more you give away. I think that is our silver lining in all this.
Another positive for me, is that my teenage daughter is pitching in more around the house as I work from home. We used to have home economics when I was in school. They don't do that anymore, but I've heard the now have "Adulting classes." Yup – adulting is a thing. So I've called learning how to do laundry, clean the kitchen and do more cooking to be her adulting class while school is out.
Here's my smile for everyone who needs one 🙂
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