Advice regarding the Coronavirus is changing by the day... last week on ITV news it said people who had suffered Heart attacks or Stroke were deemed vulnerable.
Yesterday the Government issued their latest advice on their website to protect over 70's and people with underlying heath conditions..
It says any one instructed as an adult to have a flu jab on medical grounds but then issues a long list of medical conditions of which Stroke was not listed... Have we been forgotten or are we not deemed vulnerable.
I am 49 and suffered a CVA to my cerebellum 2 years ago... Do we need to shield ourselves, are we vulnerable..
I'm assuming that we are vulnerable. I am doing the social distancing as far as practical. However my husband is a taxi driver - who knows what he comes in contact with & brings home. I know how floored a mere 'normal' cold left me recently. I am worried. My work (still on phased return) have told me to stay at home. I think we need to be sensible & if possible try not to worry ( I need to do this!)
Hi Fiona, Yes, you've said exactly what I said to my wife.. That we need to be sensible ... my wife works in the local hospital so just like your husband I have worries about her profession too... Take care and stay well xxx
I have tried to find information about immuno-suppressed condition after having a stroke and if we are vulnerable. I found this about infections https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4730309/ and one of the one's I found stating we are at a higher risk of complications from flu https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/heartdisease.htm
So yes - we need to take care/self isolate.
I'm only just starting to feel much better after my stroke in Dec 2018 (I've recently started on vitamin B12 - belatedly prescribed by an astute pharmacologist - and my brain function has increased markedly - another string to start I guess!!) I am self isolating because I really couldn't cope with being in that dark post stroke place again.
I had a stroke recently. It wrecked my life completely. Unable to walk properly ever since, blackouts, falls, and a permanently spinning head that my consultant told me will never end. No care after the stroke and really poor. I waited seven months for stroke and neurology appointments and lived for these while struggling to survive. Social housing with years of damp and black mould and vermin that the council refused to do anything about, even after my stroke. And now this, coronavirus, with a dud immune system and following advice to shut myself off - which I have followed. No contact even with my little child now, who is being kept by their other parent in the countryside (probably rightly) "for the duration of the pandemic". All my urgent stroke-related appointments have been cancelled, scheduled injections cancelled (which will suppress my immune system even further), completely alone, living on spaghetti hoops, helpless and hopeless, with adult social care refusing to even speak to me. So strokes may not in and of themselves put us in a "high risk factor" but underlying immune problems for many of us certainly do. And the physical and psychological consequences of the stroke - unless we are lucky enough to have a generous community or a wide family, which I don't and many don't - certainly do. There seems to be nowhere to turn, even for the most basic advice. And we really do need to have a discussion now about the consequences of pausing everyone's urgent medical care during this crisis. I am not suggesting that such pause is the wrong thing to do, it's almost certainly the right thing. But nobody's even talking about it. The stroke, of course, was deeply frightening, especially when the touch-and-go nature of it was so brutally relayed to me. But now I'm scared that the new and almost impossible vacuum that many of us are in may risk further stroke. But what to do and where to turn? I think the already seriously ill have been seriously neglected, despite wall to wall coverage of virtually every other facet of this crisis. So many of the most vulnerable, including many of us, are simply being completely forgotten about right now, and the consequences of this will be a huge matter in the aftermath of the pandemic. Apologies for the length. My thoughts are with everyone.
Hello jm - Could the Stroke Association put you in touch with any volunteers in your area that could maybe do some shopping or some phoning around on your behalf? Not sure if this is possible in the current situation.. I suppose your GP is a bit like ours - closed and doing triage assessments over the phone? If you feel you get to a point where you can no longer cope, ring 999. They may take a while to come but you are entitled to some help and if you get to hospital, your housing situation should be brought to the attention of Social Services before you are allowed to return home. I lived on my own for 8 years so I know how difficult it can be when you feel there is no one to turn to. Hope you can get help soon.
Your words express a lot of what I am feeling. Other SS, including me, do understand what you are going through whereas virtually no one else has a clue.
This Corona is almost the final straw. I dont know if my hospital outpatients scan will proceed on thursday. I think I want it cancelled as a trip to the hospital is an invitation for the virus to get me. I will try and ring on Tuesday but imagine that will be pretty nigh on impossible. And the SF makes me very bad at asking for help.
All the promises that are going around, to help us vulnerables, have so far failed to materialize. My butcher is the one exception and so I have meat in my fridge. I think the butcher delivered to me because I am a regular customer and I always treat shop workers with the full respect they deserve.
So we wait and see what goes on.
Regarding your stroke, yes your old life is in ruins. I have always looked forward to see that I am getting a new life. Not altogether a bad thing.I have had enough of my old life. And I have enjoyed watching my own progress. It is so slow but it is progress. Many nice things have happened. The first steps of walking. Getting outside. Walking a mile. Then after years of effort, I now get good night time sleep. Things do get better. So slow we dont notice but improvement does happen. I work away at getting improvement and there isnt a time limit. We can always recover some of our muscles and thoughts.
It is such a boon if we can be positive. Now thats so hard , but its still a boon. We can still smile with a false, forced or fake smile and that alone will get your brain ticking back to life.
BTW please dont apologize for a "long" post. This is not facebook (thank goodness) its a forum to share with other Stroke Survivors. We are here for you. So rant rave and share your progress.
Take care everyone, please don't be afraid to ask a neighbour to get you milk bread eggs what ever you need. Keep yourselves safe and except any help that is out there. Xx
I would just like to echo the words of everyone. Be sensible and try and stay safe. At the same time keep going on the long road to recovery.
I'm 3 years post stroke and still have regular sessions with my neuro physio, although I have cancelled these until further notice.
With the help of my husband, I still do a daily exercise session every day indoors, which is going well so far. We all need to do whatever gets us through. Keep up the good work everyone xx
My neighbours are even older than me ! Although one nearby couple is much younger and has offered to get anything we need. Bless them. We got three boxes of eggs (0ne more than we usually buy) at the beginning of the week. I hear that there are now no eggs in the local shops/supermarket. Did my extra box mess things up for others ?
We got a letter from Mr Sainsbury, explaining that one hour three days a week his shops would give precedence to the over 70s and the vulnerable. He has also added NHS staff to that. But arent we supposed to stay at home ?? I am sure the initial advice was stay on our premises. No dog walking and receive no visitors. Everything changes within days.
My brain is still wonky after a stroke and I find this sort of thing hard to follow
Cloudless skies today and its so nice to sit in the sun.
Hi JM, so sorry to hear that your treatment has been poor. Stroke support seems to be patchy across the NHS, and given that it is such a relatively common occurence it deserves to be more consistent. Many people on the site have not had good follow-up, and it seems many stroke teams abandon survivors after the initial 6 week package, (many, but not all).
Currently the supermarkets all seem to be experiencing gremlins with their online shopping. I've been shopping like this for about 5 years, but it's gone completely nuts in the last few weeks. However, it seems as though this might be your best option - I wouldn't recommend going to a s/market, it's armegeddon!! I've had my milk delivered by a national company for decades, and this is useful as they have a consistent supply chain, and deliver other 'basics', so at least you have a few things in your fridge and cupboard.
As far as company is concerned, that will depend on your technology (and your engagement with it!!!)
There will always be someone on this site to chat with - it's almost 24/7, as people have odd sleep patterns after stroke.
If you are able to communicate with others who are further on in their recovery, you will feel reassured.
Hi again jm - Just wanted to mention that there has been an announcement by the Primeminister and Head of Health etc that people who need care with getting scheduled appointments who have immune problems will have arrangements made to get them to clinics. Also there will be help with shopping which will be delivered by councils to your door. Anyone in this category will received a letter by Tues/Weds of next week giving all details so I hope this will help you. Hang on in there and we are all here if you need to chat or just rant.
Colin, you can go to the shops, just try not to touch anything and wash your shopping, and your hands when you get home. You can also take your dog for a walk.
Iam the same I've read the list and it's confusing as doesn't list stroke although we offered a flu jab I've decided not to go into work as I work in a supermarket and it's beyond crazy nothing in place to protect us!!! However my work is saying if I don't have the symptoms in 2 the first two weeks I'm off unless the doctor has contracted me I must return I'm feeling extremely worried about this as I've just got back on my feet although I'll never function the same feeling worried as I'm sure everyone is
Do you know at what stage this change of advice happened ? Us elderly or vulnerable brigade were asked to stay at home not go out (NHS actually quoted you shouldnt take your dog for a walk) And not receive any visitors be they friends or family. We were told we would be shielded and this was for a period of 12 weeks fromMarch 17th. We were told groceries would be left near the front door.
Since then, the advice changes. And of course online advice is altered so i cant refer to the original quotes. If, like me, you do shop online, then the situation there is hopeless. There are no available delivery slots so I cant order online. I use both Sainsbury and Tesco and neither has slots.
Then there was the letter to go to 1.5million severely vulnerable and again they should not leave home, will get shopping delivered and so on. Has that, as I suspect, replaced the first version of vulnerable ?
Sainsbury wrote to me (and no doubt millions of others) saying that they will notify on Monday 23rd by email on how us elderly/vulnerable can be given a slot.
This morning the revised letter says the notifications were sent Sunday 22nd March. So those of us without notification should go to the Sainsbury site to register that we are vulnerable and/or elderly. What a surprise....the site is not available today.
Its all promises and no do.
I am very keen to do as asked. I am very keen to allow NHS staff to get supplies before I get them. But the duff info gets worse and worse.
I dont have family that will support me. Friends are a bit limited and they mostly are using their family help. This really stresses me out.I was, for a few days, very happy pottering around my house and gardens, doing all those tasks that get overlooked. But now I am continually trying to juggle supplies. I also have medication to collect. I also have an echo appointment on Thursday and I dont know if its cancelled. More telephoning to numbers that cant be answered.
To be less grumpy, my butcher turned up trumps by delivering to me. And a schoolboy whom I have never met, delivered milk bread and a newspaper. The joy of getting those supplies is huge.
Hi Colin - The way I read it is - as of 5pm last night (live on Sky) anyone who is on the gov.uk/coronavirus list of extreme vulnerable people who are likely to be hospitalised if they catch it must self-isolate from today for 12 weeks until further notice. Stroke patients are not on the list. Anyone over 70 who is not listed as being vulnerable can still go out for food but must stay a minimum of 2 metres away from others. Social meeting with family and friends is not considered a good idea. Both my husband and I are offered flu vaccines every year but we are not classed as vulnerable.
Because it is a fast moving situation, it's best to keep up to date by watching the BBC news at 6pm or Sky News at 5pm for the latest up to date advice. If you do fall into the categories listed on the gov.uk website, you should receive a letter tomorrow with advise re food deliveries.
If you are struggling for medication, most chemists operate a free delivery service so you don't have to fetch it. Sorry, I've never done on-line supermarket shopping so can't help with that one I'm afraid. People who shop in supermarkets rather than on line are advised to keep 2 meteres away from the person in front of you in the queue and pay be contactless if possible. B & Q have announced they are putting footprints on the floor at checkouts so people know how far 2 meters is. I think that's about 6feet in old money!
Hi, please ring the stroke helpline on 0303 3033 100 or see if you have a stroke association service in your area https://www.stroke.org.uk/finding-support/support-services
The organisation is adapting at the moment and working out how we support people, but if nothing else it should be someone to talk to. Text phone 18001 0303 3033 100. You are not alone!
Am going shopping alone at Morrisons tomorrow, at 7.30am! Apparently, between 7-8am is for OAPS, the fab NHS workers and disabled. Wish me luck haha! Usually get up about half past 7!! Hate bothering others, if I can. Know I'm lucky in that regard, as use a walker. Am humbled and send respect to wheelchair users, as was one for 14 years. Need fresh air, exercise and a few provisions! x
