Lived Experience Forum

[Maggie]

@Judi9877  I’m not in Melbourne, but I really do feel for everyone there. I too was disappointed with the extended restrictions. It seems many are feeling the same. 

Its a tough time for so many, in various ways.

I’m sorry your sleep is impacted , it can make everything feel much worse.

I hope Craft’s and reading are helpful during this tough time. Good on you for pushing through. 

its always good to see you around the forums . Take care.

[Judi9877]

Thanks @Maggie
I know I’m not the only person with these feelings on restrictions so I really appreciate your support and kind words.
It’s great having you on the forums as well☺️💐
Judi9877

[Owlunar]

Hi @Judi9877 @Bed101 @Maggie @jamesle2015 @Dadcaringalone 

I live alone and I have for over 30 years now and the lock-down isn't my favourite life-style and I miss a lot of things but I have been okay until now

And my support workers have told me I am doing really well - and I agree - and I have heard from these workers that some people cry a lot, are terribly afraid they will catch the virus - also some of them follow the workers around talking about the lock-down

Everyone is different - right now my daughter is in hospital with serious spinal issues and I can't go and see her which really bites atm - and she is alone as I was back in July before stage 4 lockdown - I was okay and by our nature she will be too - but it's not easy

So we are not alone but it is okay to be unhappy about the situation - after all - who would be

Dec

[Dadcaringalone]

@Owlunar Thanks for your message. Sounds like you are doing pretty well. I really empathize with you. I haven't seen my daughter and parents since Feb. I really miss them. It's tough you can't visit your daughter. It sounds like you are doing really well. My brother also lives alone. I haven't heard from him for a while, I hope he's ok. I hope you can have a bit of company next week when the restrictions change. Take care and look after yourself 

[Bed101]

hey sorry i missed you message, i am still getting use the forum. 

i am trying to to get worked up about what happening in Victoria but its hard. I am espcially worried about if telelhealth is going to end. i need to know so i can figure my supports out for my medical appointments. 

i am also starting DBT thearpy next week which is online due to my location and COVID but i am hopping that will help me improve my quality of life.  

the post down here is crazy. i had a parcel from melbourne that took 2 weeks and that was expressed post. it went to sydney twice! but they are trying and that is the main thing. 

i hope she liked the car package 

[BPDSurvivor]

Hi @Bed101 ,

Im in Vic. I haven't been to work onsite since March. I really miss my nights out and my coffees. I'm trying to look at the positive side of being in lockdown and honestly, it does get to me sometimes.

I am not only in Vic but in hotspot central six weeks running. At least numbers are going down now. 

I have been trying to tell myself that this is now the new 'normal' - COVID-normal anyway. Telehealth has been extended to March 2021. 

All the best,

BPDSurvivor

[Judi9877]

Hello @BPDSurvivor @Bed101 @Dadcaringalone @Owlunar @Maggie and all forum friends here. I hope you're all doing your best with lockdown here in Victoria and particularly Melbourne. Have any of you developed any new strategies to deal with what's going on? I know I've been resorting to lots of knitting and spending time on Facebook and learning the art of online shopping. I've just started uni so that's a great distraction as well as being productive as at least my brain is getting a workout.

For those of you in Melbourne, I can fully empathise with you as in Melbourne based and trust me, I'm not having very much fun with these level 4 restrictions at all. I'm so over the 5km limit of where you are allowed to go because I'm getting very bored of just visiting the local supermarkets and local cafes if they're even open for take away foods. I'm also getting so scared to even go anywhere because of the heavy police presence that seem to be practically on every single corner. Don't even get me started on the whole curfew thing please! 
I understand the coronavirus is a serious health issue and I can understand that efforts need to be in place to limit the spread of the illness but there are certain things I'm struggling to deal with. My mental health is struggling yet there have been many times when I know I should possibly visit the nearest hospital for help yet I'm so scared of getting a fine by the police as I often need help during the curfew hours so in the end, I don't get help and just try to handle it the best ways I know how. 
Stay safe and stay string! Remember, we're all in this together, us Victorians, and we will get through this. 
Judi9877 ☺️💪💐

[BPDSurvivor]

@Judi9877 @Bed101 @Dadcaringalone @Owlunar 

For me, as a Melbournian, I think the hardest is living on my own. As much as I love living on my own, pre-COVID, I was always out and never came home until the evenings purely to eat and sleep. 

Since COVID, I've been nearly seven months in the house, working and living at home. My home is no longer my home, but my workplace. I don't enjoy being at home any more because it is no longer a place of respite, away from work.

On the flip side, at least I still have a job, have more time to study, can go for walks, and can communicate and have brunches, lunches and dinners with people via the Internet. I really shouldn't be complaining.

Humans have been designed to be resilient. We will all get through this.

BPDSurvivor

[Owlunar]

Hi @BPDSurvivor @Bed101 @Judi9877 

I am wearing thin on the lock-down by now - I will stick with the restrictions for however long though - I reflect that people will tell their stories about the lock-down to their grandchildren and my grand-daughter is living through it herself - so the stories will get passed down to her grand-children if she ever has any

I don't have any ideas about how to get through it more easily - for 2.5 months I was nursing my injured shoulder and watched TV nearly all day - just sitting the pain out until I had the procedure to ease the pain which made a lot of difference - since then I have limited the time I spend watching TV and do other things - I have been tending my garden which I had let other people do - I am not gardener but I am enjoying what I am doing

I gues all I can say is that we can complain - we are allowed to express our displeasure - we can vent - count our tribulations instead of our blessing - then stop and get on with life the best we can - because we don't have a lot of choice right now and hopefully we can start getting out a bit after this weekend

The fun part of this post - hah - they are still giving us a public holiday for the Grand Final Parade - with so many people not working anyway, the Grand Final is in Queensland and we can't have a parade - but seeing as they have taken so much away from us during the pandemic they say they can't take the holiday away - so that's something

Enjoy whatever you can do if you can right now - we had a stormy night with heavy rain in Melbourne and the warm weather seems to have taken a break

Dec

Back later everyone - I need a coffee

[Judi9877]

Hi @Owlunar @Bed101 @BPDSurvivor @Dadcaringalone @Maggie and all forumites here. I just thought I'd post to see how each of you are going with the various issues surrounding Victoria and the relevant lockdown issues such as mental health, family and others. How are you? What have you been up to? Have you learnt anything that can help since things have changed since your last post?

I know for me, I'm glad the curfew is over as I have been too scared to leave my sisters house where I'm staying to get medical treatment when it was on despite knowing that medical was a legitimate reason to be out during the curfew hours. I have also been hyper vigilant in terms of seeing more police around which has made me become scared of them even if I know I'm not doing anything wrong. The 5km thing is also an issue for me as well because although it limits movement, I can't see the logic behind it fully in terms of virus protection. As for the shops being shut except for supermarkets in metropolitan Melbourne, it's hard for me to understand why Kmart and Big W and the like can't open when so many people go food shopping and there hasn't been an outbreak in Coles or Woolies. People do  need clothes and some people aren't tech savvy enough to order online like the elderly for example which makes clothes shopping hard. The same goes for click and collect when you don't have a car or you have to pay big money for delivery. The lockdown rules are also hard for me in the fact that I'm looking for a rental property and doing virtual inspections is hard for me because some agents don't film everything or if they do, the video is of poor quality. Some agents even expect you to spend time filling in an application form before they will decide if your application is suitable and then decide if they will show you through the property when private inspections are allowed yet they don't want to do this. Again, this lockdown is hard for me like it is for all Victorians.

I'm trying to stay positive although I have had some mental health issues last week because of this whole lockdown thing in the form of schizophrenic issues occurring which hasn't been great. I'm okay now but this shows that I, like many others, mental health is suffering because of the lockdown situation. I have never really felt so restricted in my whole life as I have since this covid-19 lockdown thing commenced and I just want my freedom back.

Stay safe and look after yourself  forumites☺️🌻

Judi9877