23894949578th Day of Lockdown.

Actually I think it’s only Day 6? I have no idea really, feels like forever already. I miss my mum.

Yesterday was a relatively lazy day, with a few phone visits which is taking some getting used to. It’s hard not to miss stuff out and not lose track of all the little things that need doing for someone’s care. Without using facial expression, visual cues and not being able to give handouts when necessary takes some thinking outside the box. But we are all getting there. It’s just the logistical nightmare of testing places being shut, bloods getting waylaid on couriers, the hospital not doing their phone consults because they get so busy, then us midwives on the ground trying to figure out the magical myth of what is an ‘essential requirement’. There is no one to just ring and ask as none of us have navigated this before. Everything we normally do is slightly different and taking longer to organise. So we are talking amongst ourselves and coming up with what makes us feel the most comfortable and is easiest for the woman.

I had my first house party in the arvo (that’s a video group chat mum) which was really good but they rang earlier than expected and my horse keep bashing me in the back trying to get my attention. It was all a bit difficult (and hard to stay upright) but lovely to see my mate’s faces! And yes I finally got to spend time with my horses. My cup got refilled as they say. Winning!

Today however, was manic again, luckily I have had three nights decent sleep and I am starting to feel more normal so I’m coping. It started with phone calls at 7:30 until 10 sorting out copious unexpected issues with clients. Radiologists are working from home reviewing scans and I woke Some poor fulla up at 7:38 this morning when I phoned to leave an urgent message and it was diverted to him. Now he knows what it’s like to be a midwife 😉.

As a result I was late for work and I HATE being late. Luckily there was only one woman that I was seeing face to face to ring and let know. But the poor woman had to wait in her car somewhere in town for 45 minutes - hopefully she went for a walk 🤞. During our visit her hubby had to stay outside in the car. Usually he comes to all the visits, so we surprise phoned him while we listened to the baby’s heart to surprise and include him. Hopefully that helped.

Roaring into town on such a sunny day the amount of people pruning their hedges was phenomenal! Maybe it gets them out in the street so they can shout at passers by. The nasty person in me was jealous that others are getting stuff done around their houses and mine is severely lacking in love right now. Those that know me will understand how long it has taken to complete my house! In the next life I won’t marry a very talented builder who doesn’t actually like building, then becomes a surfing paramedic that thinks jobs will take half the time they actually do. Love ya babe!

So then I gave myself a kick in the pants. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. It’s great people are getting jobs done. And let’s face it, I too will always choose some adventure with the family over painting the roof. It’s awesome to see so many people out biking with their kids and waving at me as I go past. I got home and finished about 4.30. Just in time for a family card game. Which sounds all Swiss family Robinson but is actually more like The Osbourne’s with all the swearing and shouting.

My kids are coping really well (aside from the one haircut debacle) they are actually being helpful because they are so bored. Yesterday they even fought over who was going to cook the next ‘my food bag recipe’ tonight. By the time tonight rolled around dinner didn’t happen and I was allowed one quarter of No 1 Son’s pizza and a bite of No 1 daughter’s toasted sandwich. But yesterday there was hope for an actual dinner! They’ve never had that fight before! In fact they’ve never even offered 🤣. There has however been loads of baking going on which makes me think of all the memes about coming out of quarantine huge.

Hopefully tomorrow is chill again. Midwifery tends to be all or nothing for me. By ‘nothing’ I mean like a part time job. Not actually nothing. It’s never nothing!

Maybe tomorrow I will also open my mailbox to find the best present ever from the Ministry of Health - a package of PPE! Can only keep hoping, but it’s getting a bit ridiculous now.