We’re living in uncertain times and each day brings new challenges we haven’t faced before. The kids are missing their friends (and so are we), masks are now part of our daily wardrobe and who thought we’d ever argue with hubby over who got to go do the food shop! Some parents have taken home schooling in their stride while others are struggling to find a balance between school and their own careers. Thankfully, for the majority of us, our family are safe and together and we know we can weather out this storm.

But this is not the case for everyone and British mum Jen, living in the UAE, is part of the many families who each day wave off a loved work who works frontline in the medical profession. She’s kindly sharing her reality with us as the world bands together to try to put an end to Covid-19.

“I’ll be honest, today (and come to think of the week) has been a bit of a struggle. I don’t really know why, I mean I know the catalogue of reasons but I’m not sure what makes today different. Maybe it’s tonight’s full moon or maybe it’s just as another week draws to a close and we seem no closer to the end – although we are in reality a bit closer to the end. Everything here is temporary.

The problem being though is that none of us know the end point and that for me, like many, is where the difficulty lies.

Home schooling for child 1 has definitely taken a downward turn. Whether it’s me, her or a combination of neither party being willing to read the manual or engage in the challenges set for a 3 year old (the ones that vary from my own set of don’t hit your brother, don’t sit on your brother, not his head and you just finished eating, you’re not hungry), you know ‘a’ for apple, ‘b’ for brother, ‘c’ for coffee, ‘d’ for daddy, ‘e’ for everytime, ‘f’ for… right that’s it, I give up.

I do know as I take pause to reflect that we are in a far more fortunate position than so many. My husband often cites this quote “If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep…
… then you are richer than 75 per cent of this world.”  Thing is I completely get that and for the most part I try to remain humble to that, but on those days when I’m having a sh*tty time, knowing that others are worse off doesn’t mitigate my own suffering. It does not mean that what I am feeling is invalid. What is does mean though is that I cannot allow it to consume me and this is where each of us need to find our own limit.

It’s been an easier week for my husband, in that he’s taken a step back from COVID to see some outpatients. But for some unknown I think he’s found it harder. I’m not sure if it’s the guilt at not being in the thick of it for a few days or that possibly he is up such a height when he is in it that he doesn’t necessarily allow his mind to wander elsewhere as he doesn’t have those brief pauses between patients.

I don’t think that any amount of training can prepare anyone for what we are facing across the globe. Yes there will have been action plans in place in theory for the event when a virus of this magnitude arises. But the actuality of the event could only be theorised, it can’t ever truly reflect the reality and how we all deal with it.

However in spite of all of this, we are in such a fortunate position, we have the greatest healthcare available at our fingertips. We largely for a lot of people reading this have safe haven. We have sunshine and we’re in an age where means of communication are countless.

So take a deep breath, pull on your big girl pants and remember we are the lucky few.

The doctor’s good lady.”

Written by Doctor’s Wife and British Mum, Jen.

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