Today (23rd March 2021) marks the first anniversary of lockdown in the UK. A National Day of Reflection (spearheaded by Marie Curie) will be held to reflect on our collective loss, to support those who have been bereaved and to provide hope for a brighter future. A minutes silence will be held at 12pm and at 8pm another minutes silence will be held with those participating encouraged stand outside with a light or shine a light in your window to remember someone who has died and show your support to people going through bereavement.

On the 28th March 2020, I wrote the first of 19 (yes nineteen) blogs giving an insight into our shielding experience during the first lockdown of the Coronavirus pandemic.

In the beginning, I gave the blog the title 84 days later (part 1) but it ended with the title 131 days later. What began as a 12 week shielding period eventually became 19 weeks of total isolation. The four of us living in each other’s pockets, sharing moments we’ll never forget (84 days later (part 5) and some moments we’d just like to forget.

Yes those weeks were tough, especially as by the time we come out of this we’ll have lost possibly 18 months of our lives. When your child has a life limiting illness, those 18 months equate to years. We just want to be out there visiting places and giving Mila-Rose and Alfie the best possible experiences they could ever imagine.

Our wellbeing has suffered in many different ways but we have to be thankful that we have each other and most importantly, we have the amazing support of our family and friends. I remember during the first lockdown we used to get random knocks at our door, we’d look through the window and there at the front gate would be a family member or friend with little treats for us all to help us get through the day. What more could you ask for? It’s a tower of strength to just know that someone has given you a thought.

The UK has lost 126,000 people due to Covid related deaths, add into that figure the number of families/friends who haven’t had the chance to say goodbye properly to their loved ones, whether it be from to Covid or another type of illness. It’s a devastating amount. The UK government briefings present daily death stats. Some days they were up, some days they were down. These aren’t just stats though, they’re someone’s father, someone’s mother, someone’s son, someone’s daughter. Someone’s life. We have to remember that.

In my very first blog of lockdown, I remember stating that we were part of someone pushing the ‘Stop the world, I wanna get off’ button temporarily so we can reevaluate the way we live and appreciate our loved ones a little bit more.

I’m sure we all appreciate our family and friends even more so than ever before and once we can all safely get together again, we certainly shouldn’t be taking them for granted. We should all try to make each occasion special, try to live in that moment, cast your phone aside and give those people your undivided attention.

After all, we’ve surely had enough screen time this past year! If only I’d have bought some shares in Zoom pre-lockdown!

Use today to reflect, maybe even contact someone you’ve not spoken to in a while. You just don’t know what difference it may just make to their day.

Take care,

Kieron x