How close are you to your breaking point?

[Carol_]

I finally decided to ignore a handful of posters, and the change in the amount of content is quite noticeable! I doubt I’m missing anything new either.

I did this too. It’s glorious.

 

[Carol_]

Not even close!!! You have a choice I & other doctors, nurses, emts, Leo do not have the luck of your choice You get to stay home with family. Do actually realize most of us are sleeping far away from family so we don’t infect them so poor you for being safe.
How many are your colleagues are on respirators? How many are in protocols? You have to stay in your couch omg!!!!
You won’t die from watching Netflix.

As a doctor, I need to remind you that everything is not your responsibility and only you can look out for you. Sounds like you need a break. Take three weeks off and get back in the fight. 2 weeks in isolation, one week with your family, then back to work if you can handle it. Nobody expects you to literally kill yourself trying to save everyone else’s family. Everyone understands that this is about as bad as it gets. Good luck.

 

[disykat]

Not even close!!! You have a choice I & other doctors, nurses, emts, Leo do not have the luck of your choice You get to stay home with family. Do actually realize most of us are sleeping far away from family so we don’t infect them so poor you for being safe.
How many are your colleagues are on respirators? How many are in protocols? You have to stay in your couch omg!!!!
You won’t die from watching Netflix.

Again, I did not, nor did anyone else try to say that our situation compares with yours. I believe we are ALL in agreement that all of the first responders working for us have the hardest job right now. If we were having a contest, you clearly would win, but this thread is about how everyone is doing, regardless of their circumstances. Those of us in cushier circumstances realize it, but it doesn't mean we're all floating in fairy land right now.

I sincerely hope that your angry posts are letting you get out some frustration and help in some small way. I would willingly shoulder some of your burden, but I can't do that. I am staying home for you. I am praying for you.

 

[Boardwalk Jedi]

As a doctor, I need to remind you that everything is not your responsibility and only you can look out for you. Sounds like you need a break. Take three weeks off and get back in the fight. 2 weeks in isolation, one week with your family, then back to work if you can handle it. Nobody expects you to literally kill yourself trying to save everyone else’s family. Everyone understands that this is about as bad as it gets. Good luck.

what makes you think the poster can easily take time off? Or that there’s a choice?

 

[Carol_]

what makes you think the poster can easily take time off? Or that there’s a choice?

Because each of us has a choice in this country. I didn’t say anything is easy.

 

[Boardwalk Jedi]

Because each of us has a choice in this country. I didn’t say anything is easy.

When it’s your job, you don’t have the choice to up and leave whenever you feel like it. Even if the boss said to take a vacation in the middle of an emergency (which would never happen), most in this situation wouldn’t because it would be extremely unfair to our co-workers and patients.

 

[low-key]

I went cray cray day one, when we all surrendered to Government control with out a even a whimper

 

[Carol_]

When it’s your job, you don’t have the choice to up and leave whenever you feel like it. Even if the boss said to take a vacation in the middle of an emergency (which would never happen), most in this situation wouldn’t because it would be extremely unfair to our co-workers and patients.

How many months on end do you expect a person to be separated from their family without a break? Go ahead and be a martyr. Telling people who are fried that they are morally obligated to work until they have a psychological break is evil.

 

[pineapplepalms]

I'm definitely not at my breaking point, but I am tired. WFH with 1.5 and 4 year olds while dealing with the nausea and fatigue of pregnancy has been wearing me out. Luckily the nausea seems to be gone now which should help a lot with my productivity and mood. And I'd rather be home hopefully not catching this virus while pregnant.

We know we are lucky. Our income isn't affected by WFH, we actually have lower expenses due to no tuition for the kids and several canceled vacations, and our kids are at ages where they're just happy to be with us (that doesn't mean there isn't a lot of fighting over toys though!). They're wonderful kids and bring us so much joy, especially since they're too young to understand all of this. But I'm still tired. Looking forward to that second trimester energy that's hopefully coming my way soon.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

How many months on end do you expect a person to be separated from their family without a break? Go ahead and be a martyr. Telling people who are fried that they are morally obligated to work until they have a psychological break is evil.

I don't disagree, but as someone who served in the Army, this is nothing new. We ask too much of people all the time. We have to hope that we don't break along the way. But some things are worth the sacrifice.

The biggest difference - I knew what I was signing up for when I joined the Army. Our healthcare workers didn't sign up for this. But thank goodness they have not turned away when we have needed them.

 

[Boardwalk Jedi]

How many months on end do you expect a person to be separated from their family without a break? Go ahead and be a martyr. Telling people who are fried that they are morally obligated to work until they have a psychological break is evil.

Oh good lord. No one is trying to be a martyr. People will get a break but probably not until things slow down....which they have not yet for first responders and healthcare workers. I think they will soon as long as people follow guidelines and stop demanding normalcy tomorrow. Most coworkers of mine are not at a breaking point yet. Why are you?

 

[texaslover]

It's been interesting here. My husband owns a small electrical contracting business which has taken us on a roller coaster ride. Everytime he assures me that no more jobs are coming in and he might have to let his two employees go and shutter the business for awhile he gets a call and more work appears. We were sure we would lose our wonderful employees a few weeks ago and now he's booked through next Friday for sure.

I'm an ESL teacher and am working from home doing online learning. It is challenging and a break all in one. I miss my students so much and it's much more difficult trying to do online learning with kids that speak very little English. My position is new for me and this year has been stressful so I will say this has been a bit of a break career wise. I still work from 7-4 most days and definitely put in hours over the weekend but not having the pressure of looking good, wearing the right clothes, having nails/hair done, getting up at 5:30, working out after work and having only an hour or two after that before having to go to bed again, etc. has been nice.

My son, 22, is home from college and that has some problems associated bc my husband (his stepdad) can be critical and nitpicking with him. I feel like I'm in the middle and constantly walking on eggshells. On the other side I've loved having him home and we have had lots of quality time. I'm still wrapping my head around him being here all summer since he was supposed to do an internship that got cancelled. And I really feel for him bc he certainly didn't want to be a 22 year old young man at home for months with his mom and stepdad. Hopefully he will still graduate in December and the job market will be better.

My husband has very firm ideas about how things should happen. He feels like he has to give me "projects" or tasks bc he doesn't feel I'm using my time wisely if I'm just working on the computer or reading a book or doing a jigsaw puzzle. For example, he felt the back of the house needed painting so I was asked (required) to go out after I worked 8 hours and paint for 4 hours. If I refuse he wouldn't do anything serious but just be highly unkind about my choices, work ethic, laziness, etc. It is stressful being an adult and feeling stuck in another person's narrative. I do love my husband, he just isn't easy to live with 24/7.

My mom is 78 and we lost my dad last July. She is about 1.5 hours away and I haven't seen her since this all started. We talk every other day but I worry about her. She was very social and I know misses her church family and all her friends. She definitely has a busier social life than me. I might break down next weekend and go see her just to sit in the backyard and talk. She seems ok but I know she's lonely.

I miss my friends so much. We Zoom and text constantly but I need a hug from my besties. And some fun.

I feel so grateful to have a job and food and a roof over our head. Such conflicting emotions throughout each day and the anxiety that comes with them are exhausting. I absolutely cannot complain though, I'm just ready to live life again instead of making it through the day or existing.

 

[Carol_]

Oh good lord. No one is trying to be a martyr. People will get a break but probably not until things slow down....which they have not yet for first responders and healthcare workers. I think they will soon as long as people follow guidelines and stop demanding normalcy tomorrow. Most coworkers of mine are not at a breaking point yet. Why are you?

I am not - Thanks for asking...but I was responding to a post of someone who sounded like they might be. It’s the name of the thread.

 

[kymom99]

I’m surprised at how many anti social people enjoy Disney so much. I don’t say that to be a smart *** either. It’s just surprising. I work with a lot of people who aren’t social at all and really aren’t “people persons” and they all despise Disney or any places that have lots of people. I would think if you don’t like socializing and would rather stay home than be around people that you would hate Disney or any type of theme park or places with large groups of people.

I agree. My husband is an introvert. He hates crowds and doesn’t care much for Disney.

 

[luvsJack]

Not even close!!! You have a choice I & other doctors, nurses, emts, Leo do not have the luck of your choice You get to stay home with family. Do actually realize most of us are sleeping far away from family so we don’t infect them so poor you for being safe.
How many are your colleagues are on respirators? How many are in protocols? You have to stay in your couch omg!!!!
You won’t die from watching Netflix.

You know, I think everyone knows your job is hard right now. It’s hard work emotionally, physically, mentally. And we do appreciate the job that you do. But none of us chose any of this.

And you do not get to downplay what could be taxing on another human being. You don’t get to downplay the stress they may be under or whatever they are facing in their day to day.

For some this isolation is not good at all. It can be devastating to one who suffers from depression. And as hard as all this is on someone in your position, you don’t get to downplay that.

Others have elderly or ill parents that they are afraid they will not get to see again. And you don’t get to downplay that either

Like the pp said, we are all in the same storm but in different boats. And EVERYONE is just trying to keep their boat afloat.

 

[RangerPooh]

I’m an introvert, DH is an extrovert. For the most part I’m ok working from home and chilling here. DH is excited that as program director he can work from the office now. Me I’m like ‘fingers crossed I get to work from home until July’, lol

The kids are driving me nuts. We’ve given up working on optional school work. I need to get my work done. It’s $$$. I do run to Costco once a week and occasionally Target (drive up). We’ve been to our camping property twice so that’s helped.

 

[KBoopaloo]

Because each of us has a choice in this country. I didn’t say anything is easy.

My cousin is an ED nurse and all vacation time in her hospital has been canceled through June 30. She purchased a new house 6 months ago and her partner has had a reduction in pay due to the virus. If she made the choice to take 3 weeks off from work from being overwhelmed (which she is) she would lose her job and not be able to pay her mortgage which would create a whole new mountain of emotional turmoil. That’s not just “not easy,” it is basically impossible and it is rather silly to suggest as a legitimate option.

 

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

We've decided to process this whole situation as if we unexpectedly got transported to another country. We're in culture shock, which is inevitable and always hard if you move somewhere you don't want to be. Even if we moved to Paris, it would still take awhile to adjust to new ways of doing things - shopping, social distancing, etc - and this is no move to France. We know we have to be gentle with ourselves while we adjust, since this is not a "country" we wanted to move to.

On the other hand, anyone could adjust to living just about anywhere in the world for a year or a year and a half if they absolutely had to, and we figure that so can we. We are trying to take it just one day at a time and stay as calm as we can. We may have to be here for awhile, and it would be harder on us to get our hopes up that we can go "home" real soon, and then be disappointed that it may take until we get a vaccine. I'm not saying that we don't have down days, but mostly we're doing ok.

 

[undertheradar]

Let's all remember to try and get along. The more we all respect each other, the better The Dis experience is for everyone!

 

[DisLiss]

My teen is a bit miserable about the lack of real face to face time with friends and DH finds work stressful right now--he's an essential worker. But my younger son and I could keep doing this for awhile. He's fine doing his schoolwork from home. He's fine seeing his friends on the computer. As long as there's always at least one of us available to bake with him, play catch or a game or Lego with him, snuggle for a movie together, read a book, etc., he's perfectly happy. And I enjoy doing those things with him.
My biggest upset right now is that we just lost a family member and I didn't get to see them the few months because first we were sick (flu), then the social distancing started. And I'm upset that I stayed away to keep them safe only to lose them anyway. I know it was the right thing to do at the time, but I can't help feel a bit angry at the way life turned out in this area. I know a lot of people are going through similar things and I feel for every one of them.