The good news is that I, nor any of my immediate family members (parents & younger siblings; am the oldest of three boys) have been able to avoid catching 'it' thus far. Which is good, as I and both my parents have asthma severe enough that two types of inhaler are required to be taken daily to keep it under control and to be able to function with something resembling normality. Catching it would lay us flat on our backs for weeks. The only trips out of the house I've been making since 9th March (my last 'spotting' trip for the forseeable future) have been to the local Co-op and occasionally taking my two Labradoodles on one of their thrice-daily walks. The flats we live in back onto a wide, open, sloping hill topped by two pylons, so it's ideal for taking the two daft mutts up to the top (when it hasn't been raining anyway lol).
The bad news is that my dad's main income source has more or less entirely dried up, what with him being a taxi driver and all. While I am of course relieved that he's not putting himself (and us) at unnecessary risk, but there's still a element of worry surrounding the subject of rent payment, even with the rent protection laws now in effect. If nothing else, that merely shows me up as a neurotic worry-wart...
Now, for the really bad news...
My uncle, who has grappled with serious/chronic respiratory diseases his whole life (has had to take extended breaks from work in the past as a direct result), has 'it' and is, as of the last update courtesy of my mother (he's her younger brother), in critical condition in hospital. Put bluntly (really no point in trying to soften the blow), his chances of survival, let alone recovery aren't at all high. At this point, I'm mentally steeling myself for the worst every time I ask how he's doing. I hope and pray that it doesn't come to that, but I must be prepared for anything in the midst of this, the most tumultuous period of my life thus far.
Aaaand breathe out...
And as a final note, and it feels almost trivial to mention it given the backdrop it's gonna be taking place against, but it's my 24th birthday in just under a weeks' time (April 3rd). Being the introvert I am and have always been, my b-day celebrations have for the most part consisted of opening a few cards/presents, getting birthday wishes from close family members & friends on Facebook etc. (last major party was for my 21st), but in light of current events, somehow even that seems inappropriate. I don't know, but what I do know for a fact is that it's gonna be a real low-key affair. Basically, the same as my last few b-days tbh.