This blog post was written 14/10/2020

So, yesterday (13/10/2020) Charlie developed a dry new persistent cough, around tea time. For anyone not northern enough to know what tea-time is, it is the evening meal time of the day! I considered if it was just a cough, but it was so persistent, and the heating wasn’t on so I did think I have got to see if I can get further advice about this. I filled out the online form and was advised a health professional will call us back.

The doctor was lovely, and very thorough, please don’t hesitate to ask them questions. I asked loads!! As it’s not just our family, Charlie spends time at his dad’s where there are another 2 children, 1 a child under 5 and my daughter car shares to school, so that’s another household, and my son has a girlfriend who he visits many times a week. So, as you can see, that is where the importance of social bubbles comes from and the risks from mixing households because now there is 4 households directly at risk from our 1 household, and that is concerning.

The test came Thursday, so relatively quick but not as quick if we had been able to go to a test centre. However, we can’t go to a test centre as Charlie is a runner. And if I had taken him to the test centre he would undoubtedly have a meltdown and run off. It is not worth the risk for sure. I tried to find some resources online that would help with the test and asked the National Autistic Society but to no avail, very frustrating.

So the tests arrived, we did it with bribery! Which meant I paid for a game for Charlie for his PlayStation, it was a slime game!! Brilliant!! Anyway, I’m not convinced I have done it right or for long enough, and now it’s the agonising wait for the results - which should be text to me. But in the meantime, no work, no dads, no leaving the house, no dog walks, no food shopping. Charlie’s paternal grandparents have been great, checking in on us every day and offering to do some shopping. We’re ok though as I got it delivered this morning. Yay!

I will keep you posted.

Georgina x