I follow the rules, but this is my tragic story

Hi, my name is Simon, i live in Hamilton, Leicester, and i have followed all the Covid-19 guidelines. This is my upsetting story and i hope i’m heard.

My father-in-law was diagnosed with bowel cancer during lockdown and given weeks to live. We couldn’t visit him.

He had Macmillan nurses and carers, but then my mother-in-law fell ill and needed hospital attention.

We could not put my father-in-law into a home due to coronavirus.

My wife, who works as a community nurse, was distraught. My daughter is also a care worker, in a hospice.

Anyway, we caught the virus - not sure exactly who brought it into the house, either my daughter or my wife as they both had a lack of PPE.

We had to quarantine, and after this my wife and i had tests to make sure we were clear as my wife had not been offered the test through the NHS at this time.

We both got clear tests.

My wife took it upon herself to move to the home of her mum, who desperately needed her family and to help get to appointments and to look after her terminally-ill husband.

My wife stayed there, took leave to care for him and looked after her mother. i stayed at home, not daring to visit as i could take risk of them catching anything.

Eventually lockdown eased so i visited a few times to see them and my wife. On June 6, at 5.50am, i was in bed and got a text from my wife saying my father-in-law had died. it was devastating, and i wasn’t there for her, i couldn’t hug her.

Although lockdown had eased, they had to self-isolate again as her mother had to go to hospital and, as hard as it was, she had to be there for an appointment just hours after he passed away.

She was so brave, she actually made her appointment and was told she had to have major surgery.

So a week later, as she went in to have surgery my wife continued to stay and organise funeral plans and all the other things that need dealing with.

Then my mother in-law came out of hospital and now my wife is looking after her.

i could visit, but at a distance because she is vulnerable. it was great to see them – i wanted to hug and kiss them but couldn’t.

She continued to stay and support her mum and her mum was picking up but still needed help as she can’t lift anything and struggles with everyday life.

July 4 was creeping up, so excitedly i thought i would pay them a visit and go to my caravan on my own, as my wife couldn’t, and then the big bombshell – Leicester goes back into full lockdown.

We can’t get away, which wasn’t the end of the world, but i can’t see my wife at my mum-in-law’s. i’ve hardly seen my wife in months.

Also, the funeral is planned on July 17, the only date they could get, which is our wedding anniversary

Now i can’t get there as they are out of the lockdown zone and i’m in it. i can’t be there, it’s so, so sad

Everything has been thrown at us and now i’m reading of factories opening illegally in Leicester, nonessential shops opening, gatherings on parks playing football and, at another park, a couple of hundred people at a cricket match.

it is so unfair. i can’t see an end to it and i want to be with my wife, i want us to be a family again. And that is my story of lockdown Can i end by asking why we can’t get something like a health passport?

You could go and get a test, isolate until you receive results and, if clear, you get papers stamped and then you carry these as proof to allow travel.

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