‘Missing my grandchildren has been the hardest part’

DESPITE living alone since losing her beloved husband Sammy to cancer nearly 16 years ago, Vena Jameson remained a very outgoing person and kept herself busy through her membership of a variety of local groups.

Perhaps best known as the secretary of the local branch of Cancer Research, the Omagh grandmother was also involved in a number of craft and church organisations. Prior to the pandemic, her social calendar was always fairly full.

But all that changed very suddenly a year ago.

Mrs Jameson, who suffers from asthma, was among thousands of people across the North classed as ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ who received a letter advising them to shield. In other words, to stay at home as much as possible.

As a result, for much of the last 12 months, she has had to isolate herself from the outside world for fear of contracting Covid-19.

The hardest part for her has been missing her daughter Gillian and two grandchildren, who live in the countryside outside Shrewsbury in England.

But, to ensure her social circle has not become completely closed, the octogenarian has embraced modern video technology to keep in touch with friends and family until the pandemic finally ends.

Vena remembers the events leading up to the start of the first lockdown very clearly. She returned from a holiday in Tenerife on Friday, March 13, 2020 and then went around the shops in Omagh on the following day.

Going to church that Sunday, March 14, would prove to be her last outing until a trip to the shops at the end of July, when the initial restrictions were beginning to ease.

In the intervening months, the only time she left the house in Kylemore Gardens was to walk her Shih Tzu dog Riley, an experience which could be “quite stressful” at times.

She said, “My only outing was to walk the dog in the morning. At first, I took her to Arleston Park as I enjoyed feeding the ducks at the leisure centre boating lake, but it became so crowded I had to abandon that.

“So then, we took to tramping the country roads together. But we kept on meeting runners, so I found that stressful as well and I couldn’t get back into the house quickly enough.”

Coming into the summer, Vena – like so many others – was thankful of the time she was able to spend out in her garden.

Remaining in good health, the Omagh woman said she “sort of tried to content” herself with her life in isolation. However, she said that missing her daughter Gillian and grandchildren had been by far the hardest part.

“They came over during the first week in August and we spent the most marvellous week together. That kept me going for a good while.”

But, with Covid-19 figures rising once more, Gillian and her children did not come over for their usual Christmas visit to Omagh.

“While it was the right decision to make, I felt that quite strongly,” she said.

Throughout all of the traumatic events of the last year, Vena said her sister, Ivy Turner, who lives opposite her, has been her “lifeline”.

“In the summertime, she came to my garden to visit and comes over to my house regularly. I count my blessings, I really do.”

During the pandemic, Vena had a niece who died, as well as several neighbours. Not being able to go to their funerals has made grieving so much harder.

But, with a huge helping hand from modern technology, she has been able to get through it so far. Thanks to video calling using the popular Zoom platform, Vena has been able to keep in contact with her book club, craft group and Bible study circle.

“I’ve been kept going,” she added.