Derek
Derek
Ay up duck, me names Derek and I’m 80 years old. I used to work down pits from 1948 til 1984, right up to miner’s strike. Them were the days. Had loads of mates. But during those years I got pneumoconiosis, or miners’ lung disease as lads called it. It was from breathing in the coal dust and means I suffer from chronic bronchitis. I have a persistent chesty cough and am often short of breath, the neighbours say they can hear me wheeze when they’re in the garden and I should get it checked out but I can’t get to the doctors, it’s in town and I don’t drive anymore. They wouldn’t do anything anyway. They keep sending me a card to tell me to have a flu jab, but can’t be bothered with that. At my age, it’s hardly worth it!
My wife Daisy died 10 months ago from cancer, she used to do everything for me and without her I’m not sure how to get by really, she did all the cooking and looked after the money side of things for the house. Margaret comes by whenever she can, but I don’t like to bother her she has so much on her plate. The house is a bit of a state and I eat the same meal of tinned soup every night., I don’t know how I can get to my bank account so I keep a shoebox of money in the cupboard but soon it will run out. I always wanted children but the doctor said Daisy couldn’t have children so it was just the two of us for 60 glorious years of marriage and we never argued once, I miss her every day.
I have to use a walking stick because of me bad knee, which makes walking very painful so I don’t really leave the house. I go to the corner shop once a week and the nice young lady helps me home with my bags. One of me old mate’s grandsons takes me to Miner’s Welfare once a month for a couple of pints with lads. The house is always cold because I can’t bend down to turn the radiator on with my bad knee, I wish there were more people around to call on but I don’t want to trouble anyone. The neighbours sometimes hear me fall over so come to help me up, sometimes that’s the most conversation I have in a week. I used to play footie with the lads twice a week, I was in top shape, now I’m just a lonely old man.
• What are the implications of Derek's isolation for his health and well-being?