Examen

Another lovely, cooler day, with a little bit of rain thrown in.  My appetite (which had taken a little holiday since Saturday) is creeping back, and I was able to eat a little today.  I don’t understand why it ebbs and flows like that, but at least I have Ensure to drink on the days when solid food turns me off.  I still don’t like it, but it keeps me nourished, so no complaints.  The boys are both well, with the little one in a cuddly mood — he doesn’t want to be alone, so he’s always on a lap or else butting for attention to be petted.  I’d like him to show a wee bit more independence, but at the same time, I’d probably be sad if he refused to snuggle… conflicted thoughts!

I had a conversation with my social worker this afternoon, to follow up on the increased hours for my support worker which still hasn’t been completed.  When I was discharged at the end of May, it was agreed that I’d need extra hours from my support worker, but I hadn’t heard anything so far.  My social worker called to follow up, then I heard back from the health network that the request was still “pending.”  It’ll get handled, although it’s a little discouraging that there’s such a shortage of health care workers in so many areas.  I feel dreadful to know that, for instance, there are times when there are 3 nurses to care for 26 patients!  And yes, I know that it’s expensive and challenging, but repeated cuts to services (while my taxes continue to climb) put lives at risk.  I admit that I am not part of the “cut the pay of public servants and politicians” group, because “the worker deserves their wages, but I do understand the frustration when there’s an announcement that politicians have voted raises for themselves while cutting pay and benefits for workers.  I’m even more angry with businesses that opt to pay higher executive compensation and treat their average workers badly.  But services like healthcare, education, senior care, housing, provision of clean water… it seems wrong to me that one person can afford to spend the budget of a small country on luxury goods while people starve, die from a lack of care, cannot house or feed their families… I’ve come to realize that many of the solutions that we propose are based on assuming a level of privilege and wealth that is, sadly, not universal.  For instance, when talking about the shortage of support workers, there’s an assumption that “friends and family” can fill the gap.  What about a single person who has limited resources living alone?  They may not be able to call upon others — who are probably as strapped as they are — and therefore can’t feed themselves?  Or the assumption that everyone has access to a car / transportation?  If you don’t live in an urban area, public transport might be sparse or nonexistent.  And the assumption that everyone can “put aside money every pay period” — there are too many people who live hand to mouth to even consider “savings.”

I’m fortunate, and privileged.  Thank God, I have friends and family (both blood and brevet) who are supportive, and who take care of me.  But I’m also becoming more aware of the many services that society expects to be absorbed by unpaid labour — volunteers, “friends and family”, etc — as the people who we pay are whittled down in the name of “efficiency” and “savings.”  Partly it’s because the decision makers don’t need those services, or they see those of us who do as a drain on society, because we’re no longer wage earners and are weak.  Weakness is not something to be encouraged in western society, and we’d be better off dying and leaving room for the strong… while ironically, medical science has been advancing ways to prolong lives and cure diseases!  OK, I’m going to get off my soapbox now.  I’d ask that we all consider whether we’re supporting the right people and organizations because our wallets (and feet) convey messages.  If we support those who want to weaken society by creating and deepening poverty, we’re going to wind up with a very dysfunctional society.  But if we work on supporting organizations who work to improve things, well… you see where I’m going with this!  I’ll stop here, because I think I’m going in circles.  Good night!