Day 176: When your politics has real life consequences...

Day 176 (31 May) Friday. Beer and pizza night, probably. But before that, there's a new drug to be had to try and keep this RA of mine under reasonable management control. 

Dawn, again, at 6.12am

It is a fairly pleasant morning and I have to confess to really enjoying the silhouettes of the trees against the dawn sky at 6.12am. So apologies for the repetitive nature of some of these pics, but the photographer in me is intrigued by the small changes, the detail. I once spent 30 Sundays trekking up to the top of Mt Gravatt to take a series of 'a month of Sundays', somewhat literally. The city skyline was the subject and I was intrigued by the changes in the light over the months. The odd things piccie-takers will do. 

I've opted to officially take four hours sick leave for this two-hour infusion this morning...I suppose just in case something comes up. It is more than twenty years since my diagnosis but it is only the last seven years that I've been on the 'hard' medical treatment, I'd managed through diet and exercise prior to that. Seven years ago however, one of the 'switches' flicked to bad and I've been dealing with it since. Treatment means you come face-to-face pretty quickly with your own sense of mortality, of government rules and regulations on PBS-availability of medications and society's prejudices and assumptions. 

Today's treatment is not the best I could be taking. I had that last year. It worked well and the specialist was pleased. A shift in the goalposts however, by bureaucrats making these decisions, meant I didn't qualify for continuing treatment. It is the cost to the public purse which prevents its continuation. I'm pretty well OK with that. It's my politics playing out with real life consequences. I guess I present as a single, childless, middle-aged (and a bit), progressive female humanities academic...I tick the box on all those things that society generally would argue makes me a member of the disengaged elite... (yeah right).  The type of person that shock jocks and the like would suggest we are just a burden on society. 

Choices, at 6.12pm

Well I happen to think that a life of teaching and research on Japan and the region has had its value over the years, but that might be a bias on my part. So when it is implied that the money saved on not proceeding my treatment might go to helping children in Indigenous communities with simple vaccinations to improve their life chances, well, I can't argue with that. (The comparison has been made...really.)

So, I opt for the cheaper, higher risk treatment...we'll see how it goes. 

Well, OK...

I later go to order the photos I've chosen for my Ekka entry...one of those things I've wanted to do for years. Actually, there is still a dilemma of choice--I've ordered six, but I can only submit four...I still have to decide. Maybe it will be a #twitterdecides moment? 

It is beer and pizza night however, and it is my job to order at 6.12pm. New menu. we're also going to try a different beverage tonight, yep the 'alcoholic iced tea'. Let's just say, it will be back to the beer next week.