Life can be a Pain

I have good reason to more than suspect that the Government has it's fingers in my pie - that has been going on since I went onto the Disability Support Pension - a long long time ago

So fast forward to the latest

Yesterday I went to my pharmacy to pick up a script and the pharmacist had a from to fill out regarding my medication - because I take more than 5 pills a day and sometimes people have no idea what they are taking

I know everything I am taking and I buy all my stuff from that pharmacy - just to be tidy about it - and yes - I take medication authorised with a Government Permit - I am well monitored and this has been going on for a long long time

And I take less than I used to

When it was time for me to sign the form I became suspicious - and the pharmacist (not his fault - English is not his first language) had trouble answering my piercing questions.

His assistant explained to me that this was happening - the form would be kept at the pharmacy - it is part of Government Research to see that people are not getting their medication confused

If I sound irritable I am - but then I will survive it

But - yes but - maybe these questions will be asked of you too - if you are taking different medications at the same time.

I guess it's okay - it's just the Government being the Government

Enough said - I guess we will all survive it

Dec

@Former-Member that pic is right on so many levels!

@Owlunar

i hoep those headaches have eased. they are terrible when they hang around.

i know this all to well esp with concussion and whiplash. sheesh shocking they are.

i suppose the government is trying to monitor and maybe even improve in the medication system. maybe this will better it hey.

hopefully i wont have to do that as im on numerous medications as well but as you said we will live

Hi @outlander

Yes @Former-Member pic was absolutely gorgeous. I now have meds in my handbag, but only since last week, so I have turned a "new" corner ... hmmm

Dear @Owlunar just dropping by, we havent chatted for ages, but please dont take it personally. I have had a lot on and been flat out managing me (with the help of a CATT team) rather than doing my social responsibility thing.

I want to reiterate you are important to me, I like your wisdom, realism and humour.

I am not wanting to post much atm, but

Take Care

Hi again @outlander

Headache - yes - I have had my share lately but I can only blame myself for the one I had today

I fell asleep in front of the TV just after 7.30pm and didn't wake up until after midnight - wow - all the time I had my face resting on my hand leaning on arm of my chair - I have a reddish bruise on my nose - no wonder my head ached today

But I am sure it will feel better tomorrow - and it was certainly not as bad as concussion or whiplash and I have had both - those headaches are horrendous

About the medication - I am really careful with mine and I take Schedule 8 medication - this means that it has to be authorised by the Health Department and anyone who has access to my files - eg the locum doctor service - can see I am well monitored

Also - if I went to another doctor for that kind of medication I would lose my priviledges - I can see the doctors at my clinic but going somewhere else is called doctor shopping and this is a bad idea

And believe me - everyone knows what I am taking - the pharmacist keeps my scripts on file and my doctor has it all in his computer and my doctor and my specialist are thorough - and as for me

I know I am looking past the postish - but my mind has yet to become doddery and I get annoyed when people get an idea I might be past it - but that's me

So I do know there are older people who might be taking different kinds of medication that are not Schedule 8 and they might be taking different coloured tablets that are the same preparation because they get them from different doctors and pharmacies and perhaps this is what the Government is on about

I just resent it - that's all - and we are allowed to resent what we don't like - just as you resent your mother and having to spend your life caring for her kids - it a great thought to pass on - resent what you don't like - for a while anyway -

That's enough ranting for now - people treating me as if I am old is more than annoying

I want to to get some sleep though so please - don't bother about me ranting - you need your sleep more

Dec

Hi @Appleblossom

We all need time out at times - I just had some - I had a flare-up in my spine - the muscles can get inflamed at times - we had a few very cold days in Melbourne and that triggered that little spell - it seems to be passing

I certainly don't take it personally - I am glad you have the CATT team helping you out - I know you have some tough stuff to sort out at times and no wonder

Actually I wonder a bit if the people who don't have some kind of "disorder" are the weirdos - they could be the different ones - maybe it's a bit like Animal Farm or one of those socially dynamic horror stories from the depression - where everyone has to be the same and if we are different we are given something to take to remove our discomfort - as if life could be that easy

Hopefully - as I have seen a few generations pass - near the end of the third - I have seen things change - my parents were very stiff-upper-lippish - no whining - I got kudoes for never crying and being the tough kid - not really a good way to rear a kid who had half her ancestors born in Northern Ireland -

Let's all have our emotions and be okay with it

I love it that you enjoy my wisdom, realism and humour. I don't think that was taught at university - but then - the most important things I learned at university were not taught there - and no - I didn't try the green smoke - it was just that life is rather in-your-face at university - at least - it used to be

Take the time you need Apple - how have you been since your read your sister's inquest? Was it as hard as you thought - you gave it a few years - that's good - I read my son's inquest a couple of days after and it was horrible - I have been glad I didn't attend

Life goes on yeah - I think of you -

Dec

I am glad I waited but still glad I read her coroners report.

I did not realise til I read through it that the CO included my brother's one as well, I was not sure they would as their were a few NOK in line, so I got to read both at the same time. The Royal Commission and legal people were asking me questions so I did it at a time when all the messes were out and current in my mind, and not a separate retriggering. I had a couple of days for it.

I learned a little about my sister's state of mind as a counsellor had seen her the day before and submitted his report. It was obvious the staff and inmates were effected, but sad that they were not able to prevent it whilst in such close contact with her.

Re my brother's I learned more about my surviving youngest sister's attitude and her coldness and rigidity due to her own traumatisation, no doubt, but she definitely got the pick of all the famnily and govt and legacy resources, some of which we helped develop. It was her statement that constituted more of the report than it should have. Along with her comment that "she always knew" he would suicide, so much for me trying to prevent it or create extended family events and warmth.

Now I have sent the top sheet from each to the Royal Commission so my statement is documented, plus some photos.

Yes the weather has gone from icy winds to mild days. I had a day of arthritis dominating.

It is pretty common to want to be respected for having all your marbles, there can be govt over-regulation. I am sure your local pharmacy know and respect you.

I am more appreciative of the positives of govt regulation otherwise things in my life would have been a great deal worse. SO in many ways I am a child of the welfare state, though I have silently cursed excess bureacracy. I have not worked in govt for 30 years and respect creative innovation and private effort but have known too many who have been trying to diddle the state out of some social contribution.

Re uni ed vs school of life. I dont see it as an either or. I have benefitted from both, but not till late enough to have been buffetted by a lot of better heeled educated and uneducated people.

I did not smoke any green at uni either. I was passed all that stuff as I was 23 when I started uni and juggling babies when I finished. I was after knowledge, learning and ideas, been there, done that with the other.

HI @outlander @Shaz51 @Former-Member

Hi @Appleblossom

Thanks for bringing me up to date with all the info on the Inquest and other issues of the time -

I get it that you and your brother did not know your surviving sister's coldness and rigidity stemmed from her being traumatised also - maybe mine suffered as I did and maybe lost who she might have become because she lived her life being someone else - thanks for that data - I will think about it and bear it in life for my family

And your sister got the best offered by the family and goverment from the available resources - interesting that - perhaps we who battle get tough - we have survived - something has to have worked for us somewhere - sometime

And you are right - I am sure people want to be recognized as having all their marbles even if they actually don't I seem to be running into a stage where people let it slip that my silver hair and strong glasses mean that I will lock myself out of the house if they don't remind me about my keys - I do have to admit I am getting irritable about it - but the lesson for me is that I am allowed to be irritable -

I don't count sheep if I can't sleep - I count prime numbers - 2017 is a prime number - okay - I looked that up on the internet

We have icy wind here in Melbourne and my back and knees ache - I seem to be getting irritable with my cat because she keeps wanting to go in or out and this is rare for me to be itchy about the cat, Enough about my back - no doubt it will ease up with the warmer weather even if we do have to wait until March

I think you and I were in the system at the same time although I was older - one reason things were tightened up was because I stirred the pot a lot after my son died - things were terrible before that - I am learning to let go

About the Government though - many things are changing and I have been affected by a lot of it and there is more to come - I don't think it's appropriate to bring it up in this forum but let's say I have not come through unscathed - also - when it comes to Home and Personal Care things are changing a great deal - the agency who looks after my affairs in this area is supportive but no one can say how people in my position - that is living alone and wanting to continue here as long as I live - will be affected by coming changes.

So having been questioned about my medication has made me uneasy. In 1996 it was decided by the Health Department that people with severe chronic pain be allowed the appropriate medication to give us quality of life - and for a time this was not a problem

However along with other things this is not something I can relax about - and I get tense about it - not at the moment but when I have to see my pain specialist I get edgy. I have had my medication cut by my specialist and I have cut back a lot myself but it is never enough and naturally - like anyone I guess - I wonder where it will go -

Let's leave that there

I went to University when my kids were 8 and 10. Many women were returning to their education at that time - whether it was more then or now I don't know. I certainly took in what was being taught - and more - but I learned a lot of other stuff and well - and graduated when I was 50

But when I think back across my life - since I was small I have asked questions that have been hard for other people to answer and had to find the truth for myself; I am still learning - and there is one question I am asked still - even now I am past retiring age

"I" am so highly qualified - why am "I" not working?

Actually I have worked hard all of my life - it just happens that I haven't always been paid for what I do

Ah - since I have been writing with the hot back behind me and the computer on my lap I am warming up for the first time today

And yes - there are people who think it's okay to diddle the welfare state - and that has to be tough because really the welfare is not enough -

I wish you the best Apple -

Dec

Glad you are warming up for the day. I was cold inside, but been out, bussing around and wind swept.

Its fascinating how easy things can be lost in conversation or posting. ..

I knew my sister had a couple of odd experiences but it was mild, and I was very protective of her and kept my heart open to her til I was well past 40. I was 11 when she was born. She could not open her mind to how my other sister and brother (and I but I had not even gone there) had been traumatised. She demonised him but he had been a great photographer and chauffeur for her. We all cared for her as baby and young child.

Yes the working thing. I have been posting and talking about different kinds of work a lot. Like you I am active and been trying to turn attitudes around about paid and unpaid work, there are honorarium payments etc., usually my unpaid work is skilled.

My son just went out and remembered his jacket at the last minute. I am glad he is out walking.