Thursday, 25 June 2022

Money, Money, Money

Image: coins and pills. text: Chronic illness lesson: A diagnosis doesn't mean you're automatically getting better. It means you're going to spend a lot of money on things you wish you didn't need.

My little granddaughter has just discovered money.

She just got a little purse, and her mother and I searched our own purses for 50c pieces (being big enough that a toddler can't swallow them) and found seven of them for her.

For days, she's been getting out her purse and asking for people to count her "monies" for her.

I'm fairly sure no-one else could feel as rich with $3.50 as she does.

I've been thinking a bit about money these days, money and how it relates to chronic illness.

It's not just how it affects me, but others with chronic illness as well.

Being sick costs money.  Even here in Australia, where we have Medicare, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and Health Care Cards provided by the government as safety nets for people with lower incomes, being sick is still expensive.   The more medications someone's on, the worse it is.

A lot of our disposable income gets disposed into the healthcare industry.  That often leaves people short in other areas.

At the same time, many of us can't work, or can only work part-time, so incomes are low.

One of the fastest growing groups of homeless in Australia is middle-aged women, and a number are homeless partly because of the cost of managing chronic illness.  (There's also an issue with rents being unmanageable.)

Lately, I've been more and more aware of things I wish I had money for.  There's a couple of modifications I'd make to my home to make things easier.  But there's also lots of other things, I've noticed.

You see, my network of friends, and social media friends, includes an increasing number of people with chronic illnesses.

I know some people who can't afford their medications, and it breaks my heart I don't have money to help out.

Someone else I know urgently needs some home repairs.

Others are struggling to raise young children on their own, while coping with illness.

These things aren't my problem. Not really.  And none of these people have asked for my help. But now that I at last have what I actually need (if not everything I would like to have), it really bothers me how many other people still don't have that much.

Money could never solve everything.  What we really most need is a cure.  I know that. But I still wish I could help with these obvious and important needs I see everyday.






1 comment:

  1. What a beautiful and heartbreaking post. I completely understand and I too, wish that I had excessive financials to help out my other friends with lupus and other autoimmune disorders. However, it is not even geared toward them - I wish I could also help the homeless, the lower income, just really - anybody who needs it. However, the little things we can do... that does not cost money, but just intent and energy, are always going to be well received and appreciated.

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