Care
Society seeks to support some downtrodden people whilst ignoring others.
For example, the homeless are supported, at least, by the general public who try to save lives as our right wing "We serve those who get up in the morning" politicians try to kill them. I admire Irish people who do serve homeless people. I abhor the suffering caused by this FG government we now have.
Children are also well supported. I read a poll this morning. Should the under 12s get free GP services?
It wasn't...should old age pensioners get free GP care? (over 70's can avail of GP visit card, but not all GPs have signed up to this. if they haven't they need to change GP),
Compassion
It wasn't, either, a call for free GP services for disabled people or those with various illnesses...no it was FREE for largely WELL children.
Yesterday my GP said she would NOT take my bloods unless I paid 20euro.
I'm a medical card holder, I don't HAVE to pay. I'm not obliged to pay. I shouldn't have to pay. But according to her I did.
I refused. But her alternative for me, a woman of 64 with a RARE neuro-muscular degenerative disease, in a wheelchair, and feeling shite most days, was that I get myself to St Vincent's University Hospital , miles away, for bloods.
That entails me going down to my local train station, 15 minutes to get there. Travelling by DART train into St Vincent's - another half hour, waiting an hour or more in bloods Q, and then travelling back home again. It also might rain and in a wheelchair I'd get soaked.
I am very sick
I use a wheelchair
She had no qualms about this. None whatsoever. despite , as a medical card holder legally, I don't have to pay - she refused to take my bloods. That's a morally, ethical GP and sadly YOUNG. No moral compass at all.
Stuff medical card holders, stuff your miserly pension, stuff your disability, illness, age etc. If you don't pay you don't get bloods in MY GP surgery. You go somewhere else. Not my responsibility.
No money - no bloods - simple eh?
I was disheartened further by my Greystones community supporting the GP, not the older person asked to fork out 20euro despite being on a medical card. Despite being on a pension. Despite being very ill, and disabled.
No comments on asking the sick, older, disabled patient to travel miles on public transport to a hospital for something SHE should have had done in the GP surgery.
No, the comments ranged from "Why should the GP do bloods out of her own pocket" ( she'd have to pay for courier to transport the bloods - I agree largely - but I can't fix our medical system, and I should not be penalised for being a medical card holder).
"Why should they be free" (because they are supposed to be for medical card holders)
All seemed to feel the trip to St Vincent's perfectly ok. The absence of any comments about the patients dire situation spoke volumes. To them it was reasonable. Perfectly reasonable for a sick, older, disabled wheelchair user to go to DART and go miles for a blood test, whilst others with money can pay and get their bloods there and then.
But all commentators, as far as I know, were well, and generally well off , as is the demographic here in Greystones.
A town that is proud of itself and insular and well...not particularly socially aware of the less well off. Certainly hugely ignorant of issues around the elderly and disability.
So I feel very battered by yesterday. Battered by a GP, who young and just starting out, has a morality more akin to Trump in the USA or May in the UK and FG in Ireland, than any more socially aware and compassionate role model than THESE right wing individuals.
PAY - you miserable old, sick, disabled woman giving me grief - PAY!
it saddens me , it horrifies me, it is a state of mind that is killing any sense of social justice in Ireland.
Yes, Yesterday was painful. This country is NOT a country for sick, disabled, elderly people.
We don't count. We drain the 'people who get up in the morning' pockets.
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