I had it all planned – I was going to take you somewhere interesting today – a little look around the bits of Highclere that you may not know (there is more to us than a Castle!). But a combination of extremely wet and windy weather, a well-intentioned digging over of some very flinty parts of the garden and a resultant inflammation of a nerve in my neck (nothing serious - I've done it before, stupidly! - it just gives me a rotten headache for a day or three), has meant that instead of trotting round the village, I'm laying here at 9:00 o'clock in the evening, In bed and propped up with pillows like a scene from Traviata! But I will not be downhearted – there is still a blog to be had and a comment to be made on the reality of my day today!
My reality at this moment is actually one of gratitude, for the fact that a simple medication with as huge effect can be had here in the UK for next to nothing; both the packs of painkillers in the image above are available for less than one UK pound - each pack containing 16 doses of medication. We can buy them over the counter; They are accessible on the supermarket shelves - and we take this so much for granted that it's not even a matter of thought.
But when I *do* think about it, I realise how fortunate I am to be able to take away pain for pennies. That privilege is not granted to everyone. Of course, more complex medications are more expensive, but even so, with our imperfect but ever present National Health Service, nobody here need ever worry about being unable to afford essential medications; by and large, even those costing many hundreds of pounds per course of treatment will be provided on prescription For less than 10 UK pounds per item. (Under 18 and Over 60 – Free).
Over the course of the time that I have inhabited the Internet (over 25 years now), I have known friends in other countries (particularly in the USA), who have been in despair about how to afford the cost of essential treatments. In one or two cases they really have had to make the choice between paying the rent, enough food, or buying the meds. I suppose I just want to lay down here an acknowledgement that I do not take my privilege for granted. At my age, I am extremely fortunate to only need to take one regular medication, to control my blood pressure, but I know that if I needed many more, they would be there for me and they would be free. Truly we are blessed here in the UK and hopefully, in time every person, everywhere, will have access to basic essential medical care, and along with that, freedom from worry
Journal prompt.
(N.B. - Since this is a very personal issue, remember to apply extreme self-care in what you choose to share in public. If you do wish to share anything here, you may wish to make it a general observation)
Describe in your Journal health care and/or medications that you need at this time in your life. Do you have free and easy access to them? If you do - how do you feel about this ? If you do not - how do you feel about that? What arrangements do you have to make to access what you need? How have these arrangements been different during the pandemic?
If you do not choose to access manufactured pharmaceuticals, do you utilise other forms of medication? Herbal treatments? Other complementary therapies? A combination? Do you have any treatments and/or remedies that have been handed down to you through family or friends? Tell the stories of the way that your predecessors dealt with their needs and how they differ from today.
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