You just have to laugh...

The other day (Friday) I gave evidence at yet another NSW Government Inquiry into the failing health system in our state. I was allowed 20mins and gave a pretty darn god account of what was done to Don inside that filthy cockroach ridden hell hole called Royal North Shore Hospital (its on the north shore of Sydney dahlings so it must be good!!! people used to think).

I'd spent many hours getting it all to flow but also because it was very graphic stuff when I read it out I was struggling to get through... but I did, minus the tissues so eagerly proffered when I had to stop for a moment... so at least I didn't snot all over the place if I had any snot left...



I listened to a couple of others do their bit, one particularly moving account by a young mum who's child is severely disabled, naso gastric drip etc etc with cerebral palsy and other things, who relayed that when she takes her son to hospital she is so afraid something will happen to him that she isn't game to leave him to get a cup of coffee or anything... because of nursing staff... since his birth he'd been hospitalised 50 times...poor family...

any how as I left I was stopped by a man at the door who asked me
"What profession have you?"Huh??? I hear you think...
Blithely I answered "The profession of life",
Not enough information dear sir?
"No what I meant was, your presentation (presentation???) was done so intelligently I just wondered what sort of profession you are in." he responded looking even more "Intelligent??" Jesus Mary and Joseph and begorrah... ah dearie dearie me.

"Well actually my only professional qualifications are from life." ses me thinking that had been a pretty tough and rigorous education which had set me up for what I had to face...
"And what profession are you?" I asked.. trying to look even more intelligent...
"I'm a psychiatrist." (shit shit shit...look normal....they now have your number you darn crazy).

Then after an interview with local TV who were very kind to me actually I went out in the car park and bawled my eyes out...sometimes little kindness unexpectedly given are what set you off crying if you are unprepared.

What still bemuses me is the attitude of such "professionals" that those of us with limited formal education are able to put anything beyond "The cat sat on the mat" together in a sentence, or have thoughts and the ability to work things out and turn the tables on them. That has them in a quandary.

I have had people say to me "you have a good mind, what a shame you didn't do something with it, like become a lawyer or something." and have no conception of their insult and their own lack of common sense and courtesy.

I have always thought that you cannot educate someone to have commonsense in a formal education setting like a university because by then they are developing the idea (not all) that they are some sort of elite, especially doctors and lawyers. But with such rigid selectively specialised education sometimes the commonsense they learned in the Profession of life is left on the door steps of their family home, when they head off to become a Professional.

I have heard more common sense from blog mates here that I hear from anywhere except for a few goodies I know... and we don't know or care what profession each of us is... it really doesn't matter. its for the chat, the exchange, the fun of it, learning new things, hearing stuff you would never hear about or see etc etc



Anyhow its April Fools day here and I am off the Sydney later today for my little demonstration outside Parliament house tomorrow. There will be four of us, and petitions which I have already posted. I will get to see our eldest daughter Melissa briefly and my eldest sister Veronica, also briefly... that will be nice.

I may have mentioned I have made 31 large posters (laminated matte so they can be photographed) and strung them together with small cable ties and these will stretch almost all the way along the front of the street outside the building. They won't look that impressive here because they are just photos of the originals ...here are just a few.

If I don't get arrested or shot (tee hee) I'll be back on Thursday.






















Thats five of them anyhow just hope they don't lose my suitcase on the plane now!