by Nina Crumpton – PDA Associate Director (NSW)
As someone living with Primary Progressive MS and Bronchiectasis, (lung disease), I am someone who could very well be classified as High Risk were I to contract this infection. This fact has caused me to consider what that could really mean for me over the course of the weeks and months to come.
I could die. That is the harsh reality, my reality. That thought alone could be enough to induce fear and paralyzing anxiety in me. I have read media reports that if it came down to a choice between my life and that of an able bodied person in ICU, I may draw the short straw and lose the lottery of life which is a terrifying prospect.
Knowing this, I have chosen to regulate my emotions and remain calm and rational and to employ logic not fear. I have chosen to plan and prepare as best I can for any eventuality that may arise. I have also chosen to only control the things I can and to let the rest go.
As the saying goes, “Stay Calm and Carry On!!
I am indeed fortunate in many ways. I have secure employment in a job I love and I am able to now work from home. I have a secure home and a good support system. I have no personal/household debt which is very comforting in these challenging times.
The NDIS has allowed me to have the supports I need to live an ordinary life and I wouldn’t be who I am without that framework around me. It has given me the ability to work, study, access the community and travel. My life has opened up in so many amazing ways so when the pandemic hit, I made a conscious decision not to reduce supports but to modify the delivery of the supports in a way that would still support my mental and physical health.
I am now only leaving the house to exercise and for essential medical appointments really. I choose to minimise my risk of infection in this way and to be honest, I am really enjoying the quieter pace of life. I am reading books, taking my dogs on leisurely walks and napping every day. I have no hurry to rejoin the rat race of life and I am actively questioning if that is even necessary at all.
Is this a fundamental shift in the way we live or a temporary pause before we once again are infected with the disease of busyness?
Stay safe, wash your hands and be kind xx
Totally agree !!!