mEdicinAl

2008 wAs A bitch slAp Of A yEAr. yEs, it dElivErEd mE OnE stEp clOsEr tO sElf knOwlEdgE & sElf dEtErminAtiOn (And fOr thAt i'm grAtEfUl) bUt nOt withOUt A strUgglE.
hAvE yOU EvEr bEEn sick in AmEricA? hAvE yOU EvEr bEEn sick And UninsUrEd in AmEricA? i hAd hEArd thE hOrrOr stOriEs Of bAnkrUptcy, dEniAl Of prOpEr trEAtmEnt And cUrAblE illnEssEs gOing UndiAgnOsEd bEcAUsE pAtiEnts cAn't AffOrd bAsic hEAlth sErvicEs.
in fAct, i hAd jUst wAtchEd michAEl mOOrE's sickO thE wEEk bEfOrE my Own hEAlth lEt mE dOwn And i fOUnd mysElf At thE mErcy Of thE AmEricAn hEAlth cArE systEm. i UsE thAt tErm vEry lOOsEly As thErE wAs nOt A whOlE lOt Of cAring gOing On.
bUt this is nOt AbOUt thAt. this is AbOUt bUrmA, Or myAnmAr... dEpEnding whErE yOU stAnd. nOw whAt dOEs bUrmA hAvE tO dO with thE wAcknEss Of thE AmEricAn hEAlth (Un)cArE systEm??? this wEEk i schEdUlEd An AppOintmEnt with A lOcAl dOctOr. nOw thAt i Am bAck in AUstrAliA i Am cOvErEd by mEdicArE. frEE mEdicAl AttEntiOn, frEE diAgnOstics, frEE hOspitAls And virtUAlly frEE mEdicinE. this is whErE i intrOdUcE my fAvOUritE pErsOn Of thE wEEk... dr mOn tUt. dr tUt is A bUrmEsE ExpAt whO hAs livEd in AUstrAliA fOr thE lAst dEcAdE. hE spEciAlisEs in crisis cArE fOr rEfUgEEs And migrAnt hEAlth sErvicEs. hUmAnitAriAn in thE hOUsE!! sO i rOck Up tO mEEt dr mOn tUt with 8 yEArs wOrth Of AccUmUlAtEd hEAlth cOncErns. EvErything frOm EAr wAx tO kidnEys, thyrOid tO sUn spOts, irOn dEficiEncy tO nEUrObUggin. i jUst lAid it On him... pOOr gUy.
AftEr hAlf An hOUr Of cOnsUltAtiOn, prEliminAry tEsting And rEfErrAl drAfting i ExhAlEd... AUdibly. this is hEAlth cArE. i knEw i hAd fOUnd An Ally in dr mOn tUt. hE pAtiEntly listEnEd tO my gripE AbOUt thE dOdgy stAndArds Of US hEAlth cArE. hE EvEn OffErEd Up his Own AnEcdOtEs Of mEdicAl dEbAclEs thAt hE ExpEriEncEd whilE trAvElling in thE US with his fAmily. thE ExchAngE rEstOrEd my fAith in mOdErn mEdicinE. it AlsO mAdE mE cUriOUs AbOUt bUrmA.
OnE Of my fAvOUritE chEAp rEstAUrAnts in NY is villAgE mingAlA. thE dEliciOUs bUrmEsE fOOd thErE shOUld hAvE bEEn EnOUgh tO stir A dEEpEr cUriOUsity in mE AbOUt thE cUltUrE bEhind thE cUisinE. bUt if thAt didn't dO it mEEting dr tUt did!
sO it tUrns OUt bUrmA is kindA bUstEd pOliticAlly And EcOnOmicAlly. fOllOw thE link fOr All thE grimy dEtAils... plEAsE rEAd. bUt bUrmA is rich in tErms Of spiritUAlity And trAditiOnAl cUltUrE. And thAt's thE mOst impOrtAnt pOint i nEEd tO mAkE. wE, yOU And mE, nEEd tO gEt bAck On trAck. wE nEEd tO sEt OUr sitEs On things OthEr thAn wEAlth And pOwEr. wE nEEd A littlE mOrE sOUl.