Category Archives: Activism and Agitation

If I can’t have My Reproductive Rights, then it’s not My Revolution.

Activism and Agitation

Post-Exertional Symptom Exacerbation and Long Covid

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https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/post-exertional-malaise-fatiguing-diseases-what-know-avoid-2024a1000ot1?form=fpf

Post-Exertional Symptom Exacerbation is horrid, conventional ‘wisdom’ says that after you have been ill, part of the ‘road to recovery’ is exercise, to Re condition your body, muscles, lungs ect.
Post-Exertional Symptom Exacerbation means that exercise where you push to expand your limits, makes you worse.
It will empty your energy Tank, cause a crash so you ended up in bed for 1 to 2 days, & it can take a week or so to recover to where you were. Sometimes you won’t recover to where you were, it can shrink your tank further each time you have a crash.

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Post-Exertional Symptom Exacerbation with #LongCovid means that trying to Push through, is damaging, in the short term & the long term. It’s not just via exercise, using up all your energy in a day doing too many things can also cause a crash.
Which can be an involuntarily nap, & spending the next day in bed.
You end up having to count & calculate the energy cost of everything.

Having to unexpectedly stand for 20mins+ can throw everything off.
Constantly having to stop and sit, so you don’t ‘over do it’ is frustrating. It is more manageable at home, but when out & about it can make you anxious.

Also weather is a factor, cold weather makes the energy tank more sluggish, like a car with a dodgy battery.
It harder to get going, & keeping warm helps, so thermal underwear, even at home. Leaving the house just isn’t an option. Post-Exertional Symptom Exacerbation with #LongCovid is so very life limiting.

Event running was one of my favorite hobbies, from staffing community events to being on the committees of such events.
4 day weekend of 16 hour days on my feet, doing all of the things, was the best fun. Which just is not possible for me now due to #longcovid
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Between Post-Exertional Symptom Exacerbation, cognitive fog, & chronic pain, I can’t even do committee work. I am no longer reliable, when it comes to getting tasks done or being at meetings.
So all the activism stuff which brought me so much joy & purpose, I can’t do it.

#LongCovid has robbed me of so much over the last 4 years.
My career, my hobbies, my activism, relationships, my independence. I don’t even have, half the life, I had before.
Everything has to be planned, spontaneous things have to be refused.And another infection will make things worse.
I had a 2nd and it did make my #longcovid worse.

So I still mask, I avoid non ventilated spaces, crowded places.
Attending any event is taking a risk, even if I don’t get covid again,
any viral infection has a horrid impact, or I might over do it & have a crash. #LongCovid has pretty much forced me to be a home body even more than having kids.

But sure my blood work and labs look mostly normal, ‘with in tolerance’ & I don’t look sick or in any way disabled.
And as consultants run out of things to try cos ‘covid is a new & novel virus’ it’s now Psychology & Psychotherapy referrals.

To look at managing the depression & anxiety which is either part of the effects the covid virus has on the brain, (the virus is in all our organs) or due to how life limiting #LongCovid is.

There are days I happy to be alive, to be able to read my comics, enjoy good cup of coffee & be able to make my friends laugh.
There are days where I am miserable as I will never spend the day hiking, or climbing a mountain, or be able to do a March for Choice,
or even clean the damn house. I have had to hire a cleaner.

I have alerts for research & developments for #LongCovid, I am in support groups. But not enough is being done globally, & the HSE is doing sod all.

There are no treatments for the over all condition, bar few very experimental & expensive private ones, in other countries.
And the HSE always wait until treatments are absolutely proven to work for a majority, & at a price point that fits their budget.
So we get desperate & people start trying all manner of supplements & OTC stuff, alt therapies hoping & praying for an improvement.

Because not having any hope will kill you.
And the HSE seems to be where hope goes to die for those of us who have #LongCovid

One group of medical health professionals who were well ahead of the curve, have been physiotherapists.
But too many drs and consultants, still are recommending graded exercise which is damaging to those of use with Post-Exertional Symptom Exacerbation. A good resource on this can be found here

https://longcovid.physio/post-exertional-symptom-exacerbation

The whole site is full of useful information for those of us having to learn to live with and manage Long Covid.

https://longcovid.physio/long-covid-video-series/common-symptoms

Activism and Agitation

InternationaI Men’s Day 2024

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InternationaI Men’s Day 2024

“To create loving men, we must love males. Loving maleness is different from praising and rewarding males for living up to sexist-defined notions of male identity. Caring about men because of what they do for us is not the same as loving males for simply being. When we love maleness, we extend our love whether males are performing or not. Performance is different from simply being. In patriarchal culture males are not allowed simply to be who they are and to glory in their unique identity. Their value is always determined by what they do. In an anti-patriarchal culture males do not have to prove their value and worth. They know from birth that simply being gives them value, the right to be cherished and loved”

bell hooks

Activism and Agitation, Life, The Wanton Witch

Grief and Long Covid

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One of the saddest things about being in #LongCovid support groups, is new people who join who have gotten the condition in the last 6-9months, hopefully looking for a cure or treatment to get back to living their life.

They are frequently shocked to find there are no treatment protocols for #LongCovid approved by the HSE. All the clinics do is offer referrals to treat post covid consultations & symptoms.
We don’t even have the basics the NHS has about trying antihistamines.

When all the post covid conditions have been catalogued, & somewhat medicated, there is nothing for the crippling fatigue & brain fog.  For for the condition of #LongCovid it’s self.

None of the research being done in other countries about MCAS or microclots or viral debris, has been accepted here.
So they then want to know what supplements people are on or have tired, as Dr’s won’t talk abut or recommend them.

But while some of them may help, a small bit, none of them touch the chronic nature for #LongCovid

The latest thing we are now being told is, that our immune system is not behaving cos we are stressed, to quit #LongCovid support groups & try just to get on with our lives.

To be mindful, & work to get our parasympathetic nervous system to chill. So pretty much blaming us for our condition.

There are also people who are confused & then angry that they have gotten #LongCovid when they have been vaccinated, and if there is a vaccine, why isn’t there effective treatment.

They go through the entire cycle of grief. Which I know I am still in about how #LongCovid as restricted my life. I cant work, I have chronic pain, chronic fatigue, 7 new medical conditions I am on medications for and cost me a significant romantic relationship.

I understand their hope, hurt, disappointment and anger.

We need better led #LongCovid clinics, many infectious disease consultants do not want to be dealing with Long Covid.

And the HSE has to stop looking for the lowest cost ‘treatment’ for #LongCovid and the Dept of Social welfare keep not approving people for invalidity or disability payments.

Every time you get covid there is an increased risk you will develop #LongCovid even if vaccinated, many people new to the support groups were completely unaware of this & feel public health messaging let them down.

We are being ignored, written off, blamed, and gaslight about having the chronic condition with is #LongCovid.

At least 1 was 45 when I got it 3 years ago, I had lived some what of my life, unlike those in their 20s and the kids who have #LongCovid.
Right I am off to take my evening meds and extra pain killers cos this weather makes both the chronic pain and chronic fatigue harder to deal with.

Activism and Agitation

Breaking Barriers!

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Breaking Barriers is the theme for the Abortion Rights Campaign 10th Annual March for Choice; which will be a static demo due to Covid.

The Demo is taking place on Kildare Street and speakers will be:

People are still having to travel to get the Health Care they need. The promises made to introduce proper sex education, safe zone and free contraception have not been kept. We have come a long way over the last 10 years but there is much work to do.

Activism and Agitation

Long Covid

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I still can’t have a shower without my heart having episode. It was 122 beats per minute when I first but the oximeter on. Poxy covid, 4 Months on & I am still a wreck.

Blood oxygen and heart rate.

And this is with me being on medication to lower my blood pressure. But sure the MRI and contrast scan say there is nothing physically wrong with my heart and vessels. And my blood work comes back normal. So no one fecking knows.

I had what was considered a mild to moderate case of covid infection. Wasn’t hospitalised, didn’t need oxygen. But I still get sore lungs, am on steroid inhaler but again, x-ray and MRI say my lungs are normal. How out of breath I get says otherwise.

And recently I have added my fingers to the places I get painful joint ache. Yes I am having a whinge, it’s been 4 months of no real answers, treatments which only make things sort of bearable, and on going fatigue.

And no idea when things will get properly better, I keep hearing 3 months things might improve, then 9 months. It would be nice to have a poxy shower and not need to rest for an hour after. Yeah I’m angry, so please #wearamask#StayAtHome you do not want this.

I was a fairly fit and active 45 year old. Zero cardiac issues or episodes. Zero respiratory issues bar hay-fever. Zero issues with inflammation of tissues or joints. My life has ground to a stand still, with long covid, or post covid viral syndrome.

Please just hang in there and follow the guidelines, the vaccine roll out has started. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. Please Keep yer distance. #wearamask#StayAtHome

Activism and Agitation

Gender Recognition Act and those who are 16.

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This is a really good read on the issues with the Gender Recognition Act as it stands in relation to those aged 16 to 18.

https://www.irishlegal.com/article/stephen-kirwan-pitfalls-and-uncertainties-in-ireland-s-gender-recognition-laws

The current #GRA does allow for those who are 16+ to apply, but there are considerable hurdles.

What if the person who is 16+ is estranged from their parents?

What if they have the support of their parents, but can not afford to pay privately for the consultation and paperwork?

It means we have in place laws which say a person aged 16+ can consent to medical procedures and see medical professionals with out parent/guardian permission, but can’t apply for the #GRA

Why is #GRA important for a person who is 16+? I’ve had people say sure they can just wait until they are 18. Well firstly 16 is when we sit our first state exams, it is when our legal and public Id which we will use for our professional life starts.

It is just not possible to have your leaving cert results issued under a different name at a later date. Also for people are in non gender mixed schools, it’s frankly hellish and if the only other local option is also non mixed, school policy often won’t allow a transfer.

If 16+ were allowed to self ID the same way as 18+ are, then it removed the barriers which can take over 2 years anyway. It means they can sort out all the paper work to live authentically as themselves, and not have to always explain.

A person does not have to undergo surgery or hormones to apply for their gender to be acknowledges by the State under the #GRA
16+ plus can already legally consent to any surgery or treatment currently in our healthcare system, if they meet the criteria for it. Extending the #GRA to allow them to self ID will not change that.

What it will do is frankly save lives and save the quality of someones life. Given the high rate of young trans people ending their lives and the impact tranphobia can have on a person’s mental health, extending the #GRA fully to 16+ can only be a good thing.

What it will allow is for those who are 16+ to wear the school uniform which aligns with thier gender, where a school has gendered uniform policies. #GRA

Another failing of the #GRA is that it is very Binary. It does not take into account people who are #NonBinary, #Agender or #GenderFuild. Trans people are expected to fit into a very binary system of gender conformity and gender expression.

This mean that these trans people are left with out legal recognition under #GRA and often access to services. The trans healthcare we have also is stuck in this binary mode and those who discover they are non binary are considered to have dropped out or failed to transition.

Which means they don’t have access to the medication which adjusts their body to what is optimal for them. They face hurdles when it comes to work and don’t have the support they need. #GRA should include #NonBinary people and those who are 16+

I do my best to be an Ally, I am cis and I have trans people in my life. If you are a cis person who has genuine question, I am happy to answer them the best I can.

Activism and Agitation

Age of Consent in Ireland

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Ireland’s Age of Consent does need to be reviewed along with the standardization of sexual health and sexuality education in our secondary schools.

Ireland’s #AgeOfConsent is out of step with other EU countries. ageofconsent.net .We do have somethings right, that there is no difference in the #AgeOfConsent for homosexual and hetrosexual sex.
17 is too old as an #AgeOfConsent, in my opinion, it should be 16. We how ever should have age bands, as some countries do, a close in age exemption, which are often refereed to as a Romeo and Juliet clause. Ireland does not have one.
Maturity is many faceted, and young people mature physically, mentally and emotionally at different rates. Which is why it is an impossible bench mark to set, but in setting #AgeOfConsent too high we ostracise teenagers. We put in place barriers, which prevent them from getting the information and services they need to keep themselves safe and make better choices.

Ireland is still dealing with the hangover of the Roman Catholic Church being the moral authority. We have shaken it off in many ways but it still remains in our education and healthcare.

In lowering the #AgeOfConsent we are facing the reality that many teens are sexually active at that age and we remove the stigma. However I am in favour of having an age band, so that it would be still illegal for those over 20 to have sex with a 16 year old.
Lowering the #AgeOfConsent would not be about giving free reign to pederasts.

I know many people are not comfortable with the idea of their 16 to 20 year old who still lives at home having sex. But they will, and if you ignore it, you make it harder for them to get help when they need it.

Ireland does not have an #AgeOfConsent close age exemption. ageofconsent.net/world/ireland
To have a law on our books which means two 16year old can both be done for statutory rape if they have sex is absurd. Which is why our #AgeOfConsent needs to be revised and looking at revising the #AgeOfConsent is something a Minister for Children should be looking at as well as a proper national age appropriate sexual health education for all children.

 

When something is criminalised it causes all sorts of stigma and other issues, so young people hide it and so don’t access services or get the help they may need.

Resource links:
https://b4udecide.ie/
https://spunout.ie/

https://www.healthpromotion.ie/publication/fullListing?category=Sexual+Health&searchHSE=

https://www.scarleteen.com/

Activism and Agitation

On Not having a Degree

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Plenty of people never finish the degree they enroll in for a whole range of reasons. That does NOT mean they are lesser or not capable or qualified in other ways.

Undergrad degrees are about learning certain concepts and theories, how to think using them and cite in a certain way and research. All of which can be done outside of 3rd level or as part of attending 3rd level, but not finishing.

Not having a degree is not a moral, ethical or personal failing.

A Degree has become a filter, same as the leaving cert used to be. Most of what you do in level entry jobs, you don’t use your degree at all, or need a degree to do. I often see many excellent people who are older, who don’t have a degree who are experts in what they do, who are blocked from working in orgs who’d be lucky to have them due to the requirement to have a degree.

The whole ‘drop out’ ‘doesn’t even have a degree’ is elitist, gate keeping, and snide when a person moved on and done the learning curve in their chose career. When it is done to people in the media, and repeated by people it effects people who are in the same situation. It makes people feel lesser even with then being awesome people and being good at the work they do.

A degree can be a social class barrier as many from working class backgrounds can simply not afford the ‘registration’ fees or the cost of living while in full time education. Either their parents can’t afford to help them or their parents are not in their life. That a person has to be 23 to be considered financially independent of their parents for grant purposes is absurd.

3rd level learning often does not suit people who are nonneurotypical (ADHD, ASD ect). With some undergrad courses having filler modules, or forced team projects, or just being not structured enough.

There are so many ways a passionate person can self educate themselves outside of a degree and they will continue to do so, which is honestly what is the ideal. It is what professional development plans are.

The best coder/hackers I know, never finished or enrolled in a degree. Same with some of the best communication and social media managers, who were early adopters.

If a hr/recruiter filters out based on having a degree, with out actually looking at the whole of an application or C.V. then they are doing it wrong imho.

Yes, I still have to finish my Degree, a Family issue and mental health issue means I have exam and essay outstanding. That is part of my plan for 2021.

But I also have a huge amount of experience with website management, social media management, press experience, training, running campaigns, team building and event management at local, national and international level, which no degree can give.

The idea that a person can have 5 years experience which so many jobs look for, but are then ruled out for not having a degree, any degree, is ludicrous.

Activism and Agitation

No Going Back

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Updated!

NO Going Back!

Our post #Repeal legislation will be up for review and possibly changing, we can not have agents of the State who will restrict and refuse our human rights.

Dear @greenparty_ie WTAF

This legislation needs to be improved as couples dealing with TFMR Ireland are still denied healthcare here.

The 72hour waiting time is not legally or medically needed, it is a restriction which needs to go.

With it looking like a FF/FG+ ind coalition I was already concerned about the review of this legislation.

We will have to keep reminding TDs and political party that ProChoice Ireland has not gone back to sleep.

Activism and Agitation, Uncategorized

There are Meetings if you Need one.

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These are trying times.

This post is not about the AA and if it’s effective, it is a gentle reminder to those who use that system, that they are putting in place measures and to contact them.

gso@alcoholicsanonymous.ie

Mobile Number for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing only: 087-1460387

The AlAnon helpline is still open also.

Helpline (01) 8732699 (10 am – 10 pm every day)
email info@alanon.ie

Narcotics Anon is moving to online meetings:
https://www.na-ireland.org/covid-19/

Gamblers Anon has also moved to online meetings.
https://www.gamblersanonymous.ie/meetings

www.lifering.ie are peer support with a different those to AA and they also have online meetings.

Aware also have a range of supports.
https://www.aware.ie/

Support Line if you are concerned about your mood or the mood of a loved one (1800 80 48 48, 7 days a week, 10am-10pm)
Support Mail if you are concerned about your mood or the mood of a loved one (supportmail@aware.ie contact anytime and expect a response within 24 hours)