well now...time for a whinge...

So lets get this out in the open.
I have multiple sclerosis.
I was diagnosed earlier this year and have this year alone had 4 attacks. The average number of attacks in this country is about 0.7 a year...so its safe to say its been a shitty year for me.
MS isnt a painful condition but it is very unnerving. I tend to lose the feeling in my legs for months at a time. Not to a point where I cannot walk but I have very little to no sensation in the skin on the lower half of my body.
This does have its advantages tho.
I do quite a bit of trail building out in the Riverhead forest and it is quite badly overrun with gorse...(my main whinge is how the English bought it here in the 1800s)...so walking up the trails to get to the dig site has no real effect on me. The other builders are usually complaining about how painful it is and how annoying it is. I dont feel it so in that regard its pretty awesome.
HOWEVER...it also means I cant feel the pedals under my feet when Im out riding and I cant feel the seat between my thighs so cant grip it and this is less than ideal!
I dont like to think I let it slow me down though but sometimes it is quite frustrating.
But my main gripe about MS and New Zealand in general is that this is the only developed/Western country in the world that doesnt subsidise MS medication for all sufferers. Only those sufferers that are actually disabled get the funding...this is annoying as Id love to just lead a normal life without fear of tripping over my own feet when walking...and forget about running...thats just being reckless on my part!
For me to get the meds that would reduce my chances of an attack it would currently cost me from $15,000 and as much as $30,000 A YEAR! Now I dont know about you but I work my arse off to pay my way through this life and I sure dont have 15 grand just lying round!
Now we have just had the National Elections in this country...(yesterday to be precise)...and nowhere was anything about subsidising medications for those in need mentioned. If it had been then I would have actually bothered to enroll and vote...NOW DONT HATE ON ME cos I didnt vote...I dont complain about the govt because even if I did it wouldnt change anything and if I voted chances are my voice would go unnoticed and I accept that.
What does bother me though is how things like this just get swept aside for things that are more "in vogue" at the time...like asset sales.

Now im starting to lose my train of thought here so Im gonna end this rant. I have said my peace and that is all there is to it.

So to end I will say this...

If by any chance John Key reads this...have a heart bro...do something right and how about subsidising the meds that I and numerous other people need. Look after the population of the country before you look after yourself.
If you do as I request/ask...I promise I will vote for you next time round.

Shot bro!