THAT BIG RESPONSIBILITY

I find myself, not for the first time, shouldering a huge responsibility.   I have to make Leaf’s decisions for him.  Thank goodness he and I have never shied away from uncomfortable life truths, particularly that we all have to die.  Obvious, I know, but it’s surprising how many people act as though they’re immortal, as if, somehow, it couldn’t happen to them.  Of course, they know it will, but they certainly don’t want to face the prospect or, for that matter, make some sensible provision for the problems that can come with old age.

Enduring Power of Attorney (Mandat de Protection Future), as I have stressed in posts past, is vital.  I am now discovering, so is a Living Will (Directives Anticipés).  I will just slip in here that I firmly also believe couples should both be totally aware of how their finances operate, how much is coming in each month, how much there is in savings (if any) what investments there are, insurances, household expenses etc.  That way, if one dies suddenly, the other knows what’s what and isn’t left totally in the dark.  We have probably all heard of couples where one (often the male) dies or disappears leaving the partner in complete ignorance of their financial situation.   Sorry, but it seemed relevant to digress.

Back to my responsibilies.  I am still waiting for an appointment with the urologist to decide what should be done to alleviate Leaf’s prostate problem so that the catheter can be dispensed with.  Well, after much thought, I had decided to press for a procedure rather than any kind of operation – I understand there is one to cut away parts of the prostate which sounds horrendous.  There are several types of procedure to widen the urethra opening (where the prostate has expanded to narrow it):  for instance, one is a sort of balloon inserted to ‘blow’ the opening apart, another involves staples!!! 

My problem, or so I thought, would be to (tactfully) steer the urologist towards a procedure should he or she be pressing to operate.  Luckily Leaf has taken that out of my hands.  In his Living Will, he has refused any kind of operation.  What a relief, thanks darling.  I have, of course, researched the effect a general anaesthetic might have on a demented brain and the possibility of worsening the condition is very real.  

The ‘choice’ has been taken out of my hands but not another pressing matter.

A couple of days ago I received a ‘reminder’ to Leaf to have this year’s flu jab!!!  Seems very odd in the year of Covid, but anyway.  We have never had flu jabs and I have to make this clear to the hospital in case their nurses are jollying around with syringes in the dementia unit.  Quite possible.  

Am I brave enough to go further into the contentious subject of vaccinations? I have touched on it before but here am including more detail.  I simply don’t care if there are those who don’t like it.  Even if the Internet is becoming increasingly censored, I still believe in Free Speech and it is up to each and every one of us to consider all sides of a question before forming and declaring an opinion – especially one that does not invite discussion or debate.  (Note:  I have often thought a proper debating society could be an interesting addition to ex-pat activity)

In the US, in 1986, vaccine producers were relieved of any liability in the event of adverse effects of their products.  Why did they do this?  Quite simply because the cost of paying out compensation was so astronomically high that it was becoming uneconomical to continue to manufacture.  Dear me!  

Nowadays countries have a variety of compensation schemes such as this scheme in the UK. Just how far do they think this paltry amount will go? Scandalous. In the States the National Vaccine Injury Board has to date, paid out in excess of $4 billion. (As a matter of interest, here is a chart to indicate the number of vaccines children are obliged to have in France! The UK seems not to have made them mandatory)

In these days of Covid, the vaccine issue comes up in nearly every mainstream media report.  Humans are now being officially categorised:  Pro-Vaccine, Anti-Vaccine and Vaccine-Hesitant. The Pros are no problem, they will eagerly take whatever is on offer, no questions asked.  The Antis are classed as monstrous and the Hesitants have spawned a growing number of studies in universities, primarily, to come up with methods of persuasion using any psychological attack in the book from guilt to downright blackmail.   But what about the Antis?  

Of those that I have come across, either online or in person, they all have one thing in common – they ask questions, such as:

Has the vaccine:

• been adequately tested to be as safe as can reasonably be expected?

• what kind of testing was involved – independent/double-blind/triple-blind…

•… on animals and humans? 

• how effective is it likely to be?

• will it be the same strength for all age groups? *

• what are the adjuvants? (please note this is a slow loader)

• what are the adjuvants for?

• how many jabs would be needed and over what period of time?

Some people might say that we cannot possibly expect to get answers to these questions.  Response:  try doing some research.  The answers are virtually all on the Internet for those who bother to look for them – although in the case of Covid most of the answers are, as yet, either negative or not known!  

As to the ‘annual’ flu jabs, we could ask the same questions and get some more encouraging responses although since we are told each year’s flu virus is different, I simply don’t understand how the makers can anticipate them!!!  

There are many more questions to be asked about the Covid vaccine – rushed through at ‘Warp Speed’.  This is not encouraging, in the past, we have been led to believe that new vaccines need at least five years of testing, more like ten and, even then, we won’t know the long-term effects. Of course, many of us won’t live long enough to find out. As a matter of interest to older readers:

 The most vulnerable age group, the elderly, are particularly tricky to vaccinate. This is a very comprehensive and readable article from the jolly old Beeb.

So to call those who ask perfectly reasonable questions, Anti-Vaxxers, is not accurate.  If the answers to the questions are acceptable, then I’m pretty sure, most would be happy to be considered Pro.  

At this stage, neither Leaf nor I want to subject our bodies to being inoculated. We know that we might have to be prepared to lose the privileges that having an Immunity Passport (soon to be issued with the Covid vaccination and, in due course, other vaccines) will apparently bestow.  We have travelled all we wish to, we can live without visiting public places – museums, galleries, concerts and some restaurants, for example – and if we’re told we can’t go shopping, then we will ask kind friends to help out.  We have lived full and interesting lives and wish to proceed to our respective deathbeds with our beliefs intact. 

Of course if, in due course, all the questions are satisfactorily answered and we’re still alive, then we will consider being vaccinated. 

If anyone thinks what I have to say smacks of conspiracy theory then, again, I would suggest they do their own research.  It’s easy, just pop the key words into Ecosia (the search engine that plants trees) and select appropriate sites.  As James Corbett of The Corbett Report, and many other alternative investigative journalists would say ‘Don’t take my word for it, DO YOUR OWN research.’

So tomorrow I will, once again, be contacting the gerontologist to tell her that I do not wish Leaf to receive any vaccination without INFORMED CONSENT.  And there we have it in those two vital words.  

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