Just a happy Kiwis thoughts


(New Zealand)

Happy because there is no other option if you want to survive a disability and getting older. I may be a bit weird but I would rather laugh than cry so I enjoy what life offers.

America has Medi Care, we in New Zealand have what they call the Social Wellfare Dpt who pay the benefits to anybody with a disability or out of work and all thats stuff. There are complaints as I am sure there is with Medicare but we all get on and live our lifes best we can.

So whats my story? Just told it I guess.

Lets tell you about a regular day in the life of a happy kiwi, this one anyway -

The day starts with a visit by somebody from Nurse Maude who deliver my daily pills, heart pills, and other stuff all designed to keep me alive and out of hospital.

New Zealand has had free hospitals for many years but due to the demands by the nurses for more and more pay, the government pushed back and started sacking nurses. They were replaced with home care options were people were cared for by Nurse Maude staff in there homes and were given pills to keep them alive.

This works fine but people miss the easy acess to free hospitals were they were fed and rested and a hospital stay was considered a reprieve from the demands of life (a mini holiday and get visited by thier friends and rellys and get thier sympathy and cared for by pretty young nurses).

Now you are more likely to be acessed and given the option of being placed in a rest home or go home and get home care - most people take the home care option. There is a stigma attached to having to live in a rest home and most people choose the home care option.

Comments for Just a happy Kiwis thoughts

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Just another bit more of me
by: Ewan/ChCh/New Zealand

Hullo Wendy and Nina and everybody else,

Just been down to the chemist to get my daily Warfarin Pill's, everything went as planned but It was an effort to do it and thinking of how much longer I can do this, The chemist will send his boy around if I can't get in.

I have Remitting/Relapsing MS so my energy levels are all over the place, but I am setup for the long in my little one bedroom council unit, The place I live is owned by the council and they keep the rents affordable and an its a easy place to live, full of people on Pills to them alive or sane enough for the comunity but as people they sometimes choice not take them and go nuts, the pill takeing is a voluntery thing, but nobody gets too hurt.

It all comes out in the wash and we live to battle another day, see Ya
Bladder Tumour
by: Ewan Elliott/ChCh

The hospital tells gave me a brouchure and did an operation, on my Bladder to remove a Tumour, can't remember asking whether it was High grade or Low grade - It is a Tumour - what else do you need to know should ask whether they removed it sucessfully.

My sister is going on the cancer trail as well - she was diagnosed with cancer and is freaking out and has called all her friends and daughters in to offer her support - and they are doing so.

I haven't bothered to tell her about mine, she has enough things to worry about - my support system is picking up tablets from the chemist and Nurse Maude, and the local hospital if needed - they are putting me in for 4 days next week strangely looking forward to it - The three meals a day will be a bit novel.
Another week another change
by: Ewan/ChCh/New Zealand

Not sure when I replyed last time but time moves on And I was sen by the pre admission people in hospital and will be admitted for surgery on Monday - The chemist has taken my off Wolfarine (Blood thinners) because I am going in for an operation and they don't want me bleeding to death on the operateing table, were they wil do some work on my bladder - theres a cancerous growth in there they want to take it out - such fun
See Ya
Hullo Nina in England
by: Ewan/New Zealand

Hullo Nina, Just got a phone call from my older sister who is driveing trucks in Australia and she has just been admitted to hospital with a brain injury all very mysterious but life go's on, But there is nothing I can do- here firm is looking out for her and her grown up daughters are around soalls as well as it can be - and how are you? doing well I hope. Ill sign off now, Bye.
Winter time bites hard
by: A Happy Kiwi/NZ

No Snow in the city yet, we very rarely get any major snow falls in the the city, frosts (icy frosting on the ground) followed by warmish Blue Sky Day's, we are at sea level nearly, but the mountains are pumping with the ski crowds,

My health is pretty static, I walk down to the chemist every day and get given about 20 odd pills to keep me going, The doctor, takes a blood test ever couple of weeks that is checked out and the results passed to the chemist who makes up the pills, and there's about 20 a day.

No hospital visits just pills, that combat any thing that the blood tests find, and this works fine and keep our hospitals clear, and the Nurses who were sacked happy in there forced retirement,

I did like to see a ward full of nurses in there crisp white uniforms, thou. But no more, there unions shot them in the feet as they demanded more and more money. Unions are good if needed but, life has moved on from when they were needed to wield such a heavy hand.

But bye for now, til next time, See Ya.
A Day in the Life Of Me
by: Ewan Elliott/Christchurch,New Zealand

Well a night really,of pain and discomfort. There was drama, phone calls made, long loo sitting as I struggled with what to do - finally I rang Nurse Maude for help, they came and flushed things, pumped things in and flushed it out, Every thing seemed to be okay - the pain disapeared for a few hours and then it cam back with a vengeance, the nite dragged on in pain, I rang again - help - I said - they came again this time it worked.

So between Nurse Maude and the Chemist it all worked out, The day was all good and walk to the local coffee shop was planned, (hope my bowells behave them selves) they did and had a Tim Tam and a coffee - back for tea and a nite of TV
bye for now
Just a rave
by: Ewan/New Zealand

Things are fine here in NZ for me at the moment, I don't have many demands on my life or I don't expect much from it I have reunited myself with my older sister who I hadn't seen or had contact with since teenage years were we both sought our own paths. After a career in the army for years Jane is now driveing trucks for a big Australian firm and these are big trucks that carry up to 80 tons from a huge whole in the ground to the surface and now we email regularly and this is good, Jane has reinserted herself into my family and as the Aunty which she is to my off spring this is good, my daughter has a solid person she can call on if she needs to, me am I a solid person? well I was married by 18, we seperated in ours early 20's and have not been around to bring her up - we now email or should I say I email her - Christine never reply's but Jane tells me she reads them and enjoys getting them - but as a disabled guy with a minimal income I may not be the best person to call on if she needed help so its good that my sister is happy to there if needed.
Hullo Nina in England
by: Ewan/New Zealand

Hi, I have been watching a program recently called "A Day In the NHS" and it is set in a hospital and shows all the people they handle.

Ewan
A bit more of me
by: Ewa/ChCh, NZ

Well got my $20,00 of groceries and went back down to what they "The Edgware Village" and bought some Vegs, Good old Chinese grocery's sell good stuff/Veges etc

Now home watching "Emerdale Farm" good bit of British TV.

See You all.
Here we go again
by: Ewan/ChCh/New Zealand

Well its Monday and my Home Help picked me up and took me grocery shopping - A $20.00 spend, Wow enough for a few days and I will walk down later and get some more.

My Home help makes the bed up, does the dishes and other house hold drama stuff but not today, its a pretty relaxed thing, Steve will come back off and on thru out the week and complete his task, works out for both of us, normally a Nurse Maude home help would come and do a set number of hours and go to the next person on his list, but we have worked out we both have different needs and he goes off and serves other much older people who need more help, and just live my life.

I enjoy being a bachlor, love being alone, with the easy access to support if I need it. so it all works out.
Hulo Nina from London
by: Ewan/ChCh-NZ

I watched a documentary about the British health system - or a day in a London Hospital and they raved about the free health system. I am sure its wonderfull.

Our own was designed from the same mold but now not as free as it used to be.

My Nurse Maude woman had to ring an ambulance for the other day and guess what? it arrived free and efficient as usual and the hospital was free for emergencys, so we are sort of free, and still very efficient... bye.
Life goes on
by: Ewan/ChCh-NZ

I got 3 days in hospital getting pilled and fed before the reality of our hospital over crowding and our ever dwindling health system reared its head in the form of an overly aggressive orderly who came in slapped the discharge papers on my bed and saying "You have been discharged now get out - now, we need the bed."

Still happy but I was looking forward to tea and watching the Wide screen TV in my private room a little while longer but out I went, into the cold blustery day and walked home.
Whats going on now
by: A Happy Kiwi/New Zealand

The government is well aware that the days are running out on our "She'll, be right mate, attitude towards NZ's looming short fall of Tax dollars to pay the benefits/pensions and free health care that we have been so used to getting, so they have allowed the Asians in and the Indians.

So more and more young hard working/tax paying Asians and Indians, are being allowed to immigrate long term, and get New Zealand Citizenship's.

So what made America strong, a vibrant group, a very large group, of people determined to make America their new home at all cost's, is sort of happening here I think, note that is my humble opinion, but I see more and more ethnic groups entering New Zealand and they are not on short term visitors permits, they are here to stay long term.

The NZ immigration Dpt makes them live outside of our major city's for 6 month's before they are allowed to live where they want, this is done in an effort to distribute the new migrants around, in the hope that they will find their own level.

What happened of course after the 6 months all the young people flocked to Auckland our largest city, for the work and play.

But they are here paying taxes - we call them New Kiwis. but as most of them speak English and are well educated and we will probably inter marry amongst us, they will be Kiwis as we are in a very few short years if not allready.

Thats my opinion anyway.
Just me
by: Just a happy kiwi

Your comments are well founded Sir, but as I am in my late 50's I can well remember when doctors would send their patients into hospital for a bit of minor surgery or whatever and a REST, which did as much good as the surgery in some cases - and I can still remember clearly the rattle of the tea trolley as the staff brought the tea trolley round for morning and afternoon tea and biccys - we never knew we had it so good, but NO more, now we get a daily visit from a Nurse Maude nurse at home, if needed and an instruction booklet about what to do in emergencies and told to pic up the pill pac from the chemists, which would have been by a nurse in hospital after doing what they would call "A pill run" were the nurses would go down the ward dropping of the correct pills to each patient
Parallel universe??
by: Anonymous
About the R@R comment
by: A Still Happy Kiwi

Hullo Anonymous

The reason I wrote what I wrote is that my doctor who sees me regularly made the comment that he might send me to hospital for a rest

There is no cure for MS and it will probably get worse than it is now the doctor gets to see the slow decline and he was doing what he could, and at that time the hospitals were full of nurses, who the government sacked after constant attempts to get more money

And to the English woman - I understand the Chunell is full of trucks who have people cling to them trying to get into England and gain work or on the benefit

New Zealand is just out of the way for Boat People to land but Australia gets them all the time

But it shows how desperate people are to have a life

Bye for now
Its not what it used to be
by: A Still Happy Kiwi

Hullo Wendy, you run an excellent site - you have the same name as a wife I split with years ago but that is neither here nor there.

My daily visit by the Nurse Maude people has been canned and replaced with pills I have to take every day - they ran out last week and within days I was in pain from a blocked catheter and was hospital bound, but they don't let you in to hospital I was seen by nurses and a doctor in an alcove set aside for daily visits and the doctor did some magic down there and the pee flowed in buckets and the pain left hooray, and was told to go home, and drink as much water as I could.

No suggestion of staying over nite and getting a free meal and a warm bed - I have to get weekly blood tests - these are anylysed by the chemist and he prescribes the pills I take every day - after comeing home the head nurse within Nurse Maude called around at home and wanted to know whey her team of nurses hadn't picked this up.

But it was Christmas time and it just slipped by I guess but all things worked out and I am home and taking the pills every day

Bye Wendy

WENDY: It sounds like you've got a good attitude about all you are going through.

Not the life you had hoped to live at this point, but glad to see you out here, communicating with others, helping as you can.

Kudos to you!
A Still Happy Kiwi (from New Zealand)
by: Ewan

Hullo All and all that stuff, thanks for your comments etc.

Our much vaunted Social Wellfare System is taking a hammering, but there are encourageing words spoken by the Leaders that give me confidence that the Free Social Wellfare we all love will continue for the foreseeable future although that comes side by side with a currently good and groweing economy - we do pretty well for a small country, and if this continues we are in a good position.

But and its a BIG But because of our geographic size and population we have to allways be constanyly reinventing ourselves and what we produce to sell to the World - and with China buying up huge areas of New Zealand we will probabble become one huge marcket garden with a few sheep to mow the grass.
Happy British thoughts
by: Nina from London

Hello,

Although there are some blips with the National Health Service I am very glad that in the UK we have it. My surprise when I moved to London from New Jersey was that I could go to the doctor and not pay. Getting an operation in an NHS hospital near me is good.

Certainly there are those that take advantage... don't pay in to the National Insurance but it was started after the war so that people would all have a chance to get medical care. Things have changed today and it is more expensive to run each year.

Some people come to England (Health Care Migrants) just to take advantage. The government is trying to stop this. However, it is great!
More Of Me
by: A Happy Kiwi

Hullo all, I am well aware that the clock is ticking on our cradle to grave wellfare system I just hope that it lasts a few more years and I can grow older and die in peace.

I am also very lucky that my condition isn't so bad or as bad as it could be - I have a case of mild - remitting Mult-ple Schlerosis and bad spelling, but what can I say? that I want to be worse?

No, how about it rules my little life and are very thankfull for the beny and assistance I get from Nurse Maude every day for the brief time they are in my home, whats the lyric "Be Happy" because no one else will do it for you.

Bye all and Wendy

Wendy: Its great to hear from someone who is just happy with life as it comes, and grateful to those who help out! Best Wishes, Kiwi!
Parallel universe??
by: Anonymous

The NZ that Happy Kiwi writes about seems to be rather different from the one I know. Trotting off to hospital for a bit of R & R - really? Just so the rellies could vist? Who would have thought that the Welfare services could be so kind and thoughtful - must have been a l-o-n-g time ago.

Yes there is cradle to the grave welfare here but there are some families that have never worked for 4 or 5 generations so the pot could be running a bit short sometime soon.

But I'm sure Nurse Maude will keep Happy Kiwi able to claim his 'bene' for a few years yet. Nice for some, eh?
Remain a "happy Kiwi"
by: Diana

It is my hope that I can remain at home for a long time to come. Nursing homes in the US are less than desirable and are very expensive.

A senior who needs some help but is otherwise functional can remain in their own home at half the cost of nursing home costs in the US. If I can write checks on time, prepare a grocery list for meals for several days, prepare the food, order needed things, know what day, date, year and hour it is, I can stay home with no problem.

Abuse and neglect of patients is widespread in nursing facilities in the US. Some of the aides who provide in-home help are the same. They often do both in-home care in the mornings, then work afternoon shift at a nursing facility.

Stealing is big with aides. Keep your eyes on them every minute. Verbal and physical abuse occurs too often and these need to be reported. Do not be afraid to report it. You will prevent the pervert from abusing someone else. They should definitely not be a care giver.

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