Oregano

Everybody will eventually get to know the story of cancer - either yourself, or someone close to you.

The words of Before Cancer, such as chemo, radio, MRI, good/bad days are familiar to everyone.

What isn’t conveyed within these words is the brutality of the disease.

The public face and instagram pictures are hopeful, longing, happy-sad half-smiles for the camera.

Words spoken to enquiring friends and relatives are optimistic.

"We are Fine"....

......

No, we are not fine. Not really.

There is a fearsome mathematical certainty to the process.

The fight occurs on a multitude of fronts. Emotional, existential, familial, budgetary. Everything is affected. It isn't just a disease of the body, it's a destroyer of plans, ambitions, jobs and budgets.

Long cancer, such as what Karen has - an evil brain tumour with the fearsome name of Oligoastrocytoma, type 2 - is a thing that robs a person of dignity, the ability to self-provide, speak, use their arms, walk.

One cannot work. If you are unfortunate enough to have a brain tumour early, which many people do, the opportunity to build life's buffer of savings, super and assets... the things we do for the Rainy Days...simply doesn't occur. There is no insurance cover. There are no part time jobs. There isn't a juicy and generous superannuation payout and life-long benefits.

Only the mathematical certainty of unalleviated poverty.

Cancer doesn't kill everyone in 6 weeks. That would be a kindness.

There is a disability pension of $876 a fortnight. When one is relentlessly sick, their partner may also choose to help you. Sometimes it isn't a choice: there is another $876 a fortnight in a carer pension.

Take from this $500 a week for rent. $200 a week for food. $50 for electricity and gas. We'd all agree this is a rather sensible budget.

That's $126 a week left over for any insurances (do I joke?), fuel for the car (can't we catch a bus to chemo?), repairs (who needs tyres or an oil change?), do we need a mobile phone? What's the chemist's bill? Internet (hahaha!). Buy a book?

It's all luxuries right?

If one tries to live on these finite amounts, it can be done for a few weeks, maybe a few months... but years?

Years are where clothes wear out. Shoes need replacing. Spices in the cupboard are depleted.

One is left agonising over whether to buy fucking Oregano this week - is it in the budget?

It breaks you.

......

"We are Fine"....

No, we are not fine. Not really.

.......

Karen and I were introduced to Rise Above by the incredible people at the Canberra Cancer Clinic at Woden.

We have had a rough time. We are good people. We are honest, friendly, trustworthy and kind. One can hold out a long time, but we'd hit a low point - hard.

The generous charity of Rise Above provides us with an extra $200 each month. We are 5 months in.

The support package is designed to last about 12 months.

The difference this small amount makes is simply incalculable. It is astounding how a small amount can make such an enormous difference. It's $50 in fuel for the car.

I kid you not - It's Oregano.