When There Is No Doctor

Cypress Nemeton has a fantastic post up about "a guide to providing healthcare in situations where there is no access to hospitals, clinics, or doctors," called Where There Is No Doctor. The post notes that, "It’s advice is intended for healthcare workers in third-world countries, but is useful to anyone who wants some practical how-to advice on long term care at home or in the wilderness.

This site has a link to the entire book in electronic format." Here's the introduction to the chapter on Family Planning: "Some mothers and fathers want a lot of children—especially in countries where poor people are denied a fair share of land, resources, and social benefits. This is because children help with work and provide care for their parents in old age. In such areas, having just a few children may be a privilege only wealthier people can afford.

The situation is different in poor countries where resources and benefits are fairly distributed. Where employment, housing, and health care are guaranteed and where women have equal opportunities for education and jobs, people usually choose to have smaller families. This is in part because they do not need to depend on their children for economic security. In any society, parents have a right to make their own decision about how many children to have, and when to have them. "

Given how difficult it's becoming for many people in America to access healthcare, this resource guide could be very valuable. Printed out and laminated, it could be a great resource for schools, stadia, and other places that are going to be increasingly used as shelter when extreme weather, gratis global warming, hits.

We were having a discussion last night over at Eschation about people unable to afford $140/month medications prescribed by their doctor while living on Social Security. Until we get the same sort of healthcare that Canada, Australia, Spain, and Sweden, for example, we need to take care of ourselves. I know I sound like an old, crazy, 1970s feminist, but that's only because that's what I am. But we can set up collectives to care for many of our physical needs without doctors.

When I think about thriving, as I am this year, I realize more and more how true something that Thorn Coyle once said is. We are EMBODIED souls. Our experience here is that of embodied consciousness. We have to care for our bodies in order to thrive. Even When There Is No Doctor.