Road Hazards

April 11, 2010
Eeeek…. I’m getting STREET-FEET. Living homeless takes a physical toll over time. There are many reasons for this, starting with simple wear and tear and going all the way up to a lack of equitable access to quality health care. For those of you who are still deluding yourselves… Canada’s healthcare system is seriously fucked up. Believe it or not, I (the most bleeding heart of all liberals) support the concept of private (two-tiered) health care. Let corporations build the private treatment and diagnostic centers. Allow those with the money to pay, go to these places if they wish. Right now those who can afford to, go to border states to receive private services. Provincial health care then pays or reimburses the allowable portion of the charges (what they would pay a Canadian hospital to do the same test/procedure). Under the Canadian two-tiered health care, this practice would stop, Government healthcare dollars would only go to the public healthcare system. This could represent significant saving to our strained government budgets. Also the private healthcare industry would alleviate strain on the system (waiting periods would shorten slightly). Private Clinics would generate tax revenue, add jobs, and in all likelihood share the use of state-of-the-art equipment with the public system when it is not in use. The private sector is always selfconscious about their public image (good press is better than expensive advertising). So let’s stop being smug about the concept of “universal” and embrace the idea of a future with something that might actually work.
WOW wasn’t expecting that… A.D.D. strikes again LOL. So… back to the issue of my street feet. Basically this is caused by callusing due to long hours, days, weeks wearing the same shoes. The thickened skin dries and cracks leaving lovely little crevasses where bacteria can gather. If you have ever seen the commercials for “Heeltastic” you know what I mean. Fortunately the SRO I am in has bath tubs, no showers. Personally I have always preferred to shower and was disappointed with the current arrangement. Now, of course, I can’t soak my feet enough, so bathing is the way to go. It is helping a little and when I am home for my visit next month. I will spend a lot of time getting my feet healed up before I return to the next leg of my journey.