Well, the Manitoba government is at it again, bless them. If you had any worries that your tax dollars were being used for crazy things like infrastructure or eliminating child poverty, I’m here to tell you to relax. No worries. Status quo is being maintained. You can rest easy in the knowledge that in between letting our lakes go to hell in a hand basket and ignoring social woes, your government is fighting hard to ensure the cultural refinement of some of our society’s most neglected members. Who’s that, you say? Underprivileged kids? The elderly? Those skaters down at the Forks? Nope. It’s the whales. Yes, the whales are happy and frankly, as a middle-class working mother of three who can’t afford a mortgage, a vehicle or to retire before the age of 95, isn’t that what should concern me most?
What whales, you ask? Why, those darling belugas in Hudson’s Bay, of course! They’re being treated to a concert series care of a group of artistes whose work was paid for in part by a grant from the Manitoba Arts Council. Which is to say: yours truly and all of you other tax-paying Manitobans. Yes, it soothes my soul to know that there are folks in our fair province who are able to entertain large mammals with their musical stylings while I’m holding down the fort back here in a little place I like to call “Reality”. The icing on the cake? Knowing I get to pay for their dream to come true. Awesome!
Funny, but when I have a dream, I don’t ask others to fund it. One of my dreams is to own a house (wingnut that I am), but I don’t know of any group that I can go to and say “Hey! Give me money...for free!” No, either I save up the money myself or I go to a bank, where you need to have money in order for them to give you any. Sort of like someone who’ll only lend you an umbrella when it’s not raining.
You know what group I’d like to see get handed money? How about one that’s devoted to helping women suffering from post-partum depression? I wouldn’t mind my tax dollars going towards a crisis intervention team or respite care or a halfway house. How about, instead of concertos for our fishy friends, our pals in government fork out a little cashish for that? I’ll tell you, THAT would tickle me pink.
In a recent interview published in the Free Press, Health Minister Theresa Oswald said that “…it doesn't appear that there was any deviation from [the] standard supports (for women with symptoms of postpartum depression) in [the Lisa Gibson] case." (Sidebar: For those of you who don't know, Lisa Gibson was a mother suffering from PPD who drowned her two children, aged three months and two years before drowning herself in the Red River.)
Really? Tell me, Ms Oswald, 'cause I'd love to know: what the hell ARE the standard supports for women suffering with PPD? Calling the Healthlinks number and telling them you’re trying to figure out the best way to tie a noose? Sitting for hours in the local hospital emerg sobbing uncontrollably while everybody else looks at you like “Why are you HERE?” Going to see your doctor, getting a prescription for anti-depressants and white-knuckling it for another month while the drugs start to kick in? Saddling your mother or mother-in-law or some other lucky soul with the task of babysitting you and your kids to make sure no one ends up dead? If Lisa Gibson was given the “standard supports” that are on offer here in Manitoba, then I guess they didn’t work, considering her family is currently preparing for three funerals.
In a recent interview published in the Free Press, Health Minister Theresa Oswald said that “…it doesn't appear that there was any deviation from [the] standard supports (for women with symptoms of postpartum depression) in [the Lisa Gibson] case." (Sidebar: For those of you who don't know, Lisa Gibson was a mother suffering from PPD who drowned her two children, aged three months and two years before drowning herself in the Red River.)
Really? Tell me, Ms Oswald, 'cause I'd love to know: what the hell ARE the standard supports for women suffering with PPD? Calling the Healthlinks number and telling them you’re trying to figure out the best way to tie a noose? Sitting for hours in the local hospital emerg sobbing uncontrollably while everybody else looks at you like “Why are you HERE?” Going to see your doctor, getting a prescription for anti-depressants and white-knuckling it for another month while the drugs start to kick in? Saddling your mother or mother-in-law or some other lucky soul with the task of babysitting you and your kids to make sure no one ends up dead? If Lisa Gibson was given the “standard supports” that are on offer here in Manitoba, then I guess they didn’t work, considering her family is currently preparing for three funerals.
Frankly, having been in a similar situation (suicidal and contemplating infanticide) fourteen years ago, I have yet to hear about any effective “standard supports” for women here with severe PPD. Let me be clear: Support groups are very useful, but that can't be the only resource. As far as I’m concerned the “standard support” should be a mental health centre located in a hospital, staffed with professionals who understand PPD and other forms of mental illness and can offer some tangible assistance. I believe that women with PPD should not have to search through websites trying to find support groups. They should not have to hope that their husband or someone else can stay home with them while they “ride out” their symptoms. Even more crucial, they should not be responsible for tiny, defenseless human beings, no matter what others may say or think.
I'm always amazed at how much pressure women put on themselves to do what society deems acceptable for them, rather than doing what they know in their gut is right for their particular situation. For example: How many men do you know would undergo surgery without benefit of anesthetic or any pain medication? Right. Then why in God's name is it such a point of pride for so many women to give birth that way? I realize that some parents are concerned that medication may be potentially harmful to their newborn, and they certainly are entitled to do what they think is right. But don't tell me I'm the only one who has heard a new mom talk proudly about how she gave birth without taking any drugs, like that suffering made her a better person. So it goes with PPD.
As long as PPD is not given the attention it deserves, women will continue to "put on a happy face" and suffer in silence, either unaware that what they are going through is a legitimate illness or unwilling to admit they are struggling for fear of censure. In an era where acceptance and tolerance for those outside society's so-called "norm" are becoming more common, it's heartbreaking to think that women facing PPD are still (seemingly) living in the Dark Ages. I'd like to think that as a society, we could put as much effort into helping these women as we do for other groups.
I bet the whales would agree.
I'm always amazed at how much pressure women put on themselves to do what society deems acceptable for them, rather than doing what they know in their gut is right for their particular situation. For example: How many men do you know would undergo surgery without benefit of anesthetic or any pain medication? Right. Then why in God's name is it such a point of pride for so many women to give birth that way? I realize that some parents are concerned that medication may be potentially harmful to their newborn, and they certainly are entitled to do what they think is right. But don't tell me I'm the only one who has heard a new mom talk proudly about how she gave birth without taking any drugs, like that suffering made her a better person. So it goes with PPD.
As long as PPD is not given the attention it deserves, women will continue to "put on a happy face" and suffer in silence, either unaware that what they are going through is a legitimate illness or unwilling to admit they are struggling for fear of censure. In an era where acceptance and tolerance for those outside society's so-called "norm" are becoming more common, it's heartbreaking to think that women facing PPD are still (seemingly) living in the Dark Ages. I'd like to think that as a society, we could put as much effort into helping these women as we do for other groups.
I bet the whales would agree.
