Victorian lockdown – it’s been intense. I live in regional Victoria where restrictions have been easier to manage. I’m a (relatively) free birdy albeit disconnected from the city.

Melbourne people and the place itself is still a part of both mine and Theo’s life – not to mention a huge part of our new gallery business which exhibits the works of mostly Melbourne artists and welcomes mostly Melbourne patrons.

I’m furious with this ongoing separation. I find myself about to utter the words, ‘Come on Dan!!!’ (Premier of Victoria) when I recall on my personal experience.

I’ve gotten up on my feet only to find myself back down again a few thousand times in the past 13 years.

I use my personal chronic health issue to try and understand the management of COVID-19.

As mentioned in a few COVID-19 related blogs, there are similarities with chronic illness in the way the virus attacks a human. Qualities like its invisibility, the way it can affect life, the way it has affected livelihoods and the ongoing power over humans are all mountains I’ve had to get over.

And over… and over. And will have to continue to get over.

So I close my mouth again and hold a specific few words in mind to keep me going.

Protectometer. Dims. Sims.

Do you recall me writing about Dims Sims? I was living with Dims and Sims far before Pain Revolution produced their Protectometer. But I couldn’t recognise formerly that I was doing that exactly.

Reading about this pain management approach clarified my lifestyle. The measuring, the weighing up of activity and sacrifices, the value of every movement and decision I made had all been correlated into Dims and Sims. I also learned about a backpack and its valuable contents.

In simplistic terms, the fuller the backpack, the more ammunition I have and the better position I’ll be in to manage life and my illness.

If I apply the learnings to COVID-19 then the better position people can possibly be in regarding infections, the better position they’ll be in to combat their health and their life (and their livelihoods!) as long as COVID-19 is around.

I aim to have a full backpack at all times but I’ve also learned that this is often not possible and at times the 100% full backpack comes at a cost. The cost is measured against the sacrifices one has to make and continue making.

How long do we stay at home? How long can we go without working?

The balancing act of chronic health issues is really tricky. And you can never get it perfectly correct and nor is it possible to please everyone (or explain it!).

The most serious realisation is that no matter what decisions are made in the management of serious health issues, there will be sacrifice, hardship and pain.

It’s what happens when dealing with a beast.