#5SmartReads - July 14, 2022

Hitha on cricket scammers, superbugs, and what living with disabilities is like

July 14, 2022

Border security and immigration reform has been a significant agenda item for every President for the past few decades.

And while the Republicans and Democrats have different policy plans on securing the border, asylum, and immigration reform, I am impressed at this administration’s focus on immediate solutions (resettlement commitments while rebuilding our refugee processing program, reunification efforts, and hundreds of millions in humanitarian assistance), and their emphasis on solving the root cause of migration with the rest of the region.

This news is an example of that - committing to $1.5B in border infrastructure along with expanding its own migration programs.

That’s not to say that this is enough. With climate change and increasingly volatile leadership in so many countries, our world will only see refugees and migration increase. So while I can commend this as a start, I hope that we see the global community step up for humanity.

“My hope is that for other disabled people, you either learn some tips and tricks or feel seen, and for non-disabled people, that you realize how inaccessible so much of travel can be, and give disabled travelers a little grace.”

There are so many things I take for granted. The relative ease of traveling is one of those things, and I’m really grateful to my friend Heather for opening my eyes on what it’s like to travel while disabled (in Heather’s case, traveling with a power wheelchair).

May those of us who are non-disabled be more patient and compassionate when we travel, especially to our fellow travelers who have disabilities.

Please. Do. Not. Request. An. Antibiotic. Prescription. For. A. Viral. Infection.

Antibiotics are meant to treat bacterial infections, NOT viral infections. And when they’re administered to patients (either because a disease is so new that we offer the standard-of-care, or because a patient demands an antibiotic prescription from their physician or urgent care), they increase the risk of side effects and for drug-resistance to develop.

There isn’t a ton of money in antibiotics, which is why R&D of new ones has all but disappeared in recent years.

I know this is a terrifying read, but I hope this information helps you make safer health choices (asking questions if an infection is bacterial or viral, declining an antibiotic prescription if offered for a viral infection, and also staying home when you’re sick if you are able).

In “Hitha loves scammer shows and content”, this story takes the top spot of my favorite scam of

all time.

Century Hitters T20 is not an actual cricket league, but a fake one staged on a streaming YouTube channel to entice betters to bet on this tournament through a Telegram channel.

"I have never seen a scam like this. These guys just cleared a patch of land deep inside a village and began playing a match and beaming it on YouTube to make money through gambling. Even the local villagers were not aware of this. We know very little about the Russians who were putting bets on this game," Mr Rathod said.

And what about the audiences?

"There were no audiences!"

I’m going to need the miniseries or movie adaptation of this, please and thank you.

“[Nitika] Chopra is now on a different course of medication [instead of methotrexate] but the thought of chronically ill women being denied the treatment they need infuriates her. “We are feeling devastated and scared because we take these medications to give us the best chance at living a full life so that our illnesses do not hold us back and cause more harm to our bodies. These aren’t treatment plans that are fun, or easy; they are serious and we rely on them because we have to, so being told that we will not or might not get access to something that we need is an added stress that no one needs while already managing the stress of a health condition.””

I wish anti-choice advocates would take a moment to understand the impact of what abortion bans do in medical care - especially for those living with chronic illness.

The pursuit of protecting a clump of cells and electric impulse activity (not actually a heart) over the lives and health of those with uteruses is something I cannot get my head around, but it is why I’m vehemently pro-choice - I trust you to make the choice that’s best for you, but also recognize that each one of us should be able to make the choice that’s best for us.

And for those living with chronic disease, what medicine they take is not a choice but a need - a need that has been ripped away from some with little communication or input.

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