Whooping Cough: A Plea to Protect Personal and Community Health
By Jari Smith
May 12, 2016
A bout of Whooping Cough can cost someone their life. Most instances of Whooping Cough result in lesser symptoms such as a cough, fatigue, or the inability to eat and it is easy to minimise these outcomes as they pale in death’s eye, however they are no treat to endure.
Sam Pinkerton, 42 experienced Whooping Cough last September at Newcastle, along with two of her children. The boys recovered soon after the treatment was given, but it was weeks before Sam was back to her old self. It was a lonely time, especially during the initial stages.
“The doctor told me to stay in isolation with my two sons for five days on antibiotics. But I was sick for a good two weeks and couldn’t leave the house then anyway”.
Fatigue hit Sam like a brick wall. Even seemingly simple and menial tasks exhausted her.
“I was exhausted just picking the boys up from school. I would drop them off, go to sleep, pick them up, go right back to sleep. I couldn’t do anything else for two to three weeks”.
The cough continued long after her fatigue ended, and it kept people away from her.
“People would stare at me in public. And I wasn’t contagious at that time, but they didn’t know that”.
She laughed and we discussed what each of us would do if we saw another person repeatedly coughing. Sam has an excellent sense of humour about her illness, and this is how she got through it. But she never wants to endure it again. And she hates the thought of anyone else going through what she did because they didn’t receive a vaccination.
Sam’s entire family received the Whooping Cough vaccination, except her. It wasn’t a deliberate choice to avoid the vaccination; she was simply a busy mother and wife. She hopes her situation convinces people to make vaccination a priority.
“I’ve been shouting from the rooftop for people to get a booster!”
Making the choice between vaccinating and not vaccinating can be daunting because outlandish claims take up the same amount of space on the internet as peer-reviewed scientific research.
So how does one find correct information? Dozens of independent studies have been published, abolishing links been vaccines and neurological disorders. And dozens more studies prove the extremely positive effects vaccines have for individuals and communities.
Pediatrics published a study earlier this year, testing the potential relationship of vaccination and deaths in the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD). The VSD is a collaborative project between the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Immunisation Safety Office and nine health organisations with the United States. The study found no correlation, let alone causal relationship between people who were vaccinated and died within 12 months of any of their vaccinations.
A study published in Australia comparing pregnant women who received or didn’t receive the flu vaccination with general infant health and stillbirths found that those who opted for the vaccination had less complications during pregnancy and had healthier babies overall. Stillbirth was 51 per cent less likely among vaccinated mothers versus unvaccinated mothers. The researcher noted that increased numbers of stillbirths follow influenza waves, and “the largest relative reduction in stillbirths was observed for births occurring just after the flu season”.
The vast majority of health professionals vouch for vaccine effectiveness. Associate Professor Brian Owler is the Australian Medical Association president. He states,
“Vaccination remains one of the most effective public health measures that we have. Whatever we can do to increase vaccination rates is important.”
Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley believes herd immunity is important in protecting society’s most vulnerable people.
“I believe most parents have genuine concerns about those who deliberately choose not to vaccinate their children and put the wider community at risk. Immunisations don't just protect your child, but others as well.”
The Australian government has taken to introducing a policy to encourage parents to vaccinate their children. Social Services Minister Christian Porter speaks of the policy.
“The no jab, no pay policy is a reasonable and lawful way to protect Australian children from the bad choices of a small minority acting completely contrary to best medical evidence.”
The policy is arguably too forceful, however it is being introduced because vaccination rates are lowering in Australia. The government and health professionals are arguing child health and safety should trump a parent’s right to choose.
Sam Pinkerton already knew the importance of vaccination and made sure everyone in her family was vaccinated. She is now more focused on also taking care of her own health. She is now completely healthy.
Growing up on a farm meant really knowing the value of hand grown food. And knowing what it meant to lose hand grown food.
Maddy Wallace, 18, grew up on a fruit farm in Mareeba that stretched 250 acres. Her parents grew seasonal fruit for large corporations such as Woolworths and Coles. Of course, the family also ate what they wanted of their crop so they always had the spoils of lychees and mangos. Neighbouring farms grew other fruit and vegetables, and if Maddy and her siblings wanted to eat these, they would help the farmers handpick vegetables that the large corporations deemed not aesthetic.
“I would go past a friend’s farm and they would be ploughing in pumpkins – good crops – because Woolworths didn’t accept them. It wasn’t financially plausible to handpick and sell. Woolworths sent out their own pickers, but if the crops weren’t good enough for some reason, they would leave without picking. And if it’s just a farmer, he can’t pick it by himself. So we were also allowed to pick as long as we wanted and take what we wanted.”
“I firmly believe in ‘farm to plate’. The companies don’t get that a lot of the produce they reject is good to eat. We appreciate every meal.”
Maddy’s family took pride in their work and this principle was instilled in her heart.
“Becoming a farmer is not a smart career choice. You do it to provide for your family, not to become rich.”
Agricultural workers are more than twice as likely to commit suicide than members of the general population. Although studies are not entirely conclusive, it is believed isolation and uncertainty of income are key causes.
The farming industry, along with the mining industry generates over 60 per cent of Queensland’s revenue. But government support for Australian farmers makes up just four per cent of farming income. Australian farmers are proud to be self-sufficient but when hard times hit farmers, they suffer greatly. The Australian climate can be unforgiving and one season of drought can mean the end of a farmer’s career.
Aside from the devastation of losing a lot of money when perfectly good crops are rejected, or from changing climates, another unforeseen circumstance would change Maddy and her family’s financial and personal situation.
Maddy’s next-door neighbour housed and rehabilitated Indigenous Australians whose lives were controlled by drugs or alcohol. The rural setting was perfect for outdoor activities such as hiking.
“My neighbours were wonderful. They just wanted to help people. But their security was shocking.”
In 2012, while Maddy and her family were away on holidays, a patient escaped the rehabilitation housing. He started a fire and it spread to the Wallace’s paddock. Suddenly 500 lychee trees were ablaze. Maddy remembered it vividly.
“We saw it on the news. That’s our house! Our farm.”
Firefighters were working tirelessly to ensure the family’s home didn’t become engulfed by the fire.
“Watching the news, we thought we were homeless.”
Maddy’s family didn’t know the full extent of the damage until they arrived home. They were relieved when they saw their intact house. But the farm was unrecognisable.
“That was $3 million.”
Maddy paused.
“If those lychees were our sole income, we would have been homeless. Mum almost wanted to just leave after that. If we were home, in the paddock, we wouldn’t be alive right now. It was lucky we were away on holidays.”
Maddy’s parents also owned a small landscaping business. They were not solely relying on income from the fruit farm. But Ian Wallace, Maddy’s dad says this financial hit made it impossible to ever sell seasonal fruit again.
“It takes a few years to get enough stock and put it in the ground. And you can wait years to see if it’s worth it. And you stick your neck out because there’s no income for all that time but you could win big in the end. It’s just a gamble. You can win big or lose a lot. And you can spend your whole life focusing on one strain. One type of lychee. And I’m nearly fifty now. I don’t have time to start all over again. And it’s not just my life, the whole family comes into it.”
Today, Maddy lives closer to Brisbane to pursue studies in journalism, majoring in agriculture and science. She wants to give farmers a voice. Her parents still live in Mareeba, their sole income now being the landscaping business. They have begun planting more fruit trees, but only for private use.
Maddy Wallace holding a photo of the remains of the family farms after the fire.
Last time I was at Brett and Amy Turner’s house, I walked into a lovely home. But it had a missing piece. A silent battle with infertility had shadowed the home. The four year struggle had taken a toll.
This visit today however, was filled with much joy. What was once a room that simply held unfolded clothes and spare suitcases is now meticulously set up as an adorable nursery. Their dream came true.
The nursery is ready for the arrival of Baby Turner.
Four long years of anxious waiting and invasive testing left Amy and Brett exhausted. There were times Amy couldn’t hold it together.
“I would say that every time I got my period I would have had some sort of mental breakdown about it.”
Going through IVF was not the couple’s initial plan.
Dr Nat Kringoudis, a natural fertility expert states that “IVF and IUI can be emotionally traumatic and costly procedures and should only be considered once all other options have been exhausted.”
Brett, 28 and Amy, 26 had exhausted all other avenues and were trying this as a last resort. From attempting to conceive naturally for a long time to having surgeries to scout potential problems, and hormone injections, the couple were growing tired. They tried Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), which is a simpler version of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF). It is much cheaper, but has a far lower success rate.
Many couples who struggle with infertility attempt IUI, and later IVF if the former was unsuccessful. Dr Peter Leung from IVF Australia strongly suggests consulting a specialist earlier rather than later.
“Often the woman’s age is the major determining factor for whether they are going to be successful achieving pregnancy. The couple may feel that mentally and physically they are young so they will try to attempt a natural pregnancy for a long period of time before they seek help. Often, however, this may place them in an area of disadvantage for achieving their pregnancy.”
After this long, the doctors still hadn’t found any biological problems with Brett or Amy, and the IUI hadn’t been successful.
It was a long battle. Brett is heavily involved in the local community and many people knew of the couple’s struggle. He felt in the spotlight.
“I think the hardest thing is that it’s a very private battle, but you fight it publicly.”
Brett said they considered pretending they weren’t trying to get pregnant, but their personal convictions helped them decide on transparency.
“I felt that it was necessary for us to be real about it. So that people that go through this can come and have somebody to lean on. Because there was nobody for us. There was nobody [we knew] who had gone through that or understood it to that length.”
It became apparent after two unsuccessful attempts at artificial insemination (IUI) that IVF was necessary. But the couple say it was all worth it because their baby is now due any day. Excitement has taken the place of despair. Their home is joyful and bright.
Walking into the nursery was a special experience. Amy was excited to show me the changes made to the room. The cot and change table were ready for their new arrival. An armchair sat in the corner, waiting for the days Amy could spend hours rocking their newborn.
Amy was also ready for the hospital visit. She showed me to the dining room.
“There’s the pram and my hospital bag,” she pointed. “It’s actually really real now.”
The car seat is ready to be used by Baby Turner.
Because the couple have waited so long for this baby, they wanted to make another special decision. They have decided not to find out the gender. Amy has been stronger in her conviction than Brett. She explains her reasons for waiting.
“I’ve always found it exciting when people don’t find out the gender of the baby. It always ends up being that extra bit exciting at the time of birth. Brett however, is very impatient.”
She stops to laugh.
“He really wanted to find out the sex, but I was adamant about not finding out. I think it just adds to the excitement of everything that we’ve gone through. It just makes it that extra bit special.”
The battle has been fought and won. Brett and Amy’s baby is due any day. I am incredibly excited to receive the promised phone call when this much awaited baby joins the world.
The Ipswich Show Society hosted another great show this year on May 15 - 17 [2015].
Approximately 23,000 people attended the show this year, an increase from last year.
This year’s show boasted a new dinosaur attraction, along with old time favourites such as the demolition derby and fireworks.
Mayor Paul Pisasale was very excited for the show.
“The Ipswich Show is the best show in Australia and it’s fantastic that residents and workers in Ipswich will have a day off to come down and experience the electric atmosphere and amazing attractions.”
“It’s show time!”
Cr Pisasale has been a long supporter of the show, along with other Ipswich councillors.
Residents of Ipswich appreciated the long weekend to enjoy the festival.
Rebeckah Lynam, 24, had the chance to attend the show.
“I went with [my husband] Gary and we had a great time. It was a really good excuse to just relax together and spend the day having fun.”
Dallas Smith, 22, also appreciated having time to attend the festival.
“I had fun this year. I often choose to go to the Ipswich Show instead of the Ekka every year because Ipswich is closer and half the price.”
An adult ticket to the Ekka this year will set a person back $30, with a family pass (two adults and two children) being $73.
An adult ticket to the Ipswich Show cost just $15, with a family pass (two adults, two children, AND one student) being $40.
The price difference between the two festivals has been the catalyst for many people opting to go to the Ipswich Show instead of the Ekka for a few years now.
Although the Ipswich Show is smaller, it still has enough attractions for families to enjoy a whole day out.
The ongoing dedication of the Ipswich Show society to host a show that is affordable to Ipswich families has ensured its continued and growing success.
The show did have time management problems, with the fireworks being delaying on the Friday evening.
Even with this small hiccup, the show was a huge hit with a lot of Ipswich residents.
The work never stops though, as the Ipswich Show Society has already begun its planning process for next year’s show.
Mayor Paul Pisasale introduced a new survey on 27th March this year [2015], allowing all Ipswich residents and workers to have their say on how Ipswich should move forward.
The information collected from the now concluded “Our Future Your Say” survey will assist in shaping the future direction of Ipswich, in conjunction with the Ipswich Community Plan i2031 – a long term plan aimed at implementing sustainable development across the city.
Mr Pisasale has conducted previous surveys for Ipswich residents, with the most recent one being held in 2006. He intends to continue this practice as he believes people are the most important part of any city, and he wants to actively seek out individual and community needs.
“What makes a strong city? People.”
In regards to having people of all ages and demographics complete the survey, the mayor stated,
“It’s my job to do what the community wants or what’s best for them … I don’t know how you’re supposed to do your job without information … You need to know the city they want in five years.”
Residents and workers in Ipswich were also asked what they thought of the survey. Most people gave very positive reviews.
Phoebe Manders, co-owner of Plume Hair at Ipswich said, “Small business needs the chance to grow in Ipswich, so I think this survey is important”.
Economic development and sustainability was of concern to a lot of people.
The survey has also opened up communication lines about other areas of opportunity in Ipswich such as public transport, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure.
While the registration process deterred a small subset of residents and workers, the mayor said it was necessary to ensure ongoing dialogue with the community about the results of the survey.
Although the survey is now closed, Mr Pisasale says, “It’s never too late to give me a great idea and to be involved in the running of a great city”.
A printable version of the survey can still be downloaded from the Ipswich City Council website, along with Mr Pisasale’s contact details for questions or suggestions regarding Ipswich’s long term growth.
“It’s a very private battle, but you fight it publicly.”
Amy Turner, 26 and her husband Brett, 28 have been trying to conceive a child for four years. They’re still waiting.
Walking in to Amy’s house was easy. The front door was wide open. It was clear she is someone who invites people easily in to her house and life. Before sitting down in the lounge room I could see a wall of photos carefully placed. Family is clearly important to her.
Although Amy sees her calling in life to be a mother, this is the very thing she and her husband are struggling with.
“This is what I want to do with my life. I want to have a family. I want to be a mum. And I just couldn’t get it. And that is heartbreaking. I think that’s why I’ve struggled so much. Because it’s the one thing that I wanted so badly and God is withholding it from me.”
While most infertility cases can be attributed to either partner, doctors cannot find why she can’t conceive. This is true for 10 percent of infertility cases. Most couples who seek IVF treatment have already tried everything else first and often feel thing are out of their control.
Doctor Mark Livingstone, a fertility specialist, aims to help these people.
“People are stressed because they can’t control what’s going to happen and make it definitely work. They’ve just got to hope for good luck that pregnancy will occur. I hope that I can help people through what is an arduous process sometimes.”
Amy’s husband Brett struggled with not being able to control the situation.
“There’s always that fear of, ‘Is it my fault?’” he said.
“In terms of my role as the male I would have liked to have been able to fix it.”
Amy’s four year struggle took a toll on her body as well as psychologically. She has had invasive operations, numerous tests, and countless injections. This also meant waiting for results. Just waiting for something to happen.
“We tried to fall pregnant for about 12 months and then went to see our GP, who then ran lots of blood tests. Did a scan of my uterus, did semen analysis tests. And from there we waited another six months because they said everything was normal.”
“And then I got an operation done to check my tubes. A laparoscopy. And then that came back normal so she said to wait another six months.”
Specialists in the field work with couples to find the best way for them to conceive safely. Fertility specialist Doctor John Elser aims to be very honest with his patients about their chances of fertility after treatment and what works best. But he also wants the couples to feel comfortable about the choices they are making.
“I can tell you honestly what your chances are with each option, but at the end of the day it’s got to be your choice. And whatever that is, I’ll get in behind you and give it my best shot.”
Because it was well known that Amy and Brett were trying to conceive, many people approached them. Amy struggled with the constant talk of her struggle.
“People ask me about it all the time. Don’t ask someone who's going through fertility issues if they're pregnant.”
“People that you see maybe once a week will say to you, ‘Oh, have you got any news yet? Are you pregnant yet?’ Don't ask me that. I'll let you know. And people just sort of hinting at it and you know it’s a guided question because of the way they say it. So you just have to skip around it.”
Although this has been an incredibly painful journey and he is one to keep things to himself, Brett didn’t want to hide their struggle.
“It’s a private battle, but you fight it publicly.”
“I’m very private and like to keep it in-house. I never want to be the person that only has drama.”
“But I thought that it was necessary to be real about it so that people that go through this can have somebody to lean on. Because there wasn’t anybody for us. There was nobody who had gone through that or who could understand it to that length.”
Amy and Brett both believe that God will provide them with a family. But this faith has not meant that it’s been an easy road. Amy talks about the first 12 months of this journey.
“I did get emotional, but I still trusted in God quite easily in that time. Faith has helped me stay focused on the fact that I know that I will eventually have a baby. That it won't always be this way.”
But after the initial 12 months, things started to become overwhelming.
“There’s a lot of waiting. It drives you a little insane. And then I just got into a routine where I just expected my period to come. And I think that became easier for me because having all this hope and trust in God that I would be pregnant every month was such a strain.”
“And there were periods of time where I didn’t talk to God because I was just really angry and Brett had to pull me out of that.”
While Brett supported Amy in her battles, he was also in a period of struggle that allowed him to grow.
“For me it was a very grey exercise in taking time to establish what I can and what I can’t change. And to become comfortable with what I can’t change. And leaving that to God.”
This is a daily burden for Brett and Amy, but their faith has been strengthened even in what seems to be their worst period. The couple’s bedroom wall has a display of baby pictures with verses and a baby’s outfit demonstrating their belief of God’s provision.
“I found a few of those verses and put them in front of pictures of babies and put them up on my wall. So I could look at them and remember that because often I forgot,” she said.
“And I guess the baby clothes were a similar sort of thing. It was like a faith present to ourselves. We actually only bought one outfit and that was very recent.”
Although Brett and Amy have been burdened with fertility issues for such a long time, they continue to trust God and hope that He will deliver a child.
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