Dirty shirts, no shoes and runny noses

I still can't get my head around the poverty and related illness I'm witnessing. The squallor in which some of my patients live in and how they present to the clinic is mind-boggling. Many haven't washed or changed clothes for days. Few are very happy and most have been through horrendous ordeals of alcohol-related violence and mistreatment. They live on top of one another in the small government supplied housing - 8-10 people in a 3 bedroom house. STDs are rampant, worms and parasitic infections epidemic, and chronic diseases like diabetes, renal failure, rheumatic heart disease almost the norm rather than the exception. Some patients actually live in the bush with addresses like "the big tree, Alice Springs" or "Long grass / Salt bush..." the list goes on. If they are kicked out of their community for whatever reason, they migrate to Alice and essentially camp out along the river or in the parks waiting for their government handout to have a party and continue day to day. The gap between your middle-class Australian and (what appears to be) your average Aboriginal here in the NT is massive and seemingly perpetual. You can see programs aiming at education in nutrition and general hygiene being undertaken and kids are fed two meals at school everyday so perhaps there is some hope in the mix - unfortunately there doesn't appear to be enough positive role models to catalyze change. Maybe it's coming...who knows.

The kids are trucking along well, getting into their schoolwork and enjoying the parks and swimming pool here in Alice. We've taken to an early morning ride to the local park for a play and run the last few days and it's been a great way to start the day. I'm a little worried about my childrens' lack of abdominal six packs so will be endeavouring to start some morning calisthenics and core training (Troy Jacobsen style). I'm probably in need of a bit as well. Jen's started her course again through Deakin so is starting to burn the midnight oil - she's such a motivated creature in this regard - I have utter respect. We're moving into the weekend and hope to do some touring of the outskirts - perhaps to some local gorges or water holes and maybe up to the Devil's Marbles north of here. We'll see how it goes.