Sonya is 76 years old. She lives in Artemisa with her husband of 78 years.

Can you describe your state of health?

Sonia suffers from peripheral neuropathy, a deficiency in the production of B complex vitamins (B1, B6, B12).The symptoms of this condition are pain in the extremities that make proper motor development impossible, fatigue, sweating, little resistance to great effort, among other limitations against physical exercise. The way to deal with this condition is by supplying the body externally with vitamins that it does not produce, pharmaceutically or, preferably, by means of a diet based on products rich in said vitamins. (Animal and vegetable proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, etc.) 

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How long have you been presenting this status?

At this time, Sonia is fed exclusively through the offer of a Grandparents' House.

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Sonia suffers from anemia in addition to her need for vitamins and her current state of health is quite delicate.His condition and his age add to the food shortage in his area, giving rise to a truly critical situation that progressively and aggressively aggravates his state of health.In addition, Sonia helps support her mother, so her income is also shared.

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Do you need any specific food for your condition? Which?

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Mainly meats, fruits, vegetables and dairy.

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Does this food represent an additional expense in your food costs? What alternative ways or channels do you use to “solve” it? 

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Sonia is not able to acquire the specific food that allows her to improve her health condition. Fundamentally due to shortages and poor management policies for the few foods that reach their municipality. Second, her retired status that does not provide her with enough income to access black market prices.

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What regulated foods (from the notebook) do you receive to cover the needs of your condition?

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Peripheral neuropathy is not included in the conditions that include a special diet, so those who suffer from it receive the same products and portions as the rest of the population.In this way, the products regulated by the supply book do not represent any type of special coverage in Sonia's diet. 

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Do you suffer from anxiety or concern about the food supply necessary for your health?

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Sonia has reached the point of suffering from anxiety crises, treated in a specialized way with psychiatric follow-up, for several months.

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Have you limited the quality or quantity of food for the benefit of another family member, in your opinion, more vulnerable?

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Nope.

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Sonia is a lady who appears to be older than she is. Speak in a light-hearted and critical manner. From the first moment of the conversation, he attacks, analytically, his poor living conditions, the lack of medicines, food, medical attention and everything that affects him. Despite her annoyance, Sonia manages to be precise and establishes a coherent critique loaded with elements. It is the common case in the generation of the third age of these times, very prepared people who, from their analysis of those affected, dismantle the situation and develop a discourse on how they got to that point and how to solve it, presenting quite interesting ideas.

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Sonia has reached such a level of resignation that she has chosen to discard the possibility that her eating situation will change at some point, so she invests her efforts and her money in finding medicines that help her cope with the difficulties of her condition._cc781905 -5cde-3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_

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The conversation was in the living room of his house, a house highly decorated with elements from more than 40 years ago. Despite its dynamism, the conversation was slow because Sonia constantly complained of her pain, due to her illness. 

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