Photograph of Ugandan healer (www.flickr.com)As we all know, Peck was famously skeptical of modern-day doctors, while Momma thought they walked on water. I freely confess that I subscribe more to Dad's opinions than those of our mother. In the end, Dad lived longer than Mom did, whether by luck or genetics.
When my miniscus ligament was torn and the ortho doctor was pushing me to elective surgery, Daddy said to give it time to heal on its own, and it did. I faithfully got a baseline mammogram at age 40 and at regular intervals after that, even when my insurance wouldn't pay for it, just to hear 10 years later that, with no history of breast cancer in my family, I probably didn't "need" all of those earlier tests, but, wait! Now that I'm 60, I definitely must continue them.
Twice I've been told to take statin drugs for high cholersterol, even though I had signs of liver problems. When my doctor prescribed yet a third one, I said, "I'll take my chances." See, they keep lowering the numbers on me. My current total cholesterol level was considered "good" five years ago, but now they want it lower. Medical "truths" become debunked on a regular basis. Remember how many years Uncle Martin ate bananas and mashed potatoes for an ulcer that turned out to be caused by a microbe?
Dad's other bit of wisdom was that if you went into the doctor's office healthy, you'd be "sick" with something when you got out. I don't know about the rest of you, but in the past decade or longer, the doctor's hand is busy writing prescriptions long before I'm finished talking about symptoms, never mind actually being tested for anything.
Do I even need to mention the never-ending litany of newly-minted "conditions" that are advertised everywhere you look, along with their miracle cures and the now-familiar, "Ask your doctor if this blah-blah is right for you." And side effects: (cue up rapid speech without periods or commas) An erection that lasts for more than four hours --Egads! Get the gun!
We've become a "medication nation," and we wonder why kids are using drugs?
Now the issue is to have a colonoscopy my doctor has been pushing me to have since I was 50 -- or not.Let's consult that Ugandan healer, shall we?
6 comments:
Did you ask him? What did he say? Be sure to share his wisdom with Rita!
I did, and he said "Don't fix what ain't broken," but I think I just don't want to fast for over a day and drink that yukky stuff. I think I'm being a scared-y cat.
Nan, Lois just told me about the "med" blog; which I had missed. As you say, Dad had it pegged all the time, and I am with him on all this pill pushing greed.
It sounds like you are not holding up your end of the deal on the colonoscopy-are you chickening out on me ? Funny thing is, I am having the same thoughts as you are :) I will go for my consult; but no promises after that! I also am a scared-y cat.
I guess I'm hanging on like Hillary, insisting that I will hang in there until people stop pushing me and I decide when to give in and do what the pundits are telling me.
She's doing it next Wed. because she's gotta get past terror every time she has a bad symptom!
I'm actually going to do it but am thinking of updating my will first. Putting a doctor in charge of my fate is terrifying, but so is cancer. :(
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