A father's and physician's wide-ranging thoughts regarding our typical, and not so typical, lives
THE VAST MAJORITY OF HEART FAILURE PATIENTS NEEDING TRANSPLANT, KIDNEY FAILURE PATIENTS NEEDING DIALYSIS, AND STROKE PATIENTS NEEDING REHABILITATION WOULD HAVE HAD THEIR ORIGINS IN THE ASYMPTOMATIC PERIOD 20-40 YEARS PRIOR. TWENTY TO FORTY YEARS PRIOR, SUCH PATIENTS WOULD HAVE BEGUN THEIR MEDICAL JOURNEYS WITH THESE PREVENTABLE AND TREATABLE CONDITIONS: HYPERTENSION, DIABETES, TOBACCO ADDICTION/USE, AND OBESITY.
2 thoughts on “THE VAST MAJORITY OF HEART FAILURE PATIENTS NEEDING TRANSPLANT, KIDNEY FAILURE PATIENTS NEEDING DIALYSIS, AND STROKE PATIENTS NEEDING REHABILITATION WOULD HAVE HAD THEIR ORIGINS IN THE ASYMPTOMATIC PERIOD 20-40 YEARS PRIOR. TWENTY TO FORTY YEARS PRIOR, SUCH PATIENTS WOULD HAVE BEGUN THEIR MEDICAL JOURNEYS WITH THESE PREVENTABLE AND TREATABLE CONDITIONS: HYPERTENSION, DIABETES, TOBACCO ADDICTION/USE, AND OBESITY.”
Here is some medical advice from Mark Twain excerpted from “Following the Equator”
She had run down and down and down, and had at last reached a point where medicines no longer had any helpful effect upon her. I said I knew I could put her upon her feet in a week. It brightened her up, it filled her with hope, and she said she would do everything I told her to do. So I said she must stop swearing and drinking, and smoking and eating for four days, and then she would be all right again.
And it would have happened just so, I know it; but she said she could not stop swearing, and smoking and drinking, because she had never done those things. So there it was. She had neglected her habits, and hadn’t any. Now that they would have come good, there were none in stock. She had nothing to fall back on. She was a sinking vessel, with no freight in her to throw overboard and lighten ship withal.
Why, even one or two little bad habits could have saved her, but she was just a moral pauper. When she could have acquired them she was dissuaded by her parents, who were ignorant people though reared in the best society, and it was too late to begin now. It seemed such a pity; but there was no help for it. These things ought to be attended to while a person is young; otherwise, when age and disease come, there is nothing effectual to fight them with.
Here is some medical advice from Mark Twain excerpted from “Following the Equator”
She had run down and down and down, and had at last reached a point where medicines no longer had any helpful effect upon her. I said I knew I could put her upon her feet in a week. It brightened her up, it filled her with hope, and she said she would do everything I told her to do. So I said she must stop swearing and drinking, and smoking and eating for four days, and then she would be all right again.
And it would have happened just so, I know it; but she said she could not stop swearing, and smoking and drinking, because she had never done those things. So there it was. She had neglected her habits, and hadn’t any. Now that they would have come good, there were none in stock. She had nothing to fall back on. She was a sinking vessel, with no freight in her to throw overboard and lighten ship withal.
Why, even one or two little bad habits could have saved her, but she was just a moral pauper. When she could have acquired them she was dissuaded by her parents, who were ignorant people though reared in the best society, and it was too late to begin now. It seemed such a pity; but there was no help for it. These things ought to be attended to while a person is young; otherwise, when age and disease come, there is nothing effectual to fight them with.
Very fitting quote for the point that I’m trying to get across.