Thank God for Modern Medicine!

When I was in high school, I thought maybe I wanted to be a doctor. Specifically, and OB/GYN. I was strongly encouraged by my biology teacher, Mrs. Ison, to go into medicine. Apparently she saw something in me that led her to believe that I would have made a brilliant physician. But, unfortunately, I also exhibited the qualities of laziness, attention deficit, and a deep-seated cynicism that would not have contributed to a good bedside manner. I know now that I could not have done what doctors do. The stress of having someone's health and life in your hands would be so very stressful. Having a working knowledge of pretty much every system in the human body would be daunting to say the least. And keeping up with all of the latest trends and research in medicine would be quite overwhelming. Sorry, Mrs. Ison...I would NOT have made a good doctor. But I deeply appreciate those who choose a career in the field of medicine, both physicians and nurses. So many times we take modern medicine for granted. What would we do if we didn't have the access to the medicine that we have today? What would we do without something as simple as aspirin? Thousands of people find relief from it, for arthritic pain, simple toothaches, and even cardiac illnesses. A hundred years ago people were left to suffer their pain and illnesses with little to no medical help. Today we have a multitude of choices in medication to make our lives easier. When I gave birth to my first child, it was a very difficult delivery, frought with complications. Had I lived in Colonial America, I would have died having that baby. There's no doubt about that. Without asthma medication, I might have died from asphyxiation on several occassions, as would both of my sons. Without medicine for my crazy high blood pressure, I certainly would have had a stroke by now. My husband would have died from a burst appendix. And if by some miracle he had survived that, he would have lost a finger. He would also be in arthritic agony nearly every day without his anti-inflammatory and pain medications. Without his pacemaker, my father would have passed away LONG ago. My mother would most likely be blind. My sister Robin would be crippled were it not for a tibia transplant when she was 16. I could go on and on. We are so fortunate to have the medical advances that we rely on today. So today, I thank God for the miracles of modern medicine!