I am blessed and try to be thankful every day. Life can change in an instant and it is over too quickly. This year, I am especially thankful for modern medicine. We are lucky to live in an age where so many things can be "fixed" or prevented. Of course, when something goes wrong for you or someone you love, it seems like we haven't advanced enough. We feel anger over what the doctors can't diagnose or fix because, with so much they CAN do, it's hard to accept the limits. But just think, when we take our kids to the doctor and its strep, there's a part of the mom-brain that thinks, "Yes!" Because we know that 24 hours of medicine will make them feel better. Only 100 years ago (not that long ago) strep/scarlet fever was a terrifying diagnosis.
I always tell my children that we are as lucky to live WHEN we live as where we live. A while ago, I picked up a book from the library for my son. The title was How They Croaked- The Awful Ends of The Awfully Famous. It seemed a good, grisly way to trick a boy into reading. A few days later I asked, "Learn anything interesting from your book?" I thought he would list some historical demises but his answer surprised me. He said, "I learned that I'm happy I live when there is pain medicine!" Me too! And anesthesia and antibiotics and penicillin and insulin and blood drives and sterile instruments.... I could just keep going.....
I'm also thankful for preventative medicine. Because, no matter how far we have advanced, everything is easier to address the earlier it's caught. So all of you men who never go to the doctor- get your butt there. Just get a physical and all the tests for your age group. And all you moms caught up in intensive childcare, the most important way to take care of your kids is to take care of yourself. They get a physical every year- so should you. No one likes mammos or paps or prostrate exams or any of the other disgusting things doctors do to us all. (I had to have a colonoscopy a few years ago. I actually told the doctor that I wished he could dart me as I went for the paper, throw me in a sack in a van and then drop me on the lawn when it was all over. That way I'd be able to look him in the eye and not know what he'd seen or done!) None of it's not fun but it's necessary...
How did this turn from thanksgiving to a finger wagging in your direction? I guess I am thankful for all of you and just want you all to stay healthy and safe! So I'll stop lecturing right now....
Before I started writing, I flipped back to see what I wrote last year at thanksgiving. I am so forgetful that much what I was thinking about was on my last year's post. At least I'm consistent! I'm linking it *here* because it still applies!
Hope your travels and turkey day are filled with joy and laughter!
Love,
Heather
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