The future of medicine in the U.S.A. and around the world is
hanging in the balance. Teddy Kennedy has served for over 45 years in the U.S.
Senate and has been diagnosed with an incurable brain cancer. All the tough
talk aside, he is likely to die within the next year or two. He may be a
valiant fighter but no one is a match for that kind of brain tumor with our
current technology - short of God's direct miraculous intervention. I've seen
that happen, but it would be so much better if cancer treatment wasn't always
such an ugly painful affair that left patients with only two choices:
- Take a toxic, expensive,
sickening futile treatment - Turn your face to the wall
and die like a coward who won't take #1
I don't know about you but I'd like to be able to explore lots of other
possibilities before I'd opt for #1 or #2. Even Teddy Kennedy with all of his
enormous resources is going to find it hard to get treatment that honors his
own healing choices. I'd wish for better for him.
I've seen the fear that cancer brings to patients for over
20 years. From my own father and grandfather's experience I've witnessed the
chemotherapy results that are nearly always worse than the disease itself.
Radiation and surgery are better than nothing but it seems that any ideas that
aren't introduced through the entrenched channels of power are immediately
rejected for "lack of research." That's a pretty poor excuse when the
same ones who complain about the lack of research are the same ones who have
the funds to do it. It's terrible to see one of our country's leaders subjected
to the failed policies that have been preserved through the lobbying and
legislative process that's part of their every day work.
With increasing clamor for a "universal health plan" we should always be clear that what we are really discussing is a disease management reimbursement strategy. Health planning is a natural choice that people will make based on their willingness to eat well, exercise and accept responsibility for the outcomes of their choices. I'm no paragon of health virtue but I make choices on the basis of excellent information. When I make a choice that may have negative health consequences I do so with a clear understanding of the ramifications of my choice. Whether I smoke a cigar or decide to sleep in instead of exercise I know that I will pay a price for that choice. Cancer is too great a price to pay for ignoracne. We need to insist that our free speech rights extend into the areas of health and wellness. When a promising treatment hits the scientific radar we should have the freedom to discuss it, choose to use it and be responsible for the outcomes we have elected to accept. Freedom of speech should never end at the clinic's door!
