Yesterday morning I met a guy I haven’t talked to in over 2 years. I was in the Men’s Room drying my hands when he walked in. He was adjusting his hearing aid and muttering something about the noise in the lobby just outside the door. I asked him how he was doing. He said he’d just had a recent bout with prostate cancer. He’d been free of complications lately but, during a recent checkup, was told that his “PSA counts” were up – “PSA, prostate specific antigen, is a protein produced by the prostate cells. A PSA test is a blood test used to measure prostate health. A high PSA level can be a sign of Enlarging Prostate or Prostate Cancer.” What he said next prompted me to reflect on the things I’m now writing about. “I guess,” he said, “that if I didn’t go to the doctor I wouldn’t know there was anything wrong with me.”
Before I go any further with these thoughts I must affirm the importance of what my Friend learned from his Doctor. I do not intend to discourage regular “checkups.” Nor do I wish to disparage the place of the “medical” Doctor in our lives. I do, however, intend to raise some concerns about our obsession, as a society, with our physical health.
What do we need to know about our physical condition?
When is quality of life more important than quantity or length of life?
Is the medical or surgical solution always the best?
Sometimes we are better off not knowing everything there is to know about the goings on in our bodies. The same Doctors who tell us that stress is a primary cause of our high blood pressure will also tell us that our cholesterol is at unhealthy levels; our prostate is enlarged; we need to lose weight; and our toenails have fungus. They will have a pill for each of these issues. If we take all of the pills there will quite likely be some drugs that are incompatible with others. This can cause further problems. More often than we should be comfortable with, other medications will be introduced and a vicious cycle will begin. On this “medical chairs” carousel our stress reaches lethal levels and we’re more apt to have a stroke than we were before we knew we had high blood pressure. George Carlin is a comedian. He’s a cynical guy whose philosophy of life is pretty dark. But in one of his routines he, quite inadvertently I think, touched on something. Ridiculing our obsession with diets he quipped, “What we’ll likely, eventually discover is what we’ve known all along. The best thing for us is a beer and a cigarette.” Absurd? Yes! But remember, exaggeration is a figure of speech. And common sense – "what we’ve known all along" – is not too far short of all we need to know on these matters.
We need to know that we are highly suggestible creatures. That the more we obsess about something, the more control it takes of our lives.
Before I go any further with these thoughts I must affirm the importance of what my Friend learned from his Doctor. I do not intend to discourage regular “checkups.” Nor do I wish to disparage the place of the “medical” Doctor in our lives. I do, however, intend to raise some concerns about our obsession, as a society, with our physical health.
What do we need to know about our physical condition?
When is quality of life more important than quantity or length of life?
Is the medical or surgical solution always the best?
Sometimes we are better off not knowing everything there is to know about the goings on in our bodies. The same Doctors who tell us that stress is a primary cause of our high blood pressure will also tell us that our cholesterol is at unhealthy levels; our prostate is enlarged; we need to lose weight; and our toenails have fungus. They will have a pill for each of these issues. If we take all of the pills there will quite likely be some drugs that are incompatible with others. This can cause further problems. More often than we should be comfortable with, other medications will be introduced and a vicious cycle will begin. On this “medical chairs” carousel our stress reaches lethal levels and we’re more apt to have a stroke than we were before we knew we had high blood pressure. George Carlin is a comedian. He’s a cynical guy whose philosophy of life is pretty dark. But in one of his routines he, quite inadvertently I think, touched on something. Ridiculing our obsession with diets he quipped, “What we’ll likely, eventually discover is what we’ve known all along. The best thing for us is a beer and a cigarette.” Absurd? Yes! But remember, exaggeration is a figure of speech. And common sense – "what we’ve known all along" – is not too far short of all we need to know on these matters.
We need to know that we are highly suggestible creatures. That the more we obsess about something, the more control it takes of our lives.
The placebo effect plays a significant role in an alarming number of cases. A placebo is a “pill which has no pharmacological properties,” or a procedure recommended by a respected physician or health care provider, that the patient believes in. These measures work “because they trigger the body’s own ability to right itself, given reasonable conditions of freedom from stress and the patient’s complete confidence that the doctor knows what he’s doing.” A “striking example” of this phenomenon was observed “in an experiment in which patients with bleeding ulcers were divided into two groups. Members of the first group were informed, by the doctor, that a new drug had just been developed that would undoubtedly produce relief. The second group was told by nurses that a new experimental drug would be administered, but that very little was known about its effects. 70% of the people in the first group received sufficient relief from their ulcers. Only 25% of the patients in the second group experienced similar benefit. Both groups had been given the identical ‘drug’ – a placebo.” Norman Cousins, for over 40 years Editor of Saturday Review, and, in his later years, a member of the faculty of the University of California School of Medicine, wrote about this phenomenon in his book, “Anatomy of an Illness.” He describes the dramatic healing influence of distraction and laughter in his own battle with cancer. “It worked. I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep. When the pain-killing effect of the laughter wore off, we would switch on the motion-picture projector again, and, not infrequently, it would lead to another pain-free sleep interval … If laughter did in fact have a salutary effect on the body’s chemistry, it seemed at least theoretically likely that it would enhance the system’s ability to fight the inflammation. So we took sedimentation rate readings (“sed rate” is the speed with which red blood cells settle in a test tube … generally proportionate to the severity of an inflammation or infection …) just before as well as several hours after the laughter episodes. Each time, there was a drop of at least five points. The drop by itself was not substantial, but it held and was cumulative. I was greatly elated by the discovery that there is a physiologic basis for the ancient theory that laughter is good medicine.”
We need to know that pain does not always need to be silenced. It can be a valuable component of our lives. Yes, one of its values is that it alerts us of more serious issues that need attention. Along with that, though, come the benefits we gain when we learn of limits it reveals and how pushing beyond them can make us stronger, more mature, wiser, more stable people. “Hardship,” one biblical author noted, “produces tenacity, and tenacity refines character …” In “A Confession,” Leo Tolstoy, a renowned Russian novelist, recounts his own discovery of the place of suffering in human existence. Describing himself as a member of the “circle of the rich and learned … a searching, disillusioned, despairing soul …” he contrasts himself and this “circle,” with what he calls the “laboring masses.” For these “masses,” he observes, “… the whole of life … was passed in heavy labor, and they were content …” Unlike his elite “circle,” who were completely “disillusioned,” and offended that they should be expected to suffer even the slightest discomfort or inconvenience, these humble folk, “ … accepted illness and sorrow without any perplexity or opposition, and with a quiet and firm conviction that all is good …The faith of these common people was the same Christian faith as was professed by the pseudo-believers of our circle … but the (beliefs) of (those) among the laboring masses conformed so with their lives … were a necessary condition of their life … a confirmation of the meaning of life, which their faith gave them …”
We need to know that our appetites are not exclusively about pleasure. Every appetite and drive we have is present to serve a higher purpose. We want to eat, and find pleasure in doing so, because our body needs food. The pleasure is a kind of first stage incentive. The well-being that healthy eating habits provide is the higher reward. When we understand this and use food accordingly we will enjoy better health. When we use our appetites in ways they were never intended to be used, indulging them excessively and exclusively for the first stage, primitive pleasures they provide, our well-being is compromised. One of the best kept secrets in Modern Western Civilization is that our abuse of our desire for food and drink, our libido, and our desperate longing for affection are far-and-away the greatest contributor to our sickness and the Health Care crises our nations face. We have our sex drives because our first mandate is to “be fruitful and multiply.” To keep this mandate brings great pleasure. But to pursue that pleasure exclusive of the higher purpose it serves harms the body as well as the heart. Our sex drives were intended for specific situations. When we disregard this and “do it our way,” we hurt ourselves and others. The burden of treatment for all “sexually transmitted diseases,” in our society today is increasingly overwhelming not just to those who are promiscuous but to everyone. What are naively called “lifestyle” choices – they might be better called “deathstyle” choices – are resulting in damaging relationships, addictions, obesity and eating disorders, as well as increasing emotional chaos that has lead to tragic levels of suicide and self-mutilation.
We need to know that “moderation” is the best measure for pretty much everything. Moderate consumption of most foods will nourish most bodies. Life, even quality life, comes with some stress. Moderate rest – 1/3 of every day and 1/7 of each week – will richly enhance or lives. Moderate exercise – an activity that is compatible with our personal body structure and reasonably enjoyable which pushes our heart rate to near maximum levels for 30 minutes 3 times a Week – will improve the quality of everything else we do. Caring, affirming, lasting, mutually enjoyable relationships with a few people add joy and years to our lives.
When it comes to the question of quality vs. quantity of life I opt for quality without hesitation. Just this past Week I learned of someone who shares this view. A Friend of a Friend has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. His medical advisors recommended radical chemotherapy and the usual companion regimens. He opted to let the disease take its course. He will live his life well, learning and growing through the sickness and pain, until that moment when God calls him to a higher place for greater purposes. I told someone about this, and, in the telling, stated my belief that, “he made the right decision.” “But what about his Family?” they asked. “What about people who are depending on him?” I did not respond right away. Actually I am only now responding. It is clear to me that in the time left to him this man can carefully, lovingly finish the work of preparing people he loves to go on living well after he has moved on. We know well that no human being is indispensable. If we’ve left intact any illusion that we are – in our own or anyone else’s mind – we must clear it up now! If we have Adult Children who are still dependent on us we owe it to them to cut the apron strings, and any other false security devices, so they don’t have to learn these inevitable lessons in a shocking way. Death is a part of life! To live well is dignifying. To die well is consummately dignifying; the crowning achievement of a noble life.
Obviously I do not believe the medical solution is always the best. I do not pretend to be a physician here. Nor do I play one on TV. In fact, I didn't "stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night." But I am a professional spiritual guide and personal counselor who has been intimately involved with people in every imaginable kind of pain for over 37 years. I know my opinion is not in harmony with popular views. But we must examine what is popularly held to be true. We must insist on complete, rigorous testing of the notion that there is, or eventually will be, a medical solution to everything that is uncomfortable about life. The pharmaceutical conglomeration is now one of the most powerful and profitable in the world. Certain segments of the television day could be legitimately called the “Parade of Pills.” This endless wave of maladies and remedies is overwhelming. Most alarming, in all of it, is the cacophonous, naïve disregard for any intelligence. The visual images portray increasingly imaginary and compelling lifestyles, tropical vacations, leisurley bike rides on perfectly manicured trails, happy couples skiing side by side on fresh powder while the audio track drones out a litany of chilling alarms. “Don’t take … with alcohol … dizziness, drowsiness, weakness, and cough may occur. … your doctor has prescribed this medication because the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. … may reduce blood flow to your hands and feet causing them to feel cold … smoking may worsen this effect … Dress warmly and avoid tobacco use … unlikely but serious side effects … bluish color of the fingers/toenails, hair loss (reversible) mental/mood changes (e.g., depression, confusion memory problems), numbness/tingling, decreased sexual ability, swelling of the ankles/feet, severe tiredness, vision changes, wheezing, unexplained/sudden weight gain … chest pain, jaw/left arm pain, slow/irregular/fast heartbeat, severe dizziness/fainting … various serious allergic reaction unlikely but may include rash, itching, swelling, severe dizziness, trouble breathing …” As usual, image proves to be everything and we become more and more medicated; made over; and mutilated; all in the name of well-being.
Before we agree to medicate any illness or undergo a surgical procedure I suggest we determine …
- Is this being prescribed to treat a symptom or the root problem? We can live with a lot of symptoms ‘til we identify the root issue, if ultimate quality of life is not seriously threatened by these secondary things.
- Are there alternative solutions? How does a healthy body deal with this malady? What means are there that can work with the body naturally to strengthen its immune systems?
- How soon can the medicine be discontinued? If it is “for life” we would do well to weigh what we’re trading and make careful decisions concerning the value of that compared to what we will get in return.
- When in doubt we must seek widespread counsel. Yes we should consult our Medical Doctor. We should also consult a physician with verifiable expertise in natural remedies. Furthermore, we should seek spiritual guidance and prayer. Remember God is the one who does the healing. And if your physician does not recognize and acknowledge that I recommend you look for another physician.
The Bible is full of assurances that God cares about the quality of our lives. In the Psalms He is portrayed as our Benefactor. For example, …
We need to know that pain does not always need to be silenced. It can be a valuable component of our lives. Yes, one of its values is that it alerts us of more serious issues that need attention. Along with that, though, come the benefits we gain when we learn of limits it reveals and how pushing beyond them can make us stronger, more mature, wiser, more stable people. “Hardship,” one biblical author noted, “produces tenacity, and tenacity refines character …” In “A Confession,” Leo Tolstoy, a renowned Russian novelist, recounts his own discovery of the place of suffering in human existence. Describing himself as a member of the “circle of the rich and learned … a searching, disillusioned, despairing soul …” he contrasts himself and this “circle,” with what he calls the “laboring masses.” For these “masses,” he observes, “… the whole of life … was passed in heavy labor, and they were content …” Unlike his elite “circle,” who were completely “disillusioned,” and offended that they should be expected to suffer even the slightest discomfort or inconvenience, these humble folk, “ … accepted illness and sorrow without any perplexity or opposition, and with a quiet and firm conviction that all is good …The faith of these common people was the same Christian faith as was professed by the pseudo-believers of our circle … but the (beliefs) of (those) among the laboring masses conformed so with their lives … were a necessary condition of their life … a confirmation of the meaning of life, which their faith gave them …”
We need to know that our appetites are not exclusively about pleasure. Every appetite and drive we have is present to serve a higher purpose. We want to eat, and find pleasure in doing so, because our body needs food. The pleasure is a kind of first stage incentive. The well-being that healthy eating habits provide is the higher reward. When we understand this and use food accordingly we will enjoy better health. When we use our appetites in ways they were never intended to be used, indulging them excessively and exclusively for the first stage, primitive pleasures they provide, our well-being is compromised. One of the best kept secrets in Modern Western Civilization is that our abuse of our desire for food and drink, our libido, and our desperate longing for affection are far-and-away the greatest contributor to our sickness and the Health Care crises our nations face. We have our sex drives because our first mandate is to “be fruitful and multiply.” To keep this mandate brings great pleasure. But to pursue that pleasure exclusive of the higher purpose it serves harms the body as well as the heart. Our sex drives were intended for specific situations. When we disregard this and “do it our way,” we hurt ourselves and others. The burden of treatment for all “sexually transmitted diseases,” in our society today is increasingly overwhelming not just to those who are promiscuous but to everyone. What are naively called “lifestyle” choices – they might be better called “deathstyle” choices – are resulting in damaging relationships, addictions, obesity and eating disorders, as well as increasing emotional chaos that has lead to tragic levels of suicide and self-mutilation.
We need to know that “moderation” is the best measure for pretty much everything. Moderate consumption of most foods will nourish most bodies. Life, even quality life, comes with some stress. Moderate rest – 1/3 of every day and 1/7 of each week – will richly enhance or lives. Moderate exercise – an activity that is compatible with our personal body structure and reasonably enjoyable which pushes our heart rate to near maximum levels for 30 minutes 3 times a Week – will improve the quality of everything else we do. Caring, affirming, lasting, mutually enjoyable relationships with a few people add joy and years to our lives.
When it comes to the question of quality vs. quantity of life I opt for quality without hesitation. Just this past Week I learned of someone who shares this view. A Friend of a Friend has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. His medical advisors recommended radical chemotherapy and the usual companion regimens. He opted to let the disease take its course. He will live his life well, learning and growing through the sickness and pain, until that moment when God calls him to a higher place for greater purposes. I told someone about this, and, in the telling, stated my belief that, “he made the right decision.” “But what about his Family?” they asked. “What about people who are depending on him?” I did not respond right away. Actually I am only now responding. It is clear to me that in the time left to him this man can carefully, lovingly finish the work of preparing people he loves to go on living well after he has moved on. We know well that no human being is indispensable. If we’ve left intact any illusion that we are – in our own or anyone else’s mind – we must clear it up now! If we have Adult Children who are still dependent on us we owe it to them to cut the apron strings, and any other false security devices, so they don’t have to learn these inevitable lessons in a shocking way. Death is a part of life! To live well is dignifying. To die well is consummately dignifying; the crowning achievement of a noble life.
Obviously I do not believe the medical solution is always the best. I do not pretend to be a physician here. Nor do I play one on TV. In fact, I didn't "stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night." But I am a professional spiritual guide and personal counselor who has been intimately involved with people in every imaginable kind of pain for over 37 years. I know my opinion is not in harmony with popular views. But we must examine what is popularly held to be true. We must insist on complete, rigorous testing of the notion that there is, or eventually will be, a medical solution to everything that is uncomfortable about life. The pharmaceutical conglomeration is now one of the most powerful and profitable in the world. Certain segments of the television day could be legitimately called the “Parade of Pills.” This endless wave of maladies and remedies is overwhelming. Most alarming, in all of it, is the cacophonous, naïve disregard for any intelligence. The visual images portray increasingly imaginary and compelling lifestyles, tropical vacations, leisurley bike rides on perfectly manicured trails, happy couples skiing side by side on fresh powder while the audio track drones out a litany of chilling alarms. “Don’t take … with alcohol … dizziness, drowsiness, weakness, and cough may occur. … your doctor has prescribed this medication because the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. … may reduce blood flow to your hands and feet causing them to feel cold … smoking may worsen this effect … Dress warmly and avoid tobacco use … unlikely but serious side effects … bluish color of the fingers/toenails, hair loss (reversible) mental/mood changes (e.g., depression, confusion memory problems), numbness/tingling, decreased sexual ability, swelling of the ankles/feet, severe tiredness, vision changes, wheezing, unexplained/sudden weight gain … chest pain, jaw/left arm pain, slow/irregular/fast heartbeat, severe dizziness/fainting … various serious allergic reaction unlikely but may include rash, itching, swelling, severe dizziness, trouble breathing …” As usual, image proves to be everything and we become more and more medicated; made over; and mutilated; all in the name of well-being.
Before we agree to medicate any illness or undergo a surgical procedure I suggest we determine …
- Is this being prescribed to treat a symptom or the root problem? We can live with a lot of symptoms ‘til we identify the root issue, if ultimate quality of life is not seriously threatened by these secondary things.
- Are there alternative solutions? How does a healthy body deal with this malady? What means are there that can work with the body naturally to strengthen its immune systems?
- How soon can the medicine be discontinued? If it is “for life” we would do well to weigh what we’re trading and make careful decisions concerning the value of that compared to what we will get in return.
- When in doubt we must seek widespread counsel. Yes we should consult our Medical Doctor. We should also consult a physician with verifiable expertise in natural remedies. Furthermore, we should seek spiritual guidance and prayer. Remember God is the one who does the healing. And if your physician does not recognize and acknowledge that I recommend you look for another physician.
The Bible is full of assurances that God cares about the quality of our lives. In the Psalms He is portrayed as our Benefactor. For example, …
Psalm 91: 14 – 16 – “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
The Wisdom writings of Judaism affirm the relationship between wise living and quality of life. In Proverbs 3:16, we are taught that, “Long life is in (wisdom’s) right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.” Or, as one paraphrase puts it, “You’re blessed when you meet Lady Wisdom, … With one hand she gives long life …”
Jesus of Nazareth said, of His mission, “I came so they (any who follow me) can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”
I have chosen to believe Him and live my life as His apprentice. I made that choice 51 years ago. The quality of life I’ve experienced is truly more than I could have ever dreamed it would be! The guy I talked with in the Men’s Room recently shares my experience. He will continue to live well even if the cancer does return and he dies. No disease can “take the life” of a follower of Jesus! If you’d like to know more about this marvelous way and the well-being that it leads to I’d be delighted to hear from you.
No comments:
Post a Comment