Dynia

In medical etymology, the earliest descriptive words pertaining to healthcare and disease have Greek origins. Your practitioner will use these superlatives in describing your condition, a word with -ology means “study of” (for instance, bacteriology, cardiology, etc.), a word with -itis means “inflammation” (for instance, conjunctivitis, bursitis, etc.), a word with -osis means “condition of” (for instance, osteoporosis, psychosis, etc.). A word with -dynia means “pain” (for instance, cephalodynia).

What is the need of going to school and learning to read, what is the need of having technology if you do not use such knowledge in your life? Your health, in spite of the stock market, real estate, silver and gold, is your greatest wealth. Your body has a tremendous ability to heal itself, your body has a tremendous ability to help you diagnose your problem, and no matter what has happened so far, you will have problems. Pain is the first warning of a problem.

The most accurate diagnostician must depend on subjective findings, what you tell him or her. In my lifetime, because of the progress of radiology, nanotechology etc., objective diagnosis is much improved. Have you noticed that when you go to your doctor now, he spends most of his time with his fingers on his computer, you are fortunate if he touches you at all. Unlike the old-fashioned doctor who felt that “laying on of hands” was not only an accurate diagnostic measure, but who had sense enough to know that it gave much assurance and healing to the patient. Any patient in my presence was touched, just a squeeze to their hand assured them that things were under control. These silly frilly young practitioners, running from one exam room to the other depending just on laboratory results, data from the technician, their minds more on a golf game than on your body, just wants results from an MRI or a scan. As Dr. Margaret Swanton, professor at UNC Chapel Hill Medical School said to me one time, “the body does not function the way it is written in books, each body has its own homeostasis.” In spite of progress, politics, professional and social parasites, we are not cookie-cutter products.

I experienced warfare pain, not just my own, but heard the screams of others. In my sleep I still hear the screams of burn victims. It is absolutely beyond my comprehension that those who enjoy the benefits of this democratic republic can so casually enjoy fireworks...can be so thrilled with pop music, can be so unconcerned as they rest comfortably on church pews. In several medical museums I have seen the medical equipment of yesteryear: the saws used in limb amputation, the forceps used in child birth. Every time I have blood work done I remind the technician of how we, at one time, sharpened needles, today's needles are so finite you barely feel them. Like the slide rule which we used as students, the stethoscope is almost a thing of the past.

There is no surgery as painful as eye surgery. In an attempt to save at least some small smidgen of vision, I underwent 10 eye surgeries including cryosurgery (eyes frozen). Trying to lessen the effects of wounds, much cosmetic surgery. I know of nothing any worse than needle injections all around the facial areas.

I believe my grandmother was my first experience as a child observing objective excruciating pain. My grandmother was from a family with money, and she could afford the best. At that time, 80 years ago, the best was not much. In eastern North Carolina, there were few public hospitals, some private surgeons owned their own hospital with a few beds. She was in one of these hospitals, Wilson NC, and we know now that she was dying with breast cancer (all such problems of that sort, at that time, called “carbuncles”). Like so many in ancient history, diabetics or toxemia interfered with any type healing. Pain management, or even control, was unknown. Professionals, families, people did what they could, the best they knew, but with such severe pain, nausea, they did not last very long. More and more we learn of patients who were put out of their pain. To this day, assisted suicide is not rare.

For one month, I have been afflicted with severe pain, back pain. The same old song and dance that everyone should be well-educated, referrals from one specialty to another. When we get down to the truth of the matter, in spite of our research, technology, Big Pharma, we are not much better off than we were 70 years ago. The drugs are more potent, much more time is spent on your ability to pay than their ability to help you, but it is still the same old song and dance. It is rare to get an answer, just experimentation.

Political, western medicine/treatment considers alternative methods as cults...osteopathic , naturopathic, chiropractic, homeopathic physicians, even methods that have worked well in other cultures for thousands of years. With Obamacare, with increasing scrutiny, funds more and more limited, most insurance companies have given up on healthcare, everyone should get prepared for pain. Having gotten the run-around from four different practitioners, having spent thousands of dollars for nothing, like many of you, I am about back to zero. Can you even imagine the billions of tax dollars paid everyday to practitioners of every discipline, just experimenting. In this town, one large medical complex, 65 physicians in this one practice, takes in $100 million each week, most of the work divided between physician's assistants (PA).

Exaggeration has become the byword in most interests. Most preachers cannot preach without exaggerating, most politicians exaggerate with their promises and pleading. Your healthcare practitioner always exaggerates...a scared patient will always spend more money. It is inconceivable that television advertising pronouncements try to wring more money out of you by advertising drugs and treatments. Every day, every way, pulling at the strings of your charity, giving to such supposed non-profits as American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, Americans for Medical Progress, Brain Tumor Foundation, and about 50 others. Don't we have sense enough to know that with all the money (millions of dollars every day) that has been spent on cancer research, more progress should have been made? However, with all the money made from the treatment of cancer, a cure would result in a real economic calamity. We all wear badges, badges of Christian commitment, badges of healthcare, badges of patriotism. I do not mean to tarnish any badge, but the shine has been taken off the badge of many groups...churches, professions, nationalistic integrity.

The fastest growing religion is witchcraft, 99% of those in churches cannot tell you why they are there. The judicial, law enforcement, education, military professions, no longer have the honor which was accorded them in my youth. The key which unlocks the door of our heart in all these life-giving agencies is our desire to prevent and relieve pain.