Saturday

Saturdays, with the little ones, means swimming class.  They wake up later than during the week, but there’s still the negotiation to put on swimsuits versus getting Auntie out of bed to read!  (Incidentally, I managed to read the perennial Green Eggs and Ham last night, with no noticeable reaction.  She enjoyed The Sneetches more.  Hope springs eternal!) I called my EFIR for directions on making čevap for lunch, which was successful — introducing new foods to small people (and adults!!) is always risky, but really worth it!  I woke up Don this morning when I called, apparently he had some trouble sleeping last night.  Jerry was curled up under the blanket, and tried to bat the phone out of his hand while I was talking.  He was up watching sports late; unsupportive (and disinterested) me didn’t ask how his team went, so we’ll probably discuss that later.  They’re doing well, and we look forward to our regular chats.

I’ve got a plan of projects to do this week, because they were things that I’d have done at home anyway.  There are more things to do at home, which will have to wait until I get back, obviously, unless I come up with other things and push back the current list!  Isn’t it amazing how we can manage to grow project lists almost daily?  I’ve also noticed that the list of things that I’d like to do can move to the “things I’m doing now” list when I’m procrastinating… anyone else have that issue? 😜  I mean, when I’m faced with a choice of cleaning closets or writing letters, the letters often win.  I’ve also been approved to participate in the awarding of grants for cancer research as a patient survivor this fall.  I’ve got several hours of training and reading to do before the meeting to review the proposals, which is an 8-hour video conference.  I do enjoy this kind of work, as it’s interesting and I feel that I’m contributing to the health of others who will face this dreadful disease.

I was rewatching Downton Abbey in the background while I crochet, and I thought, “Oh, I’m so happy that I didn’t have to live through that period, and have to deal with the medical system!” That’s a little unfair, for a few reasons — I mean, they wouldn’t have been aware of the major strides in medical treatment that were upcoming in the first half of the 20th century, so they didn’t know better.  From my perspective, many of their treatments are almost indistinguishable from torture!  And the death rate from what are now preventable and treatable diseases is hugely depressing!  Then too, at that time, getting pneumonia or bronchitis was more likely to result in either long-term illness or death than now, when we can treat many cases and assure a return to full health.  In my own lifetime, I’ve seen that attitudes and treatments have advanced in many areas — not perfect, and still lots to sort out, but so much better than they were!  I mean, when I was a teenager, “female troubles” like endometriosis weren’t understood or treated seriously, so women suffered needlessly.  I had been told that it’s “normal” to have painful periods.  It was much later that I knew it wasn’t and there was no need to suffer.  I’d also done surgeries where I was told that it’s “Normal” to experience pain and nausea post-operatively.  Again, no.  There’s no need to have patients suffer, and I am very thankful for my team who work to minimize my pain.  It definitely makes a difference to recovery if I’m not spending a lot of effort trying to overcome pain.

All that to say that there’s ongoing work to improve the health and quality of life of people, and a constant struggle against disease.  Some we’ve been able to control or eliminate, which just seems to mean that other diseases become more visible.  Logically, it’s predictable.  Without medical intervention, people who survived being born were at risk of dying from a few hundred diseases, like measles, mumps, diphtheria, cholera, scarlet fever, chicken or small pox, malnutrition, worms, other assorted parasites, colic, influenza… and if they survived those then there were risks of syphillis, tetanus, tuberculosis, malaria, dengue… and things like gall or kidney stones, gout, appendicitis, tonsillitis, followed by injuries, falls, poor quality food, etc.  Add to that the conditions that develop with age, like osteoporosis, or weakening bodies, presbyopia, etc.  Between all that, there are risks of developing cancer, autoimmune diseases, and other things that might appear later in life.  It’s a long and depressing list, isn’t it?  Thankfully, we have treatments for many of them, and due to public health campaigns, have managed to create “herd immunity” to limit the spread of some of the worst ones, or have implemented programs for safe drinking water, food safety, etc.  In our daily activities we don’t often realize just how much we owe those who came before for creating a safer, healthier world.  And it is, despite the howls of the fear mongers I’d like to do my tiny bit towards making life better for cancer patients.    

Ah, nap time is over… I can hear little feet stomping upstairs, so Auntie will be needed to tell stories or help with colouring or something in about 5 minutes!  I’ll leave you then, while I prepare for the onslaught!  Wishing you a good weekend!