Fatal Health Diagnosis Must Not Destroy The Best Of Our Life Left

There was this popular Radio Talk show host diagnosed with cancer at the peak of his career. We all felt bad and scared that he was going to die. Surprisingly, he was the one reassuring us that he would enjoy and spend the rest of his time fulfilling his activities with all the time left in him with grace. After all, we are all getting closer everyday to the day we die.

This wonderful guy told his listeners that none of us know when we are going to die, not even the doctors that predicted his time because he could be hit by a car, earthquake or senseless war before his time. It was more amazing that some fatal predictions were revised because of new scientific discovery, Karma, wrong diagnosis or so called miracle cure. He actually outlasted the Radio Station.

We all have dreams, as long as we work towards it diligently without rancor, nothing to haunt us. Our attitude towards life, no matter what is left after a fatal diagnosis, prolongs or shortens the time left. We must live everyday to the fullest, especially after struggling to make it worthwhile at the early stages. Sometimes, bad omens happen to good people but the goodness of our hearts see us through. The way we prepare our lives gives us soft landings.

There was also the story some of you may have heard about a man that was misdiagnosed. He lost all hope and gave up on life before his death. Lying down helplessly on his sick bed. As soon as the doctor came to apologize that the laboratory switched his result inadvertently; he jumped up and danced around the hospital staff. We cannot but wonder what happened between the moment he was lying down ready to die on the sick bed and when he got the good news.

Boosting and weakening our immune system by our optimistic or pessimistic take on life may prolong or shorten our ability to fight diseases. It is important to realize that lack of will in our ability to fight devastating forces, or more powerful opponents even in a war, means we have already lost the battle. No matter what we consider an insurmountable force against us, giving up must not be our option. Cowards die many times before their death, they say.

A friend took his wife to cleaners in their divorce after she had rescued him from the street and sponsored him to learn computer language at a community college. She lost so much of what she had worked hard for. It got to her immune system weakened; resulting in resurgence of dormant cancer cells. When this guy finished with his ex-wife, he coached his friends' wives to do the same to their husbands. Karma paid him back while alive. The ex-wife survived him.

There are opportunistic infections that only gain control when our immune system is weak. "Cold" or flu, if not taken care of, could degenerate into pneumonia. We know pneumonia kills. Our grandmothers know that warning us to dress well or rob us down when we catch the flu. Unfortunately, the days our mothers and grandmother make sure we are well fed to prevent sickness is getting out of reach for the poor in our communities.

One saying that if each of us writes what ails us on our foreheads, most of us would thank God for the problem we have compared to others. It is like the story of one eye man that quarreled with God until he saw a blind man. He thanked God that at least he could see with one eye. The blind man quarreled with God until he heard people crying. He asked what happened and was told someone just lost his life. He thanked God for his own life.

Everyone of us will die of something. Indeed as we get older, we nurse one ailment or another. It could be manageable diabetes to some cancer of body parts. The fact remains that as the body ages, some parts would not work as efficiently as when we were younger. The difference is how we take care of ourselves through exercise and regular visits to our health providers even in communities with barefoot doctors or adequate Healthcare.

No matter who we are, how sophisticated or informed, when we face eventuality, we fall for any ray of hope for a cure. We must always remember that Heaven only helps those who help themselves and not to fall into the hands of Prophets and Imams that claim they have direct power from God to cure. But would not use the power in hospitals and mortuaries.

If you think the time of our death is written or inevitable anyway, try reckless unhealthy lives, like crossing major highways or engaging in Russian roulette. Some people have left the most developed countries to seek treatment in the Third World countries. Unfortunately, the rich and the mighty have traveled far and wide looking for the best medical treatment money could buy, only to die like any poor man in a foreign hospital.

Homecare or traditional medicine exists in every continent. It is up to each country to develop and refine the community medicine efficiently instead of depending on foreign hospitals for prevention. The etiology of sickness most times, has more to do with the environment where it was manifested. A prominent politician traveled overseas to treat upstairs disease or mental health only to be referred back to his village barefoot doctors.

They have only a few Specialists in Exotic tropical diseases! Those doctors and nurses that specialize in Tropical diseases are located in a few teaching hospitals abroad. Indeed, most professors of Tropical diseases abroad spend their summers in African countries learning from African physicians or professors in these countries before going back home to teach students in their own countries.