One of the distinctions we try to make is the difference between health care and sick care. Our culture has so abused the term “health” that it’s lost its meaning.
The mainstay of many television dramas is the heroic lifesaving that takes place in hospitals, with the underlying message that medicine saves lives. And it does. But it isn’t health care.
True, the fragility of life creates the theater necessary to hold the attention of viewers. But what’s missing from these fantasies is the fact that our so-called health care system is burdened by expensive, heroic measures delivered in the last six months or so of life. These procedures are often used to treat disease states caused by neglect or poor lifestyle choices.
I mention this because true health care isn’t heroic. Unless you consider getting adjusted on a regular basis heroic! Or eating a salad instead of a burger. Or climbing the stairs rather than pressing a button. Or drinking pure water instead of a sugary drink. But if you do, you’re a hero to me!
The mainstay of many television dramas is the heroic lifesaving that takes place in hospitals, with the underlying message that medicine saves lives. And it does. But it isn’t health care.
True, the fragility of life creates the theater necessary to hold the attention of viewers. But what’s missing from these fantasies is the fact that our so-called health care system is burdened by expensive, heroic measures delivered in the last six months or so of life. These procedures are often used to treat disease states caused by neglect or poor lifestyle choices.
I mention this because true health care isn’t heroic. Unless you consider getting adjusted on a regular basis heroic! Or eating a salad instead of a burger. Or climbing the stairs rather than pressing a button. Or drinking pure water instead of a sugary drink. But if you do, you’re a hero to me!
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