After this past week’s headlines, I’ve decided I’m just doomed.
Let’s face it, I use nail polish, I have had bite-wing X-rays at least once a year at my dentist’s office for the last few decades, I have a sedentary job at which I sit at least 8 hours a day, and I eat commercially grown meat which no doubt contains high levels of antibiotics.
And that was just the headlines in the past week.
I’m glad that we’re spending money on research because I have no doubt that countless lives are either better or saved because of it. But I’m getting to the point that I don’t even want to watch television or read a newspaper. It makes me want to retire to my lake-view property in rural Arkansas, plant a garden, and raise my own chickens from the egg, and just drop off the grid. Not so much for what could be a healthier lifestyle (which it no doubt would), but because I’m tired of panic news every time I turn around. The next thing I know, it will be completely different and they’ll find out that people who use nail polish are somehow protected from the damage of bite-wing X-rays. Sheesh!
(Is it just me or is anyone else feeling the barrage?)
I guess it comes down to weighing your risks. Honestly, living in Dallas, I’m probably more susceptible to getting killed in a car wreck on the way to my dentist than I am developing the brain tumor from his low-dose X-ray machine.
We can’t / shouldn’t ignore these warnings, but I do think we have to put them in context of life in the 21st century U.S. Unfortunately, I suspect that there are lots more things that are dangerous to our health that haven’t yet been researched.
But if I am doomed, I’m pleased to report I will do so with a healthy knee. I went for my follow-up appointment with my surgeon and it appears that things are about as good as they get. When he asked if I was still on the Mobic, I told him that I’d talked to my rheumy about doing a trial with just Mobic and not the other drugs and he seemed pleased. Even though Mobic treats the symptoms, not the disease, he said that treating the symptoms and feeling better is worth a lot, as is backing away (even temporarily) from the heavy drugs with severe side effects.
So I hope whatever news comes your way this Friday the 13th is good. Thanks for checking in.
Oh, jeez, Carla. It IS Friday the 13th! No wonder I’m feeling so glum! Heh. I agree with your take on the recent health news out there (along with the effects of global warming, the threat of new wars and the endless presidential campaign shenanigans). It’s all dismal and more than a little scary. And I’ve wondered for a long time about what other things that are part of our daily life in today’s America might be causing us serious, long-term harm. Preservatives in our foods? The stuff in our tooth fillings? Our makeup and deodorants and soaps… the medicines we routinely take, like decongestants and OTC pain-relievers and indigestion stoppers…
But I also agree with you that context is important, and that without a lot of these modern amenities and comfort-makers we’d all be a lot more miserable, not to mention toothless if we’re over a certain age. All we can do is try to be mindful while not stressing too much over it all. We all end up in the same condition in the end, anyway, since we haven’t yet come up with a cure for death.
I’m glad to hear that your knee is healing well and showing so much improvement. I hope it continues to do so smoothly and without incident. And I hope that the Mobic continues to keep the RA pain under control. That’s VERY good news.
You were on my mind when the tornadoes touched down in Dallas/FW last week. I hope you and yours weren’t caused much hardship. The unfortunate folks they DID hurt have my sincere sympathy. What a strange thing that was!
Best wishes to you. Have a relaxing and renewing weekend.
Loved your post! How true that we could simply curl up and give up based on the news. Made me laugh and cry all at once! wonderful.
Wow! I think I’m glad that I’ve been too busy to see the news all week. That’s some depressing stuff.
Glad to hear you are on the mend.