Modern medicine has come a long way. Back when I was in college I had a
bike accident in which I was thrown over the bike and into the street. I
broke my clavicle in two places, separated my shoulder and shattered my ball
socket joint. At the time I was fortunate enough to have a great
orthopedic surgeon. He set everything right (though the pain was
tremendous) and I rehabilitated it for about six months. Now it works fine
and only gives me trouble on occasion. Then I see a professional athlete
today who has a broken collar bone and they say this person will need about
three weeks to recover. Wow! I know my injury was more severe but
still, that is amazing. Then a friend reminded me that they now have bone
growth stimulators and other methods of healing not available 25 years
ago. That started me thinking. “If medicine has come that far in the
last 25 years, what would have happened if I had broken my shoulder 25 years
before that? And what might medicine be able to do 25 years from
now.” We often look at what medicine has not accomplished like curing the
common cold or finding a cure for AIDS or diabetes. It is rare that anyone
looks at what has been done. I had a back surgery in my twenties and it
required a long incision along my spine. Then I spent 3 months learning
how to walk again in physical therapy. To this day it still bothers me
from time to time. I spoke to a fellow with the same procedure a few
months ago and he was up walking around like normal within a few days! The
incision was very small. What a difference time can make. Recently I
went to the doctor with a sinus infection. He prescribed an
antibiotic. I can’t tell you how many times I would have died if no one
had ever invented antibiotics. My three cases of pneumonia alone would
have finished me off. Doctors often catch our ire for not having all the
answers. Maybe we should be thankful for the answers they have.
bike accident in which I was thrown over the bike and into the street. I
broke my clavicle in two places, separated my shoulder and shattered my ball
socket joint. At the time I was fortunate enough to have a great
orthopedic surgeon. He set everything right (though the pain was
tremendous) and I rehabilitated it for about six months. Now it works fine
and only gives me trouble on occasion. Then I see a professional athlete
today who has a broken collar bone and they say this person will need about
three weeks to recover. Wow! I know my injury was more severe but
still, that is amazing. Then a friend reminded me that they now have bone
growth stimulators and other methods of healing not available 25 years
ago. That started me thinking. “If medicine has come that far in the
last 25 years, what would have happened if I had broken my shoulder 25 years
before that? And what might medicine be able to do 25 years from
now.” We often look at what medicine has not accomplished like curing the
common cold or finding a cure for AIDS or diabetes. It is rare that anyone
looks at what has been done. I had a back surgery in my twenties and it
required a long incision along my spine. Then I spent 3 months learning
how to walk again in physical therapy. To this day it still bothers me
from time to time. I spoke to a fellow with the same procedure a few
months ago and he was up walking around like normal within a few days! The
incision was very small. What a difference time can make. Recently I
went to the doctor with a sinus infection. He prescribed an
antibiotic. I can’t tell you how many times I would have died if no one
had ever invented antibiotics. My three cases of pneumonia alone would
have finished me off. Doctors often catch our ire for not having all the
answers. Maybe we should be thankful for the answers they have.
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