There are so many inventions that have made a great impact in my life some good and some bad. It took me a while to summon up the courage to write about this because it was so personal. I think back to the pioneers and the many hardships and trials they dealt with daily and I am amazed at how they survived. Granted, a lot didn't make it, but for the ones who did, modern conveniences did not exist and they were forced to bear extreme burdens often times, alone.
If I had to choose just one invention that has affected me the greatest, I would have to say modern medicine. If it were not for caring doctors, skilled nurses, proper medication and available blood, I would be in Heaven, not writing this article. You see, my youngest child, my precious daughter was born five weeks early and five minutes before my uterus ruptured. To say her birth and my survival was a miracle, is putting it mildly. I wrote an article a while ago called, A Mother's Miracle It describes the horrific 42 hours and ensuing days ahead that will live in my memory forever. However, I don't want to focus on my experience; I want to express my feelings on medicine and the many miracles it has performed for people everywhere.
One-hundred years and even as soon as fifty years ago, we didn't have many modern medicines such as the AIDS cocktail which has made people living with aids able to function better. We didn't have vaccines for things such as Polio, Chicken Pox, Measles and Rubella. We now have a vaccine for the everyday flu! Treatments for Cancer are being researched and put on pharmacy shelves all over the world and now we can do heart, kidney, liver and even more recently, hand transplants.
Modern medicine has produced miracles in an otherwise terminal patient. There is now medicine to help the mentally ill take charge of their life again. Depression, anxiety disorders and other mentally ill disorders, are now being treated with a drug that will help them see the sun again. Suicides are down because of anti-depressants and more research being done.
People with arthritis now have weapons to fight against the crippling disease that slowly disables them from doing everyday normal things like gardening, shopping, even walking. Women don't have to sit by the wayside, have their babies and be up soon after taking care of the household. They don't have to endure the arduous labor and exhausting journey of childbirth without medicine.
Just since the early 90's have researchers developed new drugs with lower side effects and better management of symptoms. There are even new treatments for the slowly fatal disease, Alzheimer's. What a magnificent time to be alive! It is predicted that by the year 2020, Cancer would be all but eliminated from the earth.
The life expectancy of women one-hundred years ago was fifty-two and the life expectancy of men, fifty years. Now, average women live to be seventy-eight and men seventy-five. Many are living into their 90's and even one-hundreds.
I believe we are born in the time we should be. I know I would have never survived being a pioneer and that I was saved for a very special mission on earth. My children were born in a marvelous and exciting time. They will be the future researchers, scientists, doctors and teachers. They will be the future warriors: Brave, noble, courageous and intelligent. They will be God's instruments in taking the world in a better direction. My children may very well save my life one day, or even yours. The future of modern medicine is filled with hope and trepidation; but most of all, filled with a desire to aid people and help them lead the best lives possible.
