The deplorable medical condition of many hospital patients is sometimes, certainly, the result of their own unwise decisions or neglected conditions.
That each man and woman should be responsible for their own health sounds simple enough. Sadly, far too many of us don’t think about the implications of what we do to our health – or would rather blame others for the physical mishaps that befall us.
Recently I took care of a man with inoperable cancer who for years had ignored a variety of symptoms: weight loss, abdominal pain, bloody stools, nausea and vomiting. He came to the emergency room in total obstruction by a cancerous tumor. A once-curable condition was allowed to advance to a point where now his life is in jeopardy. He blamed his tardiness on being uninsured. I blame it on his state of denial.
Conditions that might have been managed had they been treated sooner are seen every day in America’s hospitals: diabetics in comas; hypertension resulting in strokes; stomach ulcers resulting in bleeding. People who are otherwise intelligent and clearly rational allow their health to run to ruin. Obviously, we need to be more vigilant about our health.
The debate underway today is whether health care is a right or a privilege, whether we should reform the way we deliver it or not. Indeed, a nonprofit, universal health care would be ideal. But realists who have watched the empty health care debate for three decades know our system is a highly lucrative wilderness, particularly for those who hold the compass and can read the terrain.
Therefore, until there’s reform, we must each pay attention to our own health. The uninsured think health maintenance is too expensive, so they don’t visit physicians, even in the face of worrisome complaints. But most routine medical visits are reasonably priced – and worth the expense. It’s best to know about some problems sooner, when they can be easily diagnosed and managed, rather than later, when they are life-threatening. For various forms of precancerous conditions, early diagnosis can be life-saving. And many conditions don’t require costly operations or extensive therapy.
Some Americans feel helpless when considering their health care options. They think physicians and other health care providers are remote and distant. But we’ve got the power to do so much individually. We have amazing amounts of information at our fingertips that show us how to live a healthy life. We know that psychological issues, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, breathing problems and other maladies are all closely related. Many of them can be managed with weight loss, a responsible diet and increased physical activity – measures that don’t cost much money or a reliance on our health care system.
I have also seen people who behave as if physicians and HMOs were responsible for their problems, blaming the messenger instead of taking responsibility for their own health.
Health fairs where lab tests and vital statistics are measured are popular and helpful to many. Our city and county authorities also offer clinics for the uninsured, who pay a fee based on their individual income. It would be a sign of good citizenship if hospitals, HMOs and others could help finance them.
It’s human to hope for the best and foolhardy to ignore warning signs and nagging symptoms, hoping they’ll go away. They often don’t, and the results can be fatal.
Many deaths can be avoided with some personal responsibility and a little preventive care.
Pius Kamau of Aurora is a thoracic and general surgeon. He was born and raised in Kenya and immigrated to the U.S. in 1971. His column appears on alternate Thursdays.
