Connections

Why don't we have regular SPECT or brain scans? Why is it that the brain is the only organ in the body generally treated by symptoms alone. For instance one of my best friends died of a glioma of the brain. His symptoms included lack of balance, forgetfulness, a bad knee, and maybe a bad hip and maybe a bad back and his stomach bothered him. He was in his eighties, but he worked every day. He functioned almost to the last. He had some headaches. His sinuses bothered him. X-rays, echo-cardiograms, knee surgery, back exercises, sinus scans, and lots of meds which did not agree with him. He got it all.

Through it all he maintained stately appearances. Not one doctor recommended a brain scan until he had his fifth fall only four months before his death. And then brain surgery and chemo and radiation and death.

Dr. Daniel Amen in his book, "Memory Rescue" reminds us the organs in our bodies are connected. You know just what connectedness means. One thing affects another. When my husband, daughter, son, grandchild, etc. suffers, I suffer. Imagine if we looked at the body as a whole mechanism and asked just why it is not running up to par and diagnose and make changes until we do better. Imagine if we change our perspective from pills to incorporating the body, mind, spirit, culture as potential cure basis for our illnesses. Believe me, if I have strep throat, I want penicillin. If I break my arm, I want my orthopedist. If there is genetic causes to problems, I want the best doctors in the house. Still, I want my friend to be alive and I think he could have been saved. Doctors need to have the time to think about the collection of complaints given by a patient. Patients need to journalize their problems in order to remember. We all need to relearn our relationship with our bodies.

Reeducation starts at home and then in the schools. I am uncertain that education is happening.

K. B. Pellegrino, Author