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Tag Archives: death
No One Lives Forever
A physician friend of mine recently posed a question: What would happen, he asked, if all our efforts to stamp out heart disease and cancer were finally successful? Following our current trajectory (or, at least, the direction in which we hope we’re heading), what would happen if we were able to finally do away with the two most common maladies that we face and from which most of us ultimately die? I gather from the tone of his question that he implies that eliminating cancer and heart disease, while noble … Continue reading
Amusement Parks
Keep Your Hands and Legs Inside the Ride At All Times Last winter my family and I had the opportunity to vacation to Orlando, Florida, where we spent several days enjoying the magic of the happiest place on earth and getting a glimpse of our planet’s future after centuries of unchecked population growth. During that time I had the opportunity to spend many hours standing in long, serpentine lines waiting to enjoy something that lasts no more than a minute or so: the public restrooms. While waiting to ride on … Continue reading
Posted in Cardiology
Tagged amusement park, blood pressure, death, health, heart, risk, roller coaster
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Pacemakers and Death
Here’s a morbid thought. Take a walk through that part of a cemetery where new arrivals are housed and cast a glance around the grounds where the recently deceased have been laid to rest. Beneath your feet are a half-dozen or so cardiac pacemakers quietly toiling away, providing unneeded electrical impulses to their owners sixty times per minute while their batteries slowly deplete and wind their way down to lifelessness. The devices, like the faithful dog that stands watch on the doorstep of a deceased owner who will never return, … Continue reading
How Long Do I Have Left, Doc?
My doctor gave me six months to live, but when I couldn’t pay the bill he gave me six months more. – Walter Mathau Before I became a doctor I used to wonder how accurate the medical profession is at determining how long you have left to live. Now that I am a trained and experienced physician, I wonder even more. I’m sorry to have to break the news to you, but your illness is fatal. You have six months to live. Why is it always six months? Why not … Continue reading
Another Case of Sudden Cardiac Death
The passing of the King of Pop has been all the talk around the office today. Already I’ve had a couple people ask me to speculate whether Michael Jackson’s unusual lifestyle may have led to his early demise. Almost everyone is familiar with Mr. Jackson’s numerous plastic surgery adventures, his reclusive life, and his reported strange social habits. Given his megastar status and his history of unusual health problems I doubt we’ll ever get the full story of his physical status prior to his death. In the end the best … Continue reading