Did you ever wake up with a strange physical feeling and wonder if it was worth a visit to the doctor? That happened to me last week. As a middle class American, I am very blessed to have excellent health care and good insurance. For the past 25 years, my care has been through a major hospital network based in Detroit. Every time I go by its historic building, I think about
how good they were to me each time in my adult life when I needed to be hospitalized and how they, their satellite clinics, and their related institutions help tens of thousands of people annually.
I felt that I should do something, but not knowing what would be the best action, I wrote a description of my situation and faxed it to my primary care physician for his advice. Soon his office called and said that he wanted me to come in for an exam that morning, so I did. Then after conferring with colleagues, he arranged for me to go to the main hospital immediately for very
comprehensive testing that required an overnight stay. I did that and was again very pleased with my care.
The highlight was going through one of the most advanced diagnostic testing machines of its kind anywhere in the United States, having the results reviewed by two specialists, and then hearing good news. All of my basic systems are in good shape, I don't have a major problem, but I should take a "baby aspirin" every day. This over the counter item costs only three cents. No doubt my insurance company and Medicare will be billed several thousand dollars for what led to this finding, but at least it was much better news than other possible outcomes. Eat healthy food, continue to exercise regularly (I especially enjoy bicycling), and take an 81 milligram aspirin costing only three cents every day. That's simple advice, and I was glad to get it.
Henry Ford Hospital is a fascinating place. U.S. News and World Report Magazine includes it on their "America's 50 Best Hospitals" list. People from just about every country have had an experience with it in one way or another as a patient, employee, medical student, or a beneficiary of its outstanding teaching and research.
One of my nurses was from Belize, and when she had some extra minutes, we compared situations there with some that I had seen on a recent trip to Nicaragua. Another nurse has hospital friends who are going on a medical mission trip to the Philippines. I gave him a copy of my Helping Overseas Directory for them.
Time went quickly as I relaxed with favorite music and read a book entitled The Healing Connection. Written by Harold Koenig, M.D. of Duke University Medical School and published by Word Publishing in 2000, it presents statistical evidence that having a strong personal faith is a major asset in one's physical, mental, and emotional health. Dr. Koenig is a Christian physician, and his research has been published in dozens of professional and popular books and journals, highlighted at numerous conferences, and has been the subject of many television appearances. Attending church regularly, he noted, adds as much to one's longevity as wearing seatbelts or not smoking cigarettes (see pages 121-22). I certainly recommend the book.
During my 24 hours in the big hospital, I thought of how many people throughout the developing world wish that they could have even the most basic medical care. Mine would have beyond their fondest dreams. I remembered the long lines of people I saw when, as retired high school social studies teacher, I went with medical teams to impoverished areas of the Caribbean. Often the patients walked for miles and then stood there in the hot sun (and sometimes rain) for many hours just to be seen by a visiting medical professional for a few minutes and get a handful of pills.
When my hospital meals came, I thought about pictures and stories of families of medical patients in Africa who must come and cook for their members in whatever clinic or hospital is available otherwise the patient is not fed.
As I saw all of the diagnostic equipment, I thought about a physician who had just completed residency and e-mailed me a few days ago seeking basic medical supplies. He turned down a financially lucrative career in the U.S. to help in a hospital in a remote area of Cameroon. About all they have is a building. The same is true in countless numbers of other places worldwide.
God didn't make me any better than anyone else. My life is not any more significant than someone in a place like Haiti. Why am I so fortunate when the vast majority of the world's population has so little? This question is one of the main motivations for researching and writing my directory.
When I got home, I saw an e-mail newsletter from an organization in the medical supplies section of my directory: Vitamin Angel Alliance http://www.vitaminangel.org, They joined another in my
directory: the Worm Project http://www.fmc-online.org/wormproject_
to make anti-parasitic worm pills more easily available. The newsletter also noted that the World Health Organization has found that providing anti-worm pills to people in the developing world is the most effective way of improving the health of more people for less cost than anything else. I was glad to learn that a simple three cents daily item can take care of me for a day, but a nearly identically small sum can take care of a child or adult with parasitic worms for up to six months. That beats my bargain!
When I went to Haiti in January 2004, I brought 13,000 anti-worm pills to donate. They easily fit in one suitcase. If you (or a group) want to do something worthwhile, I suggest that you look into this possibility and help fund similar efforts. About 1/3 of the world's population has to deal with parasitic worms, and that often leads to many tragic forms of illness and early death.
I also suggest that you look through the various other organizations listed in my directory and see if there are additional ones with which you may want to connect. You may also find that helping others is good for your health as well.
Dr. Koenig notes on page 156 of his Healing Connection that "Our research confirms that¦ helping behavior was invariably and consistently related to positive outcomes, less depression, better quality of life, and more spiritual growth." In a nutshell, he concluded, try to help others.
It's good for you too. Some of that help may cost even less than three cents a day! I look forward to your thoughts and suggestions about this "blog" and anything else that might improve my directory efforts.
*Bruce's Blog 
