Death was sadly a theme for my family this past holiday season. As much as we hate it, death is a very important part of the circle of life. Many physicians have to deal with death almost every day—they can smell it miles away. The odd thing is that many physicians cannot smell it creeping up on themselves, probably because they are used to the stench.
An oncologist who was close to my family passed away days before ringing in the New Year. He died of liver cancer, a silently destructive cancer. The uniqueness of this cancer is that there are very minimal symptoms because the liver does not have any nerves that the brain can respond to. It turns out that this oncologist rarely had yearly physicals when he was supposed to. These physicals become more important when you enter your fifties and beyond.
It turns out that the oncologist frequently ate peanuts to sustain himself during his busy workdays. Peanuts can contain a cancer-causing fungus called aflatoxin. Ingesting large amounts of this fungus can cause damage and, ultimately, cancer to the liver.
“No pain, no gain” is a foolish adage when it comes to your health. You can pump all the iron you want. You can take all the vaccines you can get. Bacteria, viruses, and other disease-causing agents are deceptively strong because we cannot detect them with our own eyes—and when they act, they act fast. When symptoms arise, you should treat them with your common over-the-counter medications. When they persist, then that is the time to give your primary care physician or the Student Health Center a call.
The purpose of this article is not to make everyone a germophobe. Those of you who are fans of television shows such as House, M.D. or Scrubs have seen that it is possible to be diagnosed with lung cancer with just a symptom of a persistent cough. Most of us are at our prime in terms of the strength of our immune systems. Chances are there are no life-threatening diseases that any of us should be worried about. However, it is always a good thing to be aware of as we continue on through the path of time. A good life starts with good health; don’t take it for granted.
