First person: Treatment is subjective, outcomes keep varying
In the age of robotic surgery and software regulating and commanding human life, health remains a multi-factor entity. It is essential to delineate diseases which can be cured from the ones that can be treated. While cure means complete eradication of the disease, it’s not true for all diseases and quite a number of them can be treated and not cured permanently, which means that their discomfort or morbidity can be lessened but not totally removed forever. These two terms can be subjective to a person who becomes totally pain-free after knee replacement and feels that he has been cured while the one with persistent discomfort, though lessened a lot after surgery, feels he has not been cured though he has been treated well. “I treat, He (God) cures” is an appropriate phrase for the outcome of any disease. A lot many factors are involved in the outcome of efforts put in by the white coat-adorning personnel fighting against nature. So comparisons, good or bad, between two sets of patients are unwarranted. While evidence-based procedures and protocols find universal acceptance, the experience of the veterans with the ‘Old is Gold ‘ philosophy cannot be underestimated. At times, the primitive methods yield better results. Adherence to guidelines by the patient and good mental support and back-up by the family and friends goes a long way in taking steps towards cure. Strong-willed and challenge-accepting personalities mostly fare well in the battle against odds.
The happiness index of a person is the key as an unhappy psyche triggers wellness-negating hormones, sometimes leading to catastrophic results. ‘Sympathetic Dystrophy’ is one such example of wasted muscles and hollow bones after a well united fracture. Faith in the treating physician or surgeon, overlooking free advice by others, including Google, is another factor which helps in unexpected positive outcomes in miraculously shorter periods. Nature’s healing potential dilutes the aggression of a number of diseases over a period of time and in instances, patience bears fruit, hence the term, ‘delayed union of fractures’. In the event of lack of positive progression, a second opinion should be sought by the patient and the clinician alike. Meditation, high-fibre and protein diet with abundant sunlight and other nature’s gifts, shorten the period of being unwell. Adequate water intake detoxifies the body.
Health-savvy people get periodic check-ups and the body braces to face any eventuality. For example, anaemia diagnosed at the time of admission for other diseases, becomes the limiting factor for success and has to be corrected with transfusions which are not risk-free. Obesity adds to the stress on the body due to the disease. The immunological status of the person which may be for or against cannot be ignored. For example, immunity helps in fighting against infections, but if one is hypersensitive or allergic to medicines or implants, it may have a detrimental effect. Sometimes ‘damage control treatment’ takes precedence over the standard treatment when the results do not seem promising to the doctor and one does not like to burden the patient with exaggerated pathology and financial burden.
And surprisingly, sometimes the results turn out to be better. Lifestyle may have an aiding or reverse effect. Alcohol or tobacco consumption slows down healing. On the contrary, exercise and yoga speed up the process. The role of spirituality and the name of God cannot be undermined as it helps in positive outcomes. On very rare occasions lethal cancers have shown spontaneous remission due to unexplained factors, the patients with spiritual inclination who pray consistently, more so during the procedure, lessen their and their doctor’s rush of adrenaline and calm minds yield better results. Value for money holds true in healthcare too, the high cost of treatment obviously is expected to bring about a better outcome.
Questionnaire to the patients regarding expectations after surgery and psychological counselling and education regarding the same is crucial.
Optimal rational expectation is the key.
Last but not least, the assuring smile of the clinician adds comfort to the already distressed individuals, thus hastening the healing process. Heart-felt appreciation to the health providers tones them up for seamless steering through storms which take a toll on their health too.
Amritsar