You are so right, you can do all things to keep you healthy but something will get you in the end. My close friend is 79. She's been running five miles several times a week for years, as well as weight training, playing tennis etc.. She's been growing her own organic veg, has a positive mindset and a busy social life. Last year she had a few symptoms that took her to see her doctor. After tests she was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 pancreatic cancer. All her friends and family were shocked. How could this happen to her? She was so healthy! She may make it through the summer but probably not. A salutary lesson that we can do our best to live a healthy life but it won't guarantee an extra long life and quick death.
I’m very sorry to hear that. As I’ve always said, all we can do is tilt odds. There is nothing we can do to guarantee we prevent most diseases. Sometimes those odds don’t play out in our favour. Which is why we need to appreciate the near term.
Michael Mosley travelled from a cool UK (temps in June cooler than average) to a hot one experiencing a heatwave (up to 40C). He didn’t trip – the BBC reporter saw the CCTV footage from beach café – it was horrendous, he took 20 mins to cover the last 30 m before collapsing.
He should have taken time to acclimate and carry more water. He previously nearly died on holiday in Cornwall jumping into a cold sea from a boat – he reached the shore but was in a confused state with memory blackout.
But yes it’s impossible to be aware of all risks all the time. It’s a tragedy that what made him so good at his job - his natural inquisitiveness and spirit of adventure - was his final undoing.
But I’d bet that if he had to die, that would be how he wanted to go.
Just sad to see the negative outcome of a suboptimal decision. As I’ve said, I have made far more risky decisions and not paid the price. But I was just lucky. He took a risk and paid the ultimate price.
Paddy, great letters. Can you do a risk analysis of stents versus no stents? We know that we have less mortality in Ireland over last 40 years. Is this due to lipid lowering, stents, lifestyle changes (nutrition/exercise). Are you better off having stent when younger and stronger heart vs delaying stents?
Very strong. Thank you!
You are so right, you can do all things to keep you healthy but something will get you in the end. My close friend is 79. She's been running five miles several times a week for years, as well as weight training, playing tennis etc.. She's been growing her own organic veg, has a positive mindset and a busy social life. Last year she had a few symptoms that took her to see her doctor. After tests she was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 pancreatic cancer. All her friends and family were shocked. How could this happen to her? She was so healthy! She may make it through the summer but probably not. A salutary lesson that we can do our best to live a healthy life but it won't guarantee an extra long life and quick death.
I’m very sorry to hear that. As I’ve always said, all we can do is tilt odds. There is nothing we can do to guarantee we prevent most diseases. Sometimes those odds don’t play out in our favour. Which is why we need to appreciate the near term.
Michael Mosley travelled from a cool UK (temps in June cooler than average) to a hot one experiencing a heatwave (up to 40C). He didn’t trip – the BBC reporter saw the CCTV footage from beach café – it was horrendous, he took 20 mins to cover the last 30 m before collapsing.
He should have taken time to acclimate and carry more water. He previously nearly died on holiday in Cornwall jumping into a cold sea from a boat – he reached the shore but was in a confused state with memory blackout.
But yes it’s impossible to be aware of all risks all the time. It’s a tragedy that what made him so good at his job - his natural inquisitiveness and spirit of adventure - was his final undoing.
But I’d bet that if he had to die, that would be how he wanted to go.
“Let me die a youngman's death
not a clean and inbetween
the sheets holywater death
not a famous-last-words
peaceful out of breath death”
[Roger McGough]
Just sad to see the negative outcome of a suboptimal decision. As I’ve said, I have made far more risky decisions and not paid the price. But I was just lucky. He took a risk and paid the ultimate price.
Paddy, great letters. Can you do a risk analysis of stents versus no stents? We know that we have less mortality in Ireland over last 40 years. Is this due to lipid lowering, stents, lifestyle changes (nutrition/exercise). Are you better off having stent when younger and stronger heart vs delaying stents?
Here you go: https://paddybarrett.substack.com/p/do-you-need-a-stent-to-treat-your?utm_source=publication-search
And eat some chocolate at least once a week.