The tale of two very different patients



I had an interesting time this morning when I was able to see two quite different patients one after the other.


My first patient was 'Lynne' who is a 1947 baby (aged 67). She was one of my first ever patients when I began in clinic way back in May 2000. I've seen her through her journey to the top of Mount Everest,the jungles of South America and countless other adventures all around the world and I've also seen her through some tough times including the death of her husband. 'Lynne' stays very fit and active and has done all her life. She is a regular "wellness" patient and sees me once a month for her 'Warrant of Fitness' to correct any spinal dysfunction,enabling her to maintain her optimal health.

'She is very conscious of what she eats,and even at 67 she cuts a quite striking,slender figure. This morning she me told all about her 5 days canoeing on the Wanganui River just last week. And she is off again in a few months,this time to Alaska. Her body has served her well,and she is reaping the rewards in her later life with excellent health,and the ability to be able to do what she wants. Her smile and energy is contagious and I always enjoy our monthly catch ups.

Once I'd finished up with 'Lynne' I moved next door to see my next patient,'Tony'. He is a 1942 baby(aged 72). My visit with him was completely different. From the very second I walked in to the room,I could sense his desperation and his helplessness.

I had first seen 'Tony' 6 weeks ago,when he presented with Low Back pain that radiated in to his Right leg and caused him to limp. On further investigation I found that he had a whole range of health issues that were being 'treated' by his GP through an extensive range of pharmaceutical drugs. Today,he had just been diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis,which is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal (voluntary) muscles of the body. He can no longer play Golf,and as he described today,his wife can lift the free weights he has at home but he now can not!

He asked how he had come to this point. My explanation was thus.

"Tony,imagine you are a 1942 Model of a car,say the latest Ford at the time. You are looked after so well by your new owner,that they change your oil regularly,drive you at a comfortable speed,check the tyre pressure and polish you up weekly.Every service that is due,you make. As a car,Tony,you can last a lifetime,and that 1942 version is driving around today like brand new. Imagine though Tony,if that same car was given to a young boy racer,who thrashed you and drove you recklessly and failed to service you. How long do you think you'd last then?"

'Tony' thought about this,and realised that over his lifetime,he had taken his body for granted. He had been,as I say "10 foot tall and bulletproof" and thought he would be invincible. When he began to fall apart,he sought help to 'treat' his symptom so he could carry on again,but slowly and surely his body failed him,because he had failed to look after it. He hadn't been careful in what he had put in his body through a daily diet,he hadn't been diligent in exercise and he had certainly not sought out any Health Care providers that encouraged the "Wellness Way".

In contrast,'Lynne' had always taken good care of herself and had always been very careful in what she did to her body and in turn her body looked after her. Her outlook on life is fantastic and her future is bright. In contrast,'Tony' needs my urgent help,and I'll be there for him to get him back on track. It isn't too late,but my job has been made so much harder because of the poor choices he made over the years.

How do you rate your health,and quality of life?

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