76 Lifeline

27 January 2017

I was thinking today that with my current problem of not being able to swallow I wouldn't survive long in the primitive wild even if I could find roots, bugs and small animals to consume. I guess most of us would perish if we were catapulted back in time by 20,000 years but some of us would adapt to the loss of Tim Horton's and Burger King.

It's dinner time now and that's perhaps why I mention Burger King. They do a delicious Veggie Burger and I could just eat one right now instead of sitting under this drip feed of beige goop! I have introduced the BK Veggie to several people and they all liked it. It's different and in the USA it's not as good --  CANADA FIRST!

This got me thinking about my parents. If it were not for modern medicine my father would have died of type 1 diabetes at age 38  instead of 81 and my mother would have died at 42 of ovarian cancer instead of 94. For my mother all that was required was surgery. My father spent the final 43 years of his life having a daily injection of insulin to keep him alive. His timing was lucky because insulin had only been in general use for few years when he  became ill.

I do feel a special kinship with my father now as my survival depends on this fragile plastic tube. Even if we are lucky enough to have good health and never need medical intervention, our modern society has extended our lives in so many ways. We are very fortunate compared to all previous generations.