This is my 199th blog posting. The first appeared on March 2, 2012. This means that I have written one blog “essay”
every 3.6 days, or 86.1 hrs. I would pat
myself on the back, except that I am so stiff that I have trouble reaching my
feet, let alone a part of me that I
cannot see.
Gracing and justifying those 199 blogs have been at least
175 pictures of my beautiful wife, Linda Joyce Beck. I know that many of you read the text of
these things, but I am sure that all of you enjoy the pictures. As most of you will have noticed, the
technology gremlins that infest every computer operated by anyone over 70 lately
have maliciously prevented me from
posting any pictures, no matter how hard I try. I am flying back
to Bellingham on Thursday to take part
in the graduation ceremony of my second grand-daughter, Olivia Beck Kelly. I will wear full academic regalia, thus
looking like something out of the 18th century, and I will march in
the precession. While I am in Bellingham
I will use my newer desk-top computer to post some pictures. A bunch of them, in fact. I hope you like them.
However, to justify this blog I need to tell you something
about cancer. The Economist for March 1st
has an interesting articled about how much more terrible the burden of cancer is
in the developing world than it is in
rich countries. Here is the article:
The gist: Many
African countries have no oncologists whatsoever, and rely on phone calls to
U.S. doctors for treatment. Many
communities are in a remarkably unsophisticated state, so lots of time (and
money) are spent on traditional treatments that – mostly – don’t work. Developing countries are plagued by cancers (lung,
for instance) that are being eradicated in the developed world. (Or large parts of it – more than half of
Russian, Chinese, and Indonesian men still smoke.) Mammograms
and PSA tests are often unavailable in poor countries and, where available, usually are expensive. To some extent our aid packages are
misdirected: cancer kills more people
than HIV, malaria and tuberculosis combined, but receives only a “tiny fraction”
of the monetary support.
And so forth.
Read it yourselves.
Oh, p.s. - it hit 91 here today. If I see 100 two days in a row I'm heading north!
That's a lot of blog entries you've written. I've learned about cancer prevention, detection and treatment and I'm still confused, but a lot more knowledgeable than I was. I salute the many doctors and researchers you have spotlighted for the work they do to save lives.
ReplyDeleteMostly I think about Linda and her path as she battled ovarian cancer. She was a wonderful woman, a wonderful sister, and she is honored by your work, Myrl.
Yes, she was genuinely wonderful. Her capacity for love, and her courage in facing her disease, are humbling. Any honor involved is mine: I am honored that she loved me. Thanks for letting me be part of your family.
ReplyDelete