Here's an article on musician Killick (Eric Hines) and his experiences with a celiac-disease related H. pylori gut ulcer:
killick on celiac disease and "bloodletting"
this reminded me of a recent encounter with a friend. she said "why would you WANT to know if you had celiac disease? i have a friend who's avoiding the doctor for just that reason. she doesn't want to know. it's a personal decision."
at first i agreed, but you know what? avoiding severe and potentially life threatening complications is a good reason to know about food allergies, sensitivities, and intolerance. yup.
also, having a simple solution to a medical problem is a good reason to know. as much as i bitch and moan about how hard it is to make hypoallergenic food, i am still thankful for the fact that my condition is treatable, that it doesn't require medicine (being sick did, though!), and that it DOES make me aware of how fucked up the US food system is in general! more good reasons to know!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
two interesting articles about HIV
Today I read this really great article on how AIDS doctors are finding that HIV drugs are causing premature aging. It's something people would never think about, but is apparently happening all the time.
One thing that did bother me, that isn't really the point of the article, is the number of people bemoaning the fact that their HIV treatment regimens are impacting their ability to hold high-level business jobs. Not to diminish the trauma that comes with involuntary deskilling and transitions from law jobs to a blue collar work, but this is an example of lots of things that are wrong with our economy. People with business jobs feel entitled to them, like the economy somehow inherently guarantees that those who are smart enough and good enough deserve life-long six-figure employment. In reality, the economy guarantees nothing, and the people who get high-level business jobs are usually born into it through some combination of class factors. Everybody works hard. The people who clean your offices work way harder than you, so don't say that hard work alone gets you everywhere.
Also... I wonder what happens to these people's health coverage when they lose their jobs? One interviewee focused exclusively on other "financials" in the article, and another had to go on disability, but I wish the article had addressed the reality of losing one's HIV cocktail coverage along with one's job.
Last but not least, the article downplays the fact that the majority of HIV-infected people in this world have far worse dilemmas to face: not being able to afford drugs at all, not being able to protect their unborn children, not being able to treat complications of the disease, etc. I know that's not the focus of the article, nor should it be, but I think a lot of medical researchers and writers could be aided by thinking about how people throughout the world live with a disease, not just people in the first world.
******************
Ok, better news! In Uganda, doctors have found a way to block most HIV transmission from mothers to children. Apparently Uganda is the only African country that is effectively decreasing its infection rate and preventing further infection. Yay for innovative public health solutions!
One thing that did bother me, that isn't really the point of the article, is the number of people bemoaning the fact that their HIV treatment regimens are impacting their ability to hold high-level business jobs. Not to diminish the trauma that comes with involuntary deskilling and transitions from law jobs to a blue collar work, but this is an example of lots of things that are wrong with our economy. People with business jobs feel entitled to them, like the economy somehow inherently guarantees that those who are smart enough and good enough deserve life-long six-figure employment. In reality, the economy guarantees nothing, and the people who get high-level business jobs are usually born into it through some combination of class factors. Everybody works hard. The people who clean your offices work way harder than you, so don't say that hard work alone gets you everywhere.
Also... I wonder what happens to these people's health coverage when they lose their jobs? One interviewee focused exclusively on other "financials" in the article, and another had to go on disability, but I wish the article had addressed the reality of losing one's HIV cocktail coverage along with one's job.
Last but not least, the article downplays the fact that the majority of HIV-infected people in this world have far worse dilemmas to face: not being able to afford drugs at all, not being able to protect their unborn children, not being able to treat complications of the disease, etc. I know that's not the focus of the article, nor should it be, but I think a lot of medical researchers and writers could be aided by thinking about how people throughout the world live with a disease, not just people in the first world.
******************
Ok, better news! In Uganda, doctors have found a way to block most HIV transmission from mothers to children. Apparently Uganda is the only African country that is effectively decreasing its infection rate and preventing further infection. Yay for innovative public health solutions!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
