Life and Death

Because I write about medicine and science every day for a living, I think about mortality a lot.

Living and dying is such an unpredictable thing when you really think about it. It seems that almost every day, something reminds me to live life to the fullest and don’t ever postpone joy because the ride of life is unpredictable. It’s messy. It’s filled with extreme highs and extreme lows. Small everyday pleasures and occasional life-altering experiences. Humanity is beautiful, ugly, kind and evil all rolled into one.

This morning I was reminded of this today when I heard a segment on NPR’s Story Core, where everyday people interview loved ones who tell some aspect of their story. I find it intriguing because the subject content varies so greatly. It is always interesting – and it usually isn’t earth shattering, just something a seemingly small memory that impacted someone.

Today’s piece featured a woman interviewing her uncle who recently celebrated his 97th birthday. When the man and his sister (the woman’s mother) were children, they were caught in a school bombing. He was reflecting how odd it was that the bomber—who worked at the school—always seemed so kind until that incident. He talked about how he escaped the school, then just 12 years old, and how scared he was to see his sister trapped under the wreckage then to try and help her. He lived through that awful experience and is well on his way to the century mark.

At the same time, I’m reading a book called Hospital by Julie Salamon – a true story about a hospital in Brooklyn, New York and the interworkings of the health system. She spoke of a woman who was just 43 and died of stage-4 colorectal cancer. Earlier this week, one of our dermatologists told me about a friend and patient of hers who is just 22 and has metastatic melanoma. Geez.

Sure, we make decisions that influence or risk for disease. But how much of it is simply fate? Should that be a frightening or liberating concept? I guess it’s all a matter of perception. I’m going to work on living in the moment more – it’s something I struggle with. I catch myself thinking about the next project, the next trip, the next big step…it’s a tough habit to break.

Perhaps I should take more time to smell the roses, eh? This morning, I sure did enjoy laying in bed listening to the birds sing outside my window. That’s a step in the right direction!