November 17, 2004
Miracles of medical science
This morning I came across a link to story about a young man who has lived for 18 years with one of nature's most horrible and disfiguring genetic diseases: harlequin type ichthyosis.
Infants born with this disease generally die within hours of birth as their armor-like skin restricts their ability to breathe. Images of these poor souls can be found here (WARNING: extremely graphic, extremely disturbing images! You have been warned!).
But through the work of heroic neonatologists, Ryan Gonzalez has not only out-lived all previous sufferers of harlequin type ichthyosis, but is now a triathlete. He must consume 7,500 calories a day, slather himself in ointment seven times a day, and connect himself to a pure protein drip at night, but he's alive, and thriving.
Medical science is truly amazing. All you "herbal remedies" folk can go get stuffed. This is the real deal: intervening for someone who is afflicted with a terrible disease and giving them both life and health. Gonzalez' life will never be normal, but without modern medicine he wouldn't have a life at all.
This kind of thing is why I want to do what I'm doing. This is the kind of thing that I need to remember during calculus. Which is where I have to go now.
