Thought for the Day 14 July 2017

Today I go for the second part of my annual medical check-up. This is the monitoring of the cancer that I had in 2008. It resulted because of an underlying condition in my gullet, which goes all the way from my throat to my stomach. I suffered a lot from reflux of stomach acid up into my gullet, which isn’t designed to cope with acid. As a result the surface skin cells mutate to cope with the acid, with the side-effect of becoming very susceptible to cancer. As I’ve mentioned, in a previous post, my cancer was removed before it could get into everything, and the underlying condition of the cells was eradicated in a series of operations until my gullet skin was back to normal. But I still have annual check-ups, using a procedure called a gastroscopy. Today I’m off to Unitas Hospital in Pretoria, where I will have an anesthetic. The doctor then will put a tube down my throat. It has a little light and a camera on the end that sends video to a screen so he can see what’s going on down there. He takes still photos as well so he can show me also. It’s quick – only about forty five minutes from going under to waking up again. And it’s the same doctor who removed the cancer so I have a lot of trust in him.

This all leads me to my thought for today:

“Having access to really good people creates a great deal of confidence.”

I realize just how lucky I am. And I wish the world was a place where everyone had the same access.

Cheers, Dave