Doctor's Orders

I visited my primary care physician for a routine examination yesterday. His prescription began with these two items, in writing:

1. Alcohol: 1 or 2 servings daily
2. Antioxidants, especially Dark Chocolate: 2 or more squares daily

One can only wish that all medical advice was so pleasant!

My doctor's specialty is Internal Medicine, and this was my first visit to his office since 2006. He has aged noticeably in these eight years, and is nearly seventy, cutting back on his practice. That means that he has enough time to Do It Right rather than rushing from patient to patient. He was with me for over an hour, doing a thorough and careful examination and observing me throughout, even as we discussed aspects of Healthy Living such as exercise and diet. I gather that this is is one of the most important aspects of primary care, simply taking the time to See and Listen to the patient in order to get a sense as to how he is doing. Does he seem well? Does something seem “wrong” or “off”? I suspect that it is not often done properly in American medicine.

If it is eight years before I visit a doctor again, I suspect I will have to find a different one. I will miss him.

Obviously, I am pleased to receive a Clean Bill of Health. It is a gracious and undeserved gift from God, for which I am grateful. And it is an obligation: so long as I have health and strength, I must use it for the service of God and his people.

To celebrate, I had a beer with supper: “For medicinal purposes,” I told my wife. And I had the requisite two squares of dark chocolate for dessert.

Upon reflection, I think that I will ignore the first of my prescriptions. While there are health benefits to moderate alcoholic consumption, there are also dangers. The men in my family have tended toward alcoholism, and I am mindful of the advice of R. E. Lee:

“My experience through life has convinced me that, while moderation and temperance in all things are commendable and beneficial, abstinence from spirituous liquors is the best safeguard of morals and health.”