UP Ibalon Bicol: Sen. Edward Kennedy survives longer under the world’s best medicine available

Sen. Edward Kennedy survives longer under the world’s best medicine available

7/07/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post

Edward Klein’s book entitled “Ted Kennedy: The dream that never died” details how the senator has weathered a deadly brain tumor (malignant glioma)--- longer than the usual expectancy. Without the current system, there is almost no way one can have this brand of excellent US medicine working in his favor. This makes us think twice on what Washington wants to do with our health.

Americans are endangered of losing healthcare today if the Obama government dismantles the current system. In the rush to implement a universal healthcare plan that is cheap and affordable, freedom of choice to get the best doctor and avail of quality treatment may altogether be lost. Here below is a glimpse of an astounding healthcare that helps Kennedy survive and the Obama government wants to change.

“The meeting on (Friday) May 30 was extraordinary in at least two ways,” wrote Lawrence K Altman, M.D., the chief medical correspondent at the New York Times. “one was the ability of a powerful patient ---in this case, a scion of a legendary political family and the chairman of the Senate’s health committee---to summon noted consultants to learn about the latest therapy and research findings.

“The second was his efficiency in quickly convening more than a dozen experts from at least six academic centers. Some flew in Boston. Others participated by telephone after receiving pertinent tests result and other medical records.”

At the May 30 meeting, opinions were divided over the benefit of surgery. According to Dr. Altman, “Some neurosurgeons strongly favored it; two did not.” Among those opposing surgery was Dr. Raymond Sawaya, chairman of neurosurgery at Baylor College of medicine and the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Dr. Sawaya believed that the cancer had spread over a large area and, therefore, that most of it could not be eradicated.

“Tumors in the brain in the brain are like real estate,” said Reid Thompson, director of neurosurgical oncology at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. “It’s all location, location, location.”

“No matter what treatment you use,” said Dr. Henry Brem of the Johns Hopkins Hospital, “It tends to be an aggressive, quickly replicating, quickly growing tumor.”

Nonetheless, Dr. Vivek Deshmukh, director of cerebrovascular and endovascular neurosurgery at George Washington University Medical center, urged the senator to take his chances with the scalpel. “The treatment that has been shown to make the most difference as far as survival is removal of the tumor,” Dr. Deshmukh said, “Surgical removal carries the greatest benefit in terms of extending his survival.”

And also, on Friday afternoon, the senator put in a call to Dr. Allan Friedman, co-director of the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University Medical Center. The 59 year-old doctor was considered by many as his colleagues to be the Mozart of brain surgeons. He was preparing to to take off for a long-planned vacation in Canada when his cell phone rang. On the other end of the line was Sen. Edward Kennedy, who told the doctor that he had searched the world for the best neurosurgeon to remove his cancerous brain tumor.

“And I want you.” ----Klein, Edward. Ted Kennedy: The dream that never died. Crown Publishing Group. 2009, pp. 209-210.

No matter what these politicians tell the people about healthcare, when one is stricken ill, especially by a life-threatening disease, gut instinct tells of the need for the best treatment. It happened to Kennedy, a "royal" Massachusetts democrat and seasoned politican in Capitol Hill. He is a proponent of a government-controlled universal healthcare system that will likely bring cuts to available life-saving treatments that has extended his life. In trying to rein over expenses, the new healthcare plan will likely detach the very sick, the elderly, disabled, and those with incurable diseases from care that has made their survival possible.

Yet, Kennedy like other politicans don’t worry so much about undoing what is supposed to be the best medicine available on earth today. Part of the social experiment America is embarking, the Obama government wants to put in place an alternative socialized and rationed healthcare for Americans akin to those in Canada and Europe---extending medical coverage to as much people but endangering the quality of care and advance of US medical science. They know whatever medical care is made available in this country, the influential, educated, and well-connected will have the power to get excellent medical care which may be distant from the reach of ordinary Americans. (Photo Credit: learfieldnews) =0=

=============================================================

Labels: brain tumor, edward kennedy, Health, malignant glioma, social engineering, survival, Totie Mesia, universal healthcare

UP Ibalon Bicol

Sen. Edward Kennedy survives longer under the world’s best medicine available

Blog Archive

About Me

UP Ibalon Newsmakers

Topics/Categories

Feedjit Live Blog Stats

Topics/Categories

Featured

Ateneo de Naga HS Batch 74

ABS-CBN News

Recent Posts

GMA News.tv

Philippine Commentary

Inquirer Breaking News