Miss Mango

How often do you think about the following more than in passing thought?

Daily? Every once in a while? Once a year tops? Even less than that?

1. Terrorism
2. AIDS/HIV
3. Cancer
4. Other health threat

Has thinking about any of the above ever kept you up at night?

**************************************

Me:

1. Terrorism - Rarely. If someone else mentions it.

2. AIDS/HIV: pretty often being a single (at the moment) lady.

3. Cancer - I worry about this whenever I get a bad cough because several months ago, a good friend of mine went to the doctor thinking she had bronchitis. Instead, they found out she had leukemia. She passed away two months ago. She was my age and had no idea she had it. We used to play Spades together.

4. Other health: all the time. I need to exercise more and continue to be diligent in watching my weight since I have diabetes on both sides of the family.

Also, in my family tree, we get brain problems, Alzheimer, epilepsy, and bi-polar disorders.

So sometimes these things keep me up at night.

Willravel

How often do I think about them or how often do they scare me? Those are two very different lists.

Terrorism doesn't scare me one bit, but I think about it all the time because I'm constantly debating about it.

AIDS still worries me, but it's not an immediate concern so far as my own health. It's more a problem somewhere else that needs to be addressed and taken seriously.

Cancer scares me quite a bit. I have family history and I suspect that down the road I'm likely to contract it in some way. I don't smoke, I wear sunscreen spf 15 or higher, I eat plenty of fruits and veggies high in antioxidants, I have a low consumption of alcohol, I no longer eat red meat and I'm going to stop drinking milk soon, I have a healthy diet, and I exercise, but even with a healthy lifestyle it's possible to get cancer.

Other health threat? Heart disease. This one scares the shit out of me. I have a rather extensive family history of heart disease from both sides of the family, I was born with several defects in my cardiovascular system, and I have medium-high blood pressure. Despite what I described above I'm still at high risk for heart problems. Alzheimer's: I also have a family history of dementia, which means that I could lose my mind later in life. This is probably the scariest.

Hain

I am not scared about much any more. Terrorism never affected me as it should other than being outraged. My mother's family has a high history of cancer... my grandmother even died of colon cancer. I have accepted that if I don't live forever, something is out to kill me (duh). This doesn't stop me from taking precautions like wearing a condom when fucking around... that's actually it.

I don't think about these much but when others do, I give them the advertisement that many of you read from time to time.

End commercial.

__________________

////\\// IRONSKY.NET \\//\\\\

Fotzlid

1. Terrorism - It crosses my mind once in awhile. Usually after a heavy day at work and the news is blurting something about terrorist attack somewhere. Makes me a bit edgy because the way EMS/ER's are these days, a lot of injured people will be screwed if its bad enough.

2. AIDS/HIV - Only when I have a patient with the disease. Need to be extra careful then.

3. Cancer - Occasionally at work. Seeing reactions when people get that news the first time is tough.

4. Other health threat - Only one I think about all the time is Alzheimer's. Nothing scares the shit out of me more than losing myself and being physically healthy.

PonyPotato

1. I don't think about terrorism much. Usually only if someone mentions it or if I'm listening to the news.
2. Not much. My risk factor isn't very high, but I still get tested for HIV and most other STDs about once a year.
3. Cancer is on my mind a LOT lately. My aunt died of breast cancer, my mom had a full mastectomy (and reconstruction) because she had a lump and didn't want to take the risk of keeping her breast tissue after her sister's death. I now work at a vet's office and see about one dog daily that has either a cancerous brain tumor or lymphoma. I worry about skin cancer, cervical cancer, and breast cancer in myself, generally.
4. Other health threat? Heart disease and diabetes. I scare myself into thinking I have diabetes pretty regularly (I go through periods when I pee a lot and don't process sugars well at all, I get shaky with low blood sugar multiple times daily), and my dad had a heart attack a few years ago and does a piss-poor job of taking care of himself, so bleh. I need to take better care of myself, I know.. but I'm afraid that no matter what I do to take care of my body, my genetics will override that.

Most of these things don't keep me up at night, but they sure would if I experienced a real "scare" with any of them! I think about cancer daily, diabetes daily, and the others maybe once a month or whenever they're mentioned.

__________________
"Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark."
— Henri-Frédéric Amiel

ASU2003

I don't think about any of those yet. If it happens, it happens. I will live as healthy as I can though.

Willravel

You're going to worry about terrorism when you get older?

ASU2003

If I was living in a city like Washington DC / NYC / LA... I may have to worry about it more. Or I may be on vacation in some part of the world where it could happen. But at the moment, I don't worry about it. There are bigger problems in my little world right now.

Willravel

Don't vacation in Southern Lebanon.

ASU2003

Europe is on my list. And Dubai isn't out of the picture either. But even in a place like Bali or Vegas, you have to be careful I guess.

Cynthetiq

all of them... daily.

__________________
I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not.

girldetective

I think of HIV and AIDS at least weekly when I see my friend who is infected. It has changed his world. Be careful out there.

The others, not so much.

__________________
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons...be cheerful; strive for happiness - Desiderata