You know what I hate?

[conuly]

You're watching the news, or a documentary, and there's a part about somebody with an incurable (but treatable!) disease (or some other sort of disability, really doesn't matter). The narrator will eventually get to the part where they say, in somber tones appropriate to announcing a death, that whoever it is will have to "take this medication every day for the rest of his life" or "test his blood sugar" or whatever dread thing it is.

Why?

Really, is it that onerous to take some medication? When somebody is recovering from anorexia, do we say, in solemn tones, that they will have to eat three times a day for the rest of their lives? When somebody recovers from insomnia, do we make a point of mentioning that up to a third of their remaining years will be spent unconscious?

Of course not. I recognize that these diseases aren't cured by medication, and that normally people don't take medicine every day (for the rest of their life!!!), but that's not the point. I still don't see why this is such a huge deal that it deserves the grave voice of tragedy.

Comments

[rainbow-goddess.livejournal.com]

This seems to happen more often when the condition is affecting children. (Cue tone of deep tragedy.) "This little girl has to take a shot twice every day." Everybody feels sorry for her. I have to take a shot six times every day. Does anybody feel sorry for me? No, because I'm an adult. "We have to cure diabetes for teh CHILDREN!!!" Not for the adults. Just for the children.

I honestly don't think that taking needles and testing my blood sugar every day is a big deal. I'm used to it. I've been taking needles for more than 30 years and testing my blood sugar more than 20. But when it's a CHILD, it's a big deal.

[mortaine.livejournal.com]

Which is funny, because kids adapt so much more easily to a new routine.