E + R = O

Dear Readers,

Thanks for your various responses to my last article on chronic illnesses. It evidently generated much interest among you.

As I mentioned before, this formula: E(Event) + R(Response) = O(Outcome) can be applied to any life situation. Let’s look at two case scenarios: one medical and one non-medical.{{more}}

SCENARIO #1

Event:

You are a 38-year-old man recently diagnosed with Glaucoma. Your vision is presently perfect, but you need to do certain things differently, heeding certain medical advice to prevent you from going blind.

Response:

a) You inform yourself as thoroughly as you possibly can about the disease.

b) You take the prescribed medication exactly as you should, making sure that affordable alternatives are recommended if necessary.

c) You make sure to go for your mandatory glaucoma checkups (every 4 months) to ensure all medication and other measures are effective.

Outcome:

You have ensured that by doing all that is advised your vision remains excellent for your entire long life.

SCENARIO #2

Event:

You are a 45-year-old woman who recently lost your job and since you recently used all your life savings to assist your son with his studies, you do not have the money to pay your regular household bills.

Response:

a) You list all the necessary and urgent outstanding bills due (loans, mortgage, telephone bill, electricity bill). At the same time you let everyone you know become aware that you are seeking employment – both verbally and by way of written applications.

b) You make certain just how much savings you have available currently and set your mind to purposefully seeking options for solving your current situation. You make sure you and your son fully understand the matter and that both of you remain calm, since this is not the end of the world.

c) You seek out all the persons and companies you owe (private persons, LIME, VINLEC, etc.) and personally explain your situation, letting them know all you are doing to solve things. You ask them whether they can therefore give you a period of a few months break until you resume payments as scheduled. You let them know, of course, that you will keep them posted on a monthly basis.

Outcome:

Six months thereafter, you once again became gainfully employed. You then immediately inform all your debtors and restart payments to all of them, starting with smaller amounts, until you get back up to the original amounts. Relations with all of them remain very good.

The 2nd scenario is a true story which happened to a very good friend of ours.

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to take 100% responsibility for your health, just as with all other aspects of your life. If you pick up a stick, you eventually pick up the other end. This is nature. You and only you must live with and be responsible for the consequences of your actions.

Have a great week.

Dr Kenneth Onu is a resident Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Beachmont Eye Institute/Eyes R Us Send questions to: Beachmont@gmail.com
Tel: 784 456-1210