Blossoms, Musings and an Update

Pyracantha blossoms that will turn into the red berries that the birds love.

Blossoms on one of my potted succulents.

This is a photo of the Jasmine plant I showed in a previous post. It's at it's full glory now and the blossoms will soon be gone.

I do love the renewal of life that occurs when Spring arrives.

As I looked at these lovely blossoms of renewal I remembered an old story. Many of you have probably heard it, but I will repeat it anyhow.

A elderly man in Brooklyn was hit by a car while crossing the street and killed. An autopsy was ordered and the Pathologist made an amazing discovery. He found that the body was riddled with cancer, heart disease, and numerous other maladies. According to acquaintances, the man had never been to a doctor or had a sick day in his life.

I have no way of knowing if that man never felt pain or if he chose to ignore it. But I have often thought of that man when a sharp pain makes me say, "Now what?"

They are just beginning to unravel the mysteries of the brain and who knows what they may discover in time. I only know that attitude is 90% of the power of healing. It is still healthier to be optimistic rather than dwelling on our ills.

I have a weird theory about the brain and illness. I believe that in time some scientist will discover that the brain has healing powers. They already know that the brain releases endorphins to calm us if we work hard. They can help in a stressful situation, but we must exert energy to let them flow.

What do I base my theory on? I have first hand knowledge of seemingly miraculous healing without the aid of medicine. This has bothered me because, as a very pragmatic person, I don't want to believe in miracles. Whether the healing was done by prayer, belief in Christian Science, or simply denial such miracles have occurred when the believer had the kind of faith that moves mountains.

On the other hand, I have also witnessed failures of those same individuals who held that strong belief. I have come to the conclusion that in some way the successes were due to the believer tapping into that part of the brain that can heal.

Okay, it may be a 'kookie' theory. I am just throwing it out for discussion.

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AARP has a list of what the Health Care Reform will do. I decided it's time to update the information.

• Helps 32 Million Americans get insurance.

• Makes preexisting conditions a thing of the past. Insurance can't use them to deny coverage for children from this year on, or adults starting in 2014.
  

• Guarantees basic benefits for everyone in Medicare, makes preventative services free for most, and gradually closes the "doughnut hole" in the Part D drug program.
• Sets up a temporary program in July to help people with preexisting conditions - who have been uninsured at least six months - obtain coverage.
• Provides new benefits for most people who already have insurance, such as coverage for children until the age 26.
• Leaves medical decisions in the hands of your doctor and you.
• Requires most people to have coverage by 2014, but offers subsidies for those with low or moderate income and makes more people eligible for Medicaid.
• Created State-run-insurance exchanges offering a menu of private insurance plans for people who are uninsured, self employed, or between jobs.
• Offers immediate tax credit help for small businesses to buy insurance for employees.
• Keeps Medicare financially sound for at least ten more years and reduces the U.S. deficit by an estimated $143 billion.

While the bill did not give most of us all that we desired, it's a start in the right direction.