Lesslee Dort

There are so many decisions to make each and every day. Some are quick and easy; others take time, research and soul searching. How we reach our final choice in any given situation is complex and personal. Fighting cancer is a prime example. What treatment should be chosen? Are supplements really the key? Will turmeric change my life as dramatically as it (dis)colors all it comes in contact with?

Will we be judged for the choices we make? Should we care? Will we regard our past selves and our behaviors based on what we have learned over time or measure it for what it was — the best option with the information we had? How do we know if the “facts” we are reading and hearing are true? Must we all be investigative journalists to make sure we are making the best decisions? What information source can we trust?

Smoking tobacco cigarettes is a good example. Today we understand more about the health ramifications of smoking. Yet, in the not-too-distant past, doctors would prescribe smoking to their patients as a way to rid themselves of any number of ailments, including, but not limited to: an irritated throat, a relaxant for nerves, to help curb stuttering, and a cure for constipation in pregnant women. Cigarette smoking was widely accepted in offices, on public transportation, and even in our hospitals. In my lifetime, when checking into a hospital for inpatient care, each patient would receive a bag of “goodies” to make their stay more comfortable. Included in this package was an ashtray.

Children’s toys were not immune to questionable practices. Back in the 1950s, the Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab was released. The toy was marketed to teach kids about science by letting them see nuclear fission in the comfort of their homes. Included in the kit were several forms of uranium, which are key ingredients in nuclear bombs. Not to worry, the child received a Geiger counter so one could measure the levels of background radiation.

If you flip through history books, you’ll likely see some fascinating practices with varying degrees of success. Did you know U.S. sailors fighting in World War II were often trained to strap their bed mattresses around their mid-section if a floatation device was needed?

Dangerous diets could have a history book of their own. Have you ever heard about the ill-conceived thought that replacing meals with orange juice-soaked cotton balls was a good idea? Don’t even get me started on the tapeworm diet.

Today, we again have some heady, controversial topics to wrestle. How we butt heads over the use of marijuana is a prime example. We struggle as a society with this topic on a local and national level. Is it safe? Does it lead to more dangerous behavior? Is it addictive? Is it better or worse than currently prescribed medications? Would you rather be prescribed an opioid or marijuana to help you deal with your neuropathy, nausea, or anxiety? Each choice has its own side effects. As a society we strive to make the best decisions we can.

How do we decide? How do we know what is the right choice in any given topic? We educate ourselves. We learn all sides of an issue and weigh the information in a balanced manner. We owe it to ourselves. The past teaches us many lessons. If we can weave them into the fabric of today’s knowledge we just might have a chance at making better choices.

I don’t have the answers for you. I can only choose for myself. Can we all agree that we each try to do the best we can with the information we have at any given time — past or present? And, above all, approach each person with respect and compassion as they make their own choices.

Lesslee Dort is a board-certified patient advocate who firmly believes knowledge is power when it comes to being in control of one’s health. She spends her days helping others navigate their healthcare and her free time exploring. Reach Lesslee via email lesslee@friendstogethermi.org. Read her here the third Thursday of each month.