Antibiotics are wonderful!

According to the historical record, modern antibiotics, as we have come to know them, were discovered accidentally in 1928 by Dr. Alexander Fleming. He had returned from a holiday to find mould growing in a petri-dish containing staphylococcus bacteria in his laboratory. He observed that the mould was able to defend itself from the bacteria. He discovered that the mould produced a chemical in self-defence that could kill the bacteria. He named the substance penicillin. However, practical ways to produce antibiotics on an industrial scale did not come about until 1946, after many years of research.

Knowledge is freedom (from stress)

Image credit: Cottonbro Studio (Pexels).

Recently, I attended a discussion panel on atrial fibrillation. This is a heart condition that I was diagnosed with about five years ago, although I suspect I’ve had it since my latter years in Boston (when I was still swimming in the Krazy Sauce of Christian Science), so maybe since 2008 or 2009. I believe that to be so, as I do recall occasionally feeling symptoms of it back about then. The symptoms were very occasional, and mild. I’ll be honest, it scared me sometimes, but in my Christian Science-addled mind, I didn’t know what to do, so I kind of did a combination of ignore and deny, with a side of prayer thrown in for good measure. Fortunately, atrial fibrillation is generally, at least in early stages, not serious, and it is the most common form of arrhythmia (approximately 200,000 people in Canada have been diagnosed with it). However, if you don’t do something about it, it can get serious and lead to heart failure and, most commonly, to stroke.

Lucky kid…

Recently, I had to take a family member to the emergency room at our local hospital. No big deal, it was just a nasty stomach virus that was making the rounds–painful and unpleasant, but not serious or life threatening. They were hooked up to an intravenous drip of saline and an anti-nausea medication to rehydrate them and quell their violent symptoms, and their condition improved quickly.

Motivations, things I do…

Why do we do the things we do? Why do we act the way we do? Those are some big questions. I’ve been doing a lot of deep exploration on this lately, but I’m not here to share super deep stuff today. My experience as a former Christian Scientist underlies, in large and small ways–often just lurking there in the background, a lot of why/what/how I do stuff; for better, or worse, as I have been discovering.

A little thing called COVID-19

While my blog here was hibernating, the world was hit by a global pandemic. The last time something of this scale happened, as far as I know, was 1918–the Spanish Flu epidemic. Arguably, that one was a bigger deal, but this one was a big deal too. It still is. COVID-19 is a big topic. This post is an overview/thought-spill of how it unfolded for me, and how being a former Christian Scientist has shaped my experience with it.

Leaving Christian Science saved me

Sometimes, I step back and wonder how I survived being a Christian Scientist. I think most of us who’ve left Christian Science do this–especially when we’ve been faced with, and overcome a serious physical ailment or injury. Since I left Christian Science about nine years ago, I’ve faced a few. However, the one that gives me pause is one involving the “C” word: cancer. Now, before anyone gets alarmed, let me assure you, it was not a serious form of cancer, and it is one that is rarely fatal.

Knowledge is the goal

Real, genuine science, as opposed to Christian ‘Science’, is the quest for knowledge. This is knowledge gained through research, observation, verification, and duplication of results. The scientific method is a rigorous and well-accepted way to acquire and verify new knowledge that has its roots in the emergence of science itself in ancient Egypt and Greece, and evolved into its present form during the 17th and 18th centuries.¹

Downplaying…

The topic of this post is something on my sort of imaginary (because I’ve never written it down) list of silly things I think about because I’m a former Christian Scientist, and it is something I’ve written on before. I recently had an appointment with a new dentist I recently switched to. As with any such appointment with a new care provider, there are the usual questions about allergies, medications, and any family medical history to be aware of. Proudly, I listed the three medications I do take (all related to asthma and allergies). Now, most people wouldn’t think anything of this sort of thing, but for me, it’s still a bit of a big deal to be a ‘normal’ person who sometimes does take prescription medications, or who is at least open to the idea.

Medical Neglect in the Name of God – Part 1

Rita Swan, the founder of C.H.I.L.D. Inc. is featured on this podcast from the Thinking Atheist. Here, she eloquently makes the case against the legal permissiveness of religious faith-healing in the case of children, which has caused the needless deaths of too many children. Swan is a former Christian Scientist.

http://percolate.blogtalkradio.com/offsiteplayer?hostId=138407&episodeId=8235103

Guest Post: Childhood Memories

The following guest post was written by Marie.

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My mom sent me back to school too soon after having chicken pox. I had come down with it during a Girl Scouts camping weekend in fourth grade. It was right after my parents separated, and she was working days for the first time. So, the first week of school that I was sick, I had been home alone. This was highly atypical for my upbringing and in hindsight, I believe she had kept this a secret from my father’s side of the family–who knew I had chicken pox, but whom she did not want to ask for help from, and this created her internal stress to get me back to school.