One of the startling parts of growing older is the number of doctors that my wife and I see, and the subsequent number of appointments which that entails. It almost seems as if we have a new doctor for each part of our bodies. I have even wondered it I should check what body part does not have a specific doctor and go ahead and schedule one before it becomes inevitable. I can well remember when an annual appointment was more than what was needed.
A long-term physician, now retired, quipped recently when I saw him at a golf course, “Well, I kept you alive to 78.” He was joking, but there is much truth in his quip. I owe a lot to modern medicine and the doctors, nurses, and others who have watched over my health for these many years. While some of my forebearers lived even longer than I have so far, others passed away far younger than I. While some of my life health is the result of good genes, other parts I owe to good health care from my many physicians over the years. They had a tough job since I did not always follow their good advice. Even when I did not listen, they kept working for my good and challenging the places where I needed to improve.
We are all fortunate to live in a time where medical knowledge and practice are well-developed. New discoveries, treatments, and medicines are always on the front line. I am grateful for all of them. Many of my doctors have been persons of faith and that has been meaningful to me, but all of them seem to me to be servants of God’s care and healing, and I thank God for them.