How many of us would be here without modern medicine?

I don't guess I would, since they had to cut me open and take a tumor out. I probably wouldn't have healed without the antibiotics. That's where I faith is medicinally. (is that a word? ) See ya!

Your situation is exactly the same as my Mum when she was about 7 years old. She had whooping cough too. As for my Dad, he ruptured his appendix about 20 years ago so, obviously it had to come out. Neither person would've survived before the onset of modern medicine and surgery which is quite scary when you think about it. As far as myself goes I had my stomach pumped when I was about 6 years old due to taking aspirin (they tasted of oranges) that Mum had forgotten to put away into the cabinet. I've no idea what would've happened if a stomach pump hadn't been available or if I hadn't been rushed to hospital in an ambulance (something else we take for granted) and my hubby takes tablets to stop him from having fits...fits that can kill him if he fails to take his medication regularly. There are probably loads of instances but my mind has gone blank now. Great discussion topic as well Dawn, it will have us all thinking about the wonderful progress that has been made..especially in the 20th Century.

I've never had anything major go wrong. Just typical antibiotics and such.. although I'm allergic to pennicillin, so if it weren't for the fact that they've discovered other antibiotics I may have perished long ago from your average ear infection. I have had 2 surgeries, one was to remove my gall bladder, which was not life threatening, just painful.. and honestly I don't think it would have been an issue back in the days before modern medicine, because gall bladder problems are caused by a high fat diet, which wasn't common back in those days. The second surgery was for an ectopic pregnancy.. I believe that could have eventually killed me if not removed. However, my ectopic was due to an IUD, which I wouldn't have had back in the day before modern medicine... so I'd just have a normal pregnancy.. again!! I'd be about 6 or 7 months pregnant right now... yikes! My daughter may not be so lucky though.. she had RSV as an infant and was hospitalized for 3 days. Actually 3 of my kids had RSV, but she was the only one who had it bad enough to be hospitalized. Her twin just took some of her nebulizer treatments for his, and my 3 year old needed a steroid shot to deal with his RSV.

I would not be here if it wasn't for modern medicine.I had a brain aneurysm in 2000. Most proplr don't survive or if they do they are a vrgatable. i'm very lucky they were able to do a procedure they call coiling on the aneuryam & stopped the bleeding. In 2005 i had to have carotid surgery. there again if they had not been able to do that i probably wouldn't be here because i had a big blockage. BLESSED TO BE HERE!

H dawnald, Although I prefer natural remedies, I have to depend on my asthma inhalers, I have had asthma attacks a few times but the doctor told me I have to keep taking it as next time I have an attack, it will kill me, so I say tha my inhalers had save my life and still saving my life, I will have to take them as long as I live. Tamara

I wouldnt be. :) I broke my crown, my two arms, and had tuberculosis. So you'd be mylotting with a ghost who writes. :)

Hands down, I wouldn't be here. especially during teenage years, ahd some major hospital stays with big medical treatments and medications (long and short term). I just wish they were as advanced for animal medical care.

Dawny, I keep remembering my mom's sacrifice. She said it was painful for her to give birth and I'm guessing there were no epidurals or some sort back then. Or perhaps she wasn't aware or something. In terms of giving birth, I think medicine has totally advanced in this area. Imagine during our great grandparents time, when there's no such thing as a C-section... oh my.. how they must have been back then. -Gulps-

I think all of us could say the same because without medicine, a minor cold could turn into something life threatening. As I was reading your discussion, I thought, well I haven't really had any major medical conditions, but I have been sick. If what seemed like a small sickness weren't treated in the right way, it could kill a person. So...I guess we could probably all say the same, that we wouldn't be here had it not been for advancements in medicine. Thank goodness for it! Great discussion.

Well, modern medicine has done without me for a very long time. I have not been sick much at all. I've taken a few painkillers for awhile as young, but that only resulted in my gastritis, as it chewed up my stomach. I haven't seen a dr. for years, actually. I only go if I am really ill, not like most people that are running to the dr. for every little virus that antibiotics do nothing for anyway. I've had every childhood disease, and never had any complications. I think I could have even delivered my own kids, with a bit of help, mind you. But overall, I have lived without it for the most part. Or only resorted to it rarely.

Hiya Dawn, I once fell on an empty Bottle of Coca Cola up Horseley Fields in Wolverhampton England. I was only five then. I had tripped over the Bottle it smashed into smithereens and I fell on the broken pieces and they most all of them were in my right kneecap I was bleeding profusely and it was pitch black so I had not seen the empty Bottle either. I got taken to a first Aid Room in an Iron Foundry Company nearby and the Nurse attended me there to stop the bleeding and then I had to go to the Hospital to be treated. They did treat me very well but I was so much in pain and distressed that all I could do was cry my eyes out all the time I was there. Then they sewed your wounds up with needle and black thread and I howled like mad the glass had gone in deep they did not give me any kind of pain killer. It seemed like an eternity when they did finish I sighed with relief and limped with my bandaged leg upstairs to fall into a profound sleep. I did have a very bad attack of Whooping Cough when I was very small too and it was quite serious but being wily and strong I got over it with the care of our Family Doctor a Bottle of Linctus was all he ever gave you then. When you finished that one another came after that. If it had not been for their swift action today I would probably be limping as the wound was very deep and wide and painful and lots of tiny pieces of glass inside deep down as I had fallen straight onto it. I still have the scar even now but then I think I was very lucky someone was close by that time.

Hello Ma'am, I'll be glad if I find that you're promoting natural/herbal medicine. I dislike adopting modern/allopathic remedy. I'm a great fan of herbal remedy. I pray to Allah so that I don't fall in such physical difficulty that require modern medicine. And it seems like Allah has responded to my prayer. If ever I fall in minor illness and I use herbal medicines and it works for me. Thanks to Allah numberless of times. Have a healthful day.

I had scarlet fever when I was very little ,I think that is the biggest illness I have ever suffered from and I have no idea if it is fatal in babies. There have been a few times when I have need antibiotics to help recover from infections. I cut a big bit off my thumb when my son was a baby and although the nurse patched me up, it was stinking after a week so it had got some sort of infection which needed the extra help of pills. I expect long ago, I would have lost the whole thumb.

When I was 13, I had developed a doozy of an ear infection. I was hallucinating and couldn't eat for days. If not for the wonder of antibiotics I certainly would not be here. Very interesting discussion. It helps to recall the miracles of modern medicines and our humanity and thank God for His care for our well being.

Many times in my life I have faced things and know without modern medicine to help out my chances for survival, or life for me as it is today would not be there. I was diagnosed with TB when I was 10, and was given medications and got better. Same way with the issue of Chronic wounds I have had to deal with from being Diabetic on and off for like 7 yrs. I would not have a leg if not for Prayer and medications. So Yes, no matter what we go thru this is something important for sure.

I guess I can say the same. I had an umbilical hernia, my intestines were estrangled. That would have been fatal.

I am not too sure but I believe I am one who would still be here without modern medicine. When I was sick, I go for traditional medicine. Luckily, I have had good health and life so far.

Hmmm. well, I haven't had any major illness or surgery in my life. But I guess, if it was not for modern medicine then I'll have a very different face today. It's not that I had a plastic surgery or something. But around 10 years ago, I was in an accident when my face got burned, it had 3rd degree burns all over it, my eyelashes were gone, my lips were burned, my cheeks and my forehead was also burnt. If it wasn't for medicines and a lot of creams, I guess my face today wouldn't be as normal as if nothing has happened.

Well, the "Black Plague" wiped-out 2/3's of Europe back before Columbus discovered the New World.

I'm undergone appendicitis surgery also when I was 18, so I'll took modern medicines to healed it. Then as of now I'm experiencing urinary track infection so I'll take antibiotics to medicate.