Eventually

So much talk of medications

talk of medical treatments in general

Talk of the failures of western medicine

Talk of vaccination

Talk of pharmaceutical companies

The callousness of it all, the greed.

I think it’s easy to forget that there are people who can’t live without medicine.

So here’s a complete list of the possible side effects of a prescription I take.

It would be easy to look at this list and say: why would you take that medicine!?!

I take it because I have to

• Infection

• Dizziness

• Drowsiness

• Easily Angered Or Annoyed

• Feeling Weak

• Head Pain

• Increased Eosinophils In The Blood

• Loss Of Appetite

• Low Energy

• Stuffy Nose

• Throat Irritation

• Feeling Anger Toward Something

• Aggressive Behavior

• Anemia

• Chronic Trouble Sleeping

• Cough

• Depression

• Diarrhea

• Double Vision

• Feeling Agitated

• Feeling Anxious

• Hemorrhage Of Blood Under The Skin

• High Blood Pressure

• Hyperactive Behavior

• Increased Lymphocyte Cells In The Blood

• Indifferent Behavior

• Inflammation Of The Nose

• Loss Of Memory

• Loss Of One’s Own Sense Of Reality Or Identity

• Mood Changes

• Neck Pain

• Nervous

• Numbness And Tingling

• Pain

• Sensation Of Spinning Or Whirling

• Sinus Irritation And Congestion

• Throwing Up

• Abnormal Liver Function Tests

• Acquired Decrease Of All Cells In The Blood

• Acute Inflammation Of The Pancreas

• Acute Liver Failure

• Acute Renal Failure

• Decreased Blood Platelets

• Decreased Neutrophils A Type Of White Blood Cell

• Decreased White Blood Cells

• Deficiency Of Granulocytes, A Type Of White Blood Cell

• DRESS Syndrome

• Erythema Multiforme

• Giant Hives

• Hallucination

• Having Thoughts Of Suicide

• Hepatitis

• Irregular Involuntary Spasms Of Limbs Or Facial Muscles

• Kidney Inflammation

• Life Threatening Allergic Reaction

• Low Amount Of Sodium In The Blood

• Panic Disorder

• Psychosis

• Rash

• Rhabdomyolysis

• Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

• Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis

• Blurred Vision

• Constipation

• Disorder Involving Personality Changes

• Disturbance Of Attention

• Dyskinesia

• Eczema

• Flu-Like Symptoms

• Hair Loss

• Inflammation Of The Lining Of The Stomach And Intestines

• Itching

• Muscle Pain

• Muscle Weakness

• Problem Behavior

• Uncoordinated

• Weight Loss

A number of these side effects at could kill me.

And I will die eventually.

The question I have to answer, that we all do: what will my death look like? When will it happen? How much control do I want over it? And what am I willing to risk to hold it off as long as possible?

And I do try to remember that many have much harder choices to make than I do when it comes to healthcare.