We admired him so much especially his life-endangering stunts. Our hero would often boast, “I am not afraid to die; after all we die only once!” Later, when I became a doctor, I had to see poor Caetano at his home one day as a medical emergency. Our superman was in distress, reeling and tossing in bed, with a renal colic, shouting at the top of his voice, “God help me… save me…quick… I don’t want to die…”
The fear of death is at the top of people’s worst fears. Some psychologists believe it is so potent that we push it down into the subconscious in order to avoid it. Yet from its hiding place the fear remains active, re-emerging in times like the death of a loved one, making grief even more painful and anxious. Avoiding the fear of death clearly isn’t the best tactic. One reason that Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s famous five stages of dying became so popular is that she gave us a rational framework for handling a once-taboo subject.
I remember, at a time when I was most active in politics, my younger daughter Anabelle, once came to me, hugged me and asked a hypothetical but pointed question, “ Papa, if a fanatic comes and sticks a sword to your neck and dares you, “Do you swear by your Christian religion? Say yes and you’ll die… What will you do?” I replied, “Amor, I fear death very much. But, should a fanatic or goon want to kill me for what I believe in, I will pray to the Spirit and draw the courage to say the right words and be ready to face death to uphold my Christian faith.” She kissed me fondly and went away pensive. Too often I dream I will die one day for a noble cause. But will I? Late Archbishop Óscar Romero of El Salvador is one of my heroes. During his childhood he was timid and like “pāo”. But the Spirit slowly moulded him into a brave and fearless man, like one kneads and shapes dough. At the height of his career Romero openly denounced what he characterized as the “persecution” of his Church. He was shot to death while celebrating holy Mass, the day after he gave a sermon in which he boldly condemned the government’s repression and violations of basic human rights. The assassins were members of Salvadoran death squads.
Life is an enigma. But as long as we live we must accept it as a gift. Likewise, health too is a gift and it is our bounden duty not to squander it. Heart disease is the modern-day killer that cuts short many lives. Here are some worthy tips for a healthy heart 1) “Keep an Eye on Symptoms Daily”: Do you feel short of breath? Are your feet swollen? Do you have unexplained cough? 2) “Exercise”: Aim to work your way up to 30 minutes of physical activity a day, at least 5 days a week. Wondering what to do? Good heart exercises use large-muscle groups like your legs. 3) “Control Your Blood Pressure” 4) “Eat Healthy”: Follow a well-rounded diet. Fruits and veggies should fill up about half of your plate at each meal with whole grains. Low-fat dairy will also help. Keep solid fats, refined grains, and sugars to a minimum. 5) “Watch Your Salt”: Don’t cook with salt and don’t add it to food before you eat. Instead, use low-salt seasoning. Choose fresh vegetables. 6) “Watch Your Weight”: Extra pounds can make your heart work harder. Find doable ways to get to a healthy weight. Exercise and a proper diet are a good start. 7) “Manage Stress”: Having heart disease can make you angry, depressed, or anxious. Similarly, getting mad or stressed can lead to a heart attack. Find ways to ease your anxiety. 8) “Stop Smoking” 9) “Take Your Medicine”: Sometimes, lifestyle changes aren’t enough. You may have to take medication. The right ones can lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, prevent blood clots, and even lower your chances of a heart attack. 10) “Rethink That Drink”: Talk to your doctor if you drink alcohol. It can weaken your heart and make it work harder. Research shows that a little booze is good but too much can have adverse effects.
Several years ago, Dr Oscar Rebello, our great doctor-orator was introducing a medical topic at a cardiology conference which was replete with doctors from all over Goa. He told us, wittingly perhaps, something like this. “There was once a middle-aged man, very health-conscious, who watched his calories, weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and jogged daily for an hour or more near Juhu, in Mumbai. All he wanted was to live a long and healthy life. He was the envy of everyone. But one fine day, as he started his morning routine, a gunshot from a Chhota Rajan’s gangster (meant for some else) killed our exemplary man on the spot…
I was in the audience and remember clearly. We laughed for a while and then fell silent. Life is a precious gift and much depends on us. But it is also contingent and subject to unforeseen causes. Man only proposes but it is God who disposes.
(Dr. Francisco Colaço is a seniormost consulting physician.)
