I will attend a few conferences in the next 2 weeks and I thought I would share some links with you in case you become interested.
See you there!
Jan van Rymsdyk's most famous plate from William Hunter's "Anatomy of the Human Gravid Uterus".
In October 2008 I visited the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow, where William Hunter’s great book of obstetrics was on display. Published in 1774, The Anatomy of the Human Gravid Uterus did much to advance the understanding of human pregnancy. The book contains 34 copper engravings. 31 of these magnificent medical illustrations were made by a mysterious man called Jan van Rymsdyk.
I was interested in finding out more about this Dutch artist working in England in the 18th century, but soon realized that very little is known about him. Some historians can guess which artists he trained under based on his style and they think he was born somewhere in Holland between 1700 and 1730. He lived and worked in England between 1745 and 1780, but no one knows what he did before and after that period.
What is left after him is his medical illustration work for some of the most notable obstetricians of the time, including William Hunter and William Smellie, a book with drawings of curious items in the British Museum he published himself, and a handful of portraits.
For the British Museum book, simply titled Museum Britannicum, Rymsdyk (or Riemsdyk as it is also spelled) included several personal footnotes and commentaries that tell us something of what his life must have been like.
Jan van Rymsdyk’s first assignment as a medical illustrator seems to be for William Smellie’s Sett [sic] of Anatomical Tables, published in 1754. This was a visual companion to Treatise of the Theory and Practice of Midwifery and contained 26 (out of 39) plates drawn by Van Rymsdyk. The plates are much more detailed an life-like than other more schematic illustrations of the era, and it was probably because of this assignment that William Hunter commissioned Van Rymsdyk to illustrate his great book on obstetrics.
Demonstration of forceps delivery from William Smellie's "A Sett of Anatomical Tables". Engraving from a drawing by Jan van Rymsdyk.
For his book, Hunter was not interested in illustrations that showed an “ideal” uterus, but meticulous copies of real dissected specimens. In Hunter’s own words an illustration like this “represents what was actually seen, it carries the mark truth, and becomes almost as infallible as the object itself”. And this is exactly what Van Rymsdyk produced. William’s brother and famous surgeon John Hunter worked together with Van Rymsdyk in the dissecting room. John preparing the display from the corpse of women who had died in various stages of pregnancy, and Jan making life-size drawings in red chalk. These sketches were later made into engravings for the printing of the book.
Jan van Rymsdyk's original drawing (left) and engraving (right) from William Hunter's "Anatomy of the Human Gravid Uterus".
Comparing the drawings for Smellie’s and Hunter’s books you can see that Van Rymsdyk have improved his skills. The sketches are almost photorealistic reproductions down to the tiniest wrinkle and hair. Other painters of the time criticized Van Rymsdyk for being too accurate and detailed. They saw his anatomical illustrations as a lower form of painting, as it was “just” copying and not the result of an artistic mind. In Museum Britannicum Van Rymsdyk defends his style of work. Here is a passage where he describes why he thinks it’s important to cover every tiny little detail. It could almost pass as a description of macro photography:
there are three different ways of imitating an Object; the first is to dispose Nature at a tolerable Distance, suppose that of Fifteen Feet, where all the minutiae is lost, and only the Form, and grand Masses are to be seen; this Distance is in general approved of large Works, which are to be seen on high, as the Pictures on the Veiling at White-Hall, British Museum etc. The second or medium Distance, is where the small parts are more visible, as at Five Feet, or thereabouts; Painters never, or seldom exceed this, but the third is, where the Different Substances, and every minute Part is discovered by being brought so near the Eye. This Distance I was obliged to make use of, for to represent Nature in its greatest Beauty; the other two distances are what I would call only representing the Effect of Nature, as she appears at the Distance; or the Distance for an Artist to get a good deal of Money, and use much Art, but shew [show] little of Nature.
Reflection of a dissection room window in the chorion (outermost membrane) covering a fetus from William Hunter’s "Anatomy of the Human Gravid Uterus".
Ironically, it seems that Van Rymsdyk ended up feeling bitter about the only works he are known for today. In the conclusion to his Museum Britannicum book he writes that he has taken “a dislike to those Anatomical Studies etc. in which I was employed.” He also felt he had been ill-treated by William Hunter, who he accused of having discouraged him from becoming a “real” painter. Although he insistingly defended his style of art, it almost seems like he secretly did feel inferior to the “proper” artists.
William Hunter didn’t mention Van Rymsdyk in the Anatomy of the Human Gravid Uterus. The preface just refers to “the ingenious artists who made the drawings and engravings”. Maybe Hunter saw the dissection as the real art? Or the engravings that made it possible to print a book? Maybe it’s not so hard to understand he felt he had “Sacrificed his Talents”.
Whatever he felt, Jan van Rymsdyk will always stand as one of the greatest medical illustrators of all time. And although he drew and painted, in a way it feels like he was the first medical photographer, documenting the specific rather than the general. He certainly didn’t sacrifice his talents, but put them to use for a greater good – the advancement of medicine.
Sources:
Image credits:
INDIA
According to IBEF (India Brand Equity Foundation), India healthcare industry which comprises hospital and allied sectors, is projected to grow 23 per cent per annum to touch US$ 77 billion by 2012 from the current estimated size of US$ 35 billion.
The sector has registered a growth of 9.3 per cent between 2000-2009, comparable to the sectoral growth rate of other emerging economies such as China, Brazil and Mexico. According to the report, the growth in the sector would be driven by healthcare facilities, both private and public sector, medical diagnostic and pathlabs and the medical insurance sector.
Healthcare facilities, inclusive of public and private hospitals, the core sector, around which the healthcare sector is centred, would continue to contribute over 70 per cent of the total sector and touch a figure of US$ 54.7 billion by 2012.
Adds a FICCI-Ernst and Young report, India needs an investment of US$ 14.4 billion in the healthcare sector by 2025, to increase its bed density to at least two per thousand population.
According to a latest report by McKinsey, driven by strong local demand, Indian healthcare market is expected to continue growing close to previously projected rates of 10 to 12 per cent. With average household consumption expected to increase by more than seven per cent per annum, the annual healthcare expenditure is projected to grow at 10 per cent and also the number of insured is likely to jump from 100 million to 220 million.
India Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Report Q1 2010
India’s US$14.71bn pharmaceutical market is in a state of transition. As the country’s economy grows, foreign firms are increasing their presence, the government is spending more on healthcare and local firms are looking abroad for new growth opportunities. Through to 2019, BMI is forecasting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.77% for medicine sales in India.
India’s attractiveness to multinational pharmaceutical has increased over the past quarter. The country’s score on BMI’s Pharmaceutical Business Environment Ratings has risen from 48.2 in Q409 to 52.8 in Q110. This has also resulted in India moving up to 9th in the proprietary rankings system. The main driver of this improvement was a re-assessment of both the size and growth of the pharmaceutical market. India’s Pharma rating is just below the regional average (53.2), but above the global average (51.5). Over the medium term, we fully expect India’s ranking to improve significantly.
India’s rural market represents an enormous opportunity for drug-makers and medical device firms. Although anticipated margins are slim, volumes of units sold will be large. In an effort to become the leading pharmaceutical firm in its domestic market, Ranbaxy revealed in December 2009 that it intended to penetrate the challenging rural market. Other companies with a similar strategy include Fortis Healthcare, Novartis, Elder Pharmaceutical and GE Healthcare.
BMI’s Burden of Disease Database (BoDD) reveals that non-communicable diseases – such as diabetes and cancer – have a slightly greater burden in India than non-communicable diseases – such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. In 2008, a total of 99,892,742 diability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were lost to communicable diseases, while 116,772,455 DALYs were lost to non-communicable diseases.
JAPAN
Japanese healthcare industry is ranked second in the world, with its main challenge being the aging population.
Complete coverage of medical expenses by insurance adds a point to its rank. Thus, changes in the economy are likely to have little effect on the industry – even with the current decline in labor force and with increasingly aging population.
The pharmaceutical and drugs industry of Japan is challenged with issues pertaining to the launch of blockbuster drugs, sales and marketing productivity, and structural reforms. Bungyo – the separation of prescribing and dispensing drugs by doctors and pharmacists, – is soaring, and expected to reach 80 percent in the next five years.
With 100 percent insurance coverage for medical expenses and in view of the fact that physicians across the country charge a fixed fee irrespective of their qualification and experience, patients are choosing to go to bigger hospitals for treatment.
The medical devices industry is also highly competitive and is a trade hub for countries such as the United States and Europe. Demand from the growing population of aged people for better medical facilities is one of the reasons for the increasing volume of imports in this industry.
With the opening up the Japanese economy with less regulations across industries and sectors, the Government’s initiative to develop standards and encourage best practices across the healthcare industry is likely to enhance Japan’s global competitiveness. The country’s medical facilities are also expanding to meet the long-term goal of promoting development, raising the standards of living, and narrowing the gap with developed countries. This opens up plenty opportunities for more adventurous players.
Japan Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Report Q2 2010
BMI forecasts Business Monitor International that the value of Japanese pharmaceutical market at retail prices will increase at a very modest compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.25%, as measured in local currency. However, when calculated in US dollars, growth will fall into negative territory. The market will reach a value of JPY9,619bn (US$87.45bn) in 2014, up from of JPY9,040.1bn (US$95.16bn) in 2009. Over our longer, ten-year forecast, we expect the growth rate to drop to under 1% as public purse-strings are tightened further.
Japan is looking to triple its generics sector by 2012. In 2009, generic drugs represented an estimated 9.4% of the total market by value, with BMI forecasting this share to increase to 15.5% in 2014, and further to 23.5% by the end of 2019.
Despite the low annual growth rate expected in the coming years, the Japanese drug sector continues to benefit from a large relative (per-capita consumption was estimated at almost US$750 in 2009) as well as absolute – with its population numbering over 127mn – usage of medicines, Indeed, in our updated Q210 Business Environment Ratings (BERs) table for the 15 key markets in the Asia Pacific region, Japan regained its pole position, previously held by Australia. Globally, Japan is ranked as the fourth most attractive market for multinational drugmakers, after the US, Germany and Canada.
Opportunities in the generics sector are to be increasingly explored by foreign companies, with Israeli generics specialist Teva and traditionally research-based Pfizer recently reporting their plans for entry into the market. In terms of other notable company news over the past quarter, Teva-Kowa Pharma, a 50:50 joint venture (JV) between Teva and Japanese drugmaker Kowa, entered into an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Taisho Pharmaceutical Industries. The acquisition will help Teva-Kowa to achieve its growth plan in Japan by bringing in local expertise and know-how.
Earlier in the year, Teva- Kowa announced its plans to start selling generic cancer drugs from January 2010. Leading Japanese drugmaker Takeda revealed that it would enter the South American drug market via the acquisition of a generic drugmaker in the region, though the company is yet to elaborate on any potential targets. Over the coming five years, pharmaceutical imports will grow at a faster rate than exports – benefiting from regulatory and pricing environment improvements – and result in an expanding trade deficit through to 2014, with generic medicines making a major impact in volume terms. The competitive nature of the multinational sector’s hi-tech imports will add to pressures on the pharmaceutical trade balance, especially as the level of domestic research and development (R&D) industry activity lags behind that in other major markets.
MIDDLE EAST
Middle East healthcare market estimated over $100bnAccording to a recent study, population in the Middle East has exceeded 370m and is estimated to reach over 520m by 2030.
Growing population, mainly dominated by the expatriate community in most of the GCC countries, has given rise to the a rapidly growing market for healthcare and its associated industries, which is now touching $100bn mark in the Middle East alone.
Healthcare markets in the Gulf region are changing quickly. Due to the huge increase in the expatriate population, it is also one of the fastest growing regions with an estimated annual growth of 15%. Business opportunities in the import-dependent marketplace of the five main countries in the region have dramatically increased from where they were a few years ago.
Saudi Arabia, as the richest regional market, has planned to increase the numbers of hospitals from 264 to over 500 in next 7 years. United Arb Emirates (UAE) is also setting trends in providing best healthcare standards on public & private level not only for the growing population within the country but also for patients from across the region seeking the best medical facilities. The UAE healthcare market is projected to rise from $3.2bn in 2005 to $11.9bn in 2015.
The market in the Middle East countries, however, is heavily reliant on the fluctuating price of oil, which dictates the strength of the economy and, in turn, reflected in healthcare provision and the pharmaceutical market. This trend necessitates a global interactive platform for the healthcare industry and medical community to explore the latest advancements, compare alternates and reach mutually beneficial conclusions.
SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Arabia Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Report Q1 2010
source: http://www.marketresearch.com
In BMI’s Q1 2010 Business Environment Ratings, Saudi Arabia is ranked fifth of the 17 Middle East and African (MEA) markets. This is a drop from the country’s previous second place in Q409 and is due to a drop in its score for limits of potential returns. From 2009 to 2014, the pharmaceutical market is expected to post a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.44% in both US dollar and local currency terms. Council of Co-operative Health Insurance (CCHI) secretary general Dr Abdullah Al Sharif has said that the council has plans to develop a comprehensive healthcare management system centred on health economics and pharmacoeconomics in conjunction with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority.
Since Saudi Arabia has both the largest population and the highest level of pharmaceutical spending in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) there is a strong possibility that the Kingdom could itself become a medical tourism destination to rival Jordan. Saudi Arabian consumers will spend 4% of their GDP on healthcare by 2013 and the government is currently constructing more hospitals and recruiting more healthcare professionals to address issues with access to healthcare services in the country.
Chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity are forming an increasingly large portion of the region’s epidemiological profile. Domestic drugmakers in the region, such as Gulf Pharmaceuticals Industries (Julphar) in the UAE, are using exports to reach other GCC states; however, international accreditation for manufacturing practice would allow firms like this to target more lucrative global markets.
Saudi Arabia is highly reliant on foreign doctors for the provision of healthcare. An estimated 78% of the Kingdom’s 43,000 doctors are expatriates. Recently, Saudi Arabia recruited 500 doctors from Bangladesh for the 2,000 health centres across the country. In total, 4,000 doctors had been recruited to 150 new family health centres by early 2008. A further 7,000 should be recruited over the next few years in an attempt to bring the doctor:patient ratio down from 1:4,000 to 1:400. Many of these extra doctors are expected to come from abroad – mostly from less wealthy Arab countries such as Syria, Jordan and Egypt.
The shortage of nurses in the country has initiated an international recruitment drive to make up the deficit. In 2008, the Kingdom recruited 8,000 nurses, with a quarter of these from the Philippines. The government still holds long-term ambitions to decrease dependence on foreign staff, with places on specialist nursing courses reserved for Saudi women.
The country is in dire need of over 4,000 more medical staff. BMI would encourage Saudi Arabia to provide better training and incentives to provide more native doctors, while only using foreign staff as a temporary measure.
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
United Arab Emirates Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Report Q1 2010
source: http://www.marketresearch.com
In November 2009 the UAE government announced that an independent federal authority will be established to regulate the quality and safety of food and drugs entering the country.
BMI believes that the successful implementation of this body – essentially a UAE version of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – will be attractive to multinational drug-makers operating in the country.
We expect the total drug market to increase in value from US$1.31bn in 2008 to US$1.5bn by 2009. Thereafter, we expect the drug market to reach US$2.65bn by 2014, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21% in US dollar terms.
Our extended 10-year forecast indicates that the market will reach US$3.4bn by 2019, showing a slow CAGR of 5.2% from 2014 onwards. We believe that as the second largest pharmaceutical market in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) region after Saudi Arabia, the UAE’s introduction of a proper regulatory body is a wise move.
Saudi Arabia already has the SFDA, which affiliates testing laboratories for drugs and food products. We note that recently the fluctuations in medicine prices in the UAE have led to greater pressure on the government to import and manufacture more generic drugs. This is yet to happen due to the lack of testing facilities in the country. Bioequivalence and other quality control analyses are not consistently carried out for foreign medicines entering the UAE. Instead, medicines come from the EU or US where strict regulations are already in force.
Healthcare sector advertising in the GCC region during January-September 2009 was worth approximately US$162mn, according to the findings of UAE-based research group the Pan Arab Research Centre. The group has revealed that total 2009 spending on advertising for the industry could reach US$215mn. BMI believes that since the member states of the GCC are undergoing healthcare reform or promoting medical tourism (in the more developed countries), the increased spending on advertising is to be expected.
The creation of the Healthcare City (HC) in Dubai has yet to fulfil its potential for attracting international patients. BMI believes the Dubai government has to promote its medical tourism benefits more widely in order to gain considerably from its substantial investment. At present, the HC has 80 English-speaking clinics, with highly qualified doctors, cheaper prices per procedure than the US, no waiting times and the close proximity of holiday areas already renowned for luxury and relaxation. Construction of the second phase of the HC’s complex will include spas and other ‘wellness’ facilities. The completed complex will form the largest medical tourism centre between Asia and Europe.
For detailed reports, please go to Business Monitor International (BMI) http://www.marketresearch.com
Business Monitor International
Business Monitor International (BMI) publishes specialist business information on global emerging markets for senior executives in more than 125 countries worldwide. A wholly independent, London-based company, BMI has specialized in the analysis of global emerging markets since its foundation in 1984. BMI’s comprehensive range of weekly, monthly and annual reports contains the latest available data, forecasts and analysis on political risk, economic performance and outlook, the business environment, finance and leading industry sectors.
Obamacare, Health care bill, Truth from doctors and experts
Here are some of my favorite videos and testimony and experts on Obamacare, the Health Care Bill being forced on us.
All you need to know about health care reform
* Note two of the videos are no longer available here.
What is the current attempt by Obama and liberal Democrats at health care reform all about?
Read more:
http://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/health-care-reform-facts-truth-2010-elections-obama-lies-government-run-health-care-wealth-redistribution-all-you-need-to-know-about-health-care-reform/
The Difference Between Canada and the U.S. Health Care Systems
Sally C. Pipes understands Canadian health care. As the former Assistant Director of the free-market Fraser Institute, she lived under Canada’s national health care system.
Today Pipes is president of the Pacific Research Institute and author of the new book, The Top Ten Myths of American Health Care. She spoke at the Cato Institute July 15, 2009.
Parker Griffith Republican representative leaves Democrat Party over Health Care Bill
“A radiation oncologist, Griffith cited the Democrats’ health care plans as a reason for his switch. He was one of 39 Democrats to vote against the bill in the House last month.
“I want to make it perfectly clear that this bill is bad for our doctors,” he said at the press conference, according to the AP. “It’s bad for our patients. It’s bad for the young men and women who are considering going into the health care field.”
Read more:
http://citizenwells.wordpress.com/2009/12/22/parker-griffith-announcement-switches-parties-griffith-republican-griffith-leaves-democrat-party-health-care-bill-bad-for-doctors/
Paul Ryan Health Care Bill truth, Rep Ryan exposes Health Care Bill lies
President’s Cousin Condemns Obamacare
Total denuding process of terminally ill; (Mar. 17, 2010)
The hardest part for an incurable dying person is not necessarily being reduced to nothing after death; it is to be consciously reduced to a totally dispossessed non-entity before his death. Willingly or coerced to, an incurable dying person is forced to undergo total stripping of all his material belonging and his mental and physical potentials. For example, in the article “Befriending death”, Pierre “the fix it all”, had to finally ask specialized companies to do home repairs and finish off works in progress; he had to desist doing research work at his physics research institution; he had find capable replacement researchers to resume his projects; he had to give up positions in associations and organizations; he had to stop computing from statistics the exact date for his imminent death; he had to teach his wife and grown up children how to fix and repair things at home.
Pierre had to give up reading, listening to music, communicating, surfing the net; he had to forget what he accumulated in tools for home repairs. Pierre had to accept loosing possession of part of his body, his strength, sensations, taking interminable time to getting out of bed, unable to eat, to talk, to walk. Pierre had to be resigned to let go controlling and managing his family.
The last phase in dispossession is to let go of praying: come what come; the dying person is already “a prayer”. It is not only totally useless to pray by the dying patient’s bed; it is also frankly infuriating to the patient and family members: the dying person is already in another dimension and care less of what’s going around him. Pierre is entering a sort of “no man’s land of the mind” in silence.
It is entirely naïve and insane for friends to tell a dying person “You still can decide for life!” People usually lack the burning pains of what the terminally ill is experiencing. There is a time when living and dying is same different. Suppose a person has reached the final phases of total dispossession and then was told “Congratulation, you are cured. You can recapture your former job and get your previous activities back.” Do you think that this completely denuded person would still have the heart and energy to restart life from scratch like a newborn baby?
Note: this topic was extracted from “When befriending death” by Sylvie Garoche.
Well, this run literally made me running alright.
Currently tonnes of chapter behind to catch up: personality disorders, cognitive disorders, mood disorders, substance abuse. And what’s more : diabetes, myocarditis, parkinsonism. Lest to forget the whole mumbo jumbo on drugs!!!
My logbook is barely filled up, case history yet to be identified and lite review on CAT (critically appraised topic) not kucing is not touched at all!!!
Otherwise, my consultant said that I am doing awesome!! …so she said, and I still feel yucky.. Bah..
Tom certainly did not want to die, and Marianne definitely did not want God to take him from her either, but they both trusted in God’s plan, no matter what the ‘earthly’ outcome would be. They truly understood the meaning of the words of St. Paul to the Romans, that it is God, not us, who is in control and that “…in everything God works for the good with those who love him, who are called to his purpose.” And perhaps it is not how Tom lived his life that was an inspiration, although I am certain it was, but more importantly it was how he lived it while he was dying that deeply affected mine. You see I truly believe that all things happen for a reason and while we may not understand nor see the purpose behind all that happen to us, we must have faith and trust in God’s plan for us. There is good in everything. This is a bold statement and one that many would scoff at, and perhaps even think is crazy. But that’s the thing about faith, it doesn’t make sense…it doesn’t have to.
God put us on earth to enjoy His creation and for us to be happy. But in reality, even if we live to be 100 years old, and most of us will not, that time is minuscule in relation to eternity. We spend so much time trying to keep ourselves looking young and accumulating possessions and when we die, none of it, is coming with us.
Why is it that so many people try to keep a ‘death grip’ on their life in this world? Perhaps it is reflected in the lyrics to the blues song sung by Coco Montoya, ‘…Ya know I hate to leave this old world, cause I don’t know what the next one is all about’. This phenomenon however is not confined only to nonbelievers, but the faithful as well. I suspect it is because as human beings living everyday in this world we are easily distracted into thinking that our appearance and worldly possessions actually matter. After all we are weak and frail, emotionally and sometimes spiritually, and often need to boost our physical self to feel happy. There is nothing inherently wrong with this as long as we remember what is most important to us long-term, and I mean ‘long term’! Personally, I am guilty of this as well. Quite a few years back when I was single and had few responsibilities, I used to work out regularly in the gym, lifting weights. Three or four times a week, for at least 2 – 3 hours at time, I trained intensely. Often, during my work out it would occur to me…I spend so much time and effort focusing on my physical health, that if I spent a fraction of this time on my spiritual life, how much better a person I would be and how much closer to God could I be! But that thought, though it frequently recurred in my mind, would dissipate almost as quickly as I moved on to my next set. It would only be years later when an injury sidelined my weight training that I would finally start doing my ‘spiritual reps’.
But I digress….Assume that through the scientific method and intensive research using our (God-given) intellectual power we discover the fountain of youth. Thus ends all illness and disease. No more cancer, no more lives stripped of their vitality by the ravages of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, no more tragic deaths of mothers and young children. Our physical beings live forever or at least for a long, long, long time. Then what? I am not saying we should not try to find cures but I believe all life is sacred both from a philosophical and Christian perspective. So do we indirectly or directly promote the death of one being for another? How do you make that choice? How can you? And to what end?
Glioblastoma multiforme is a monster of a brain tumor. For years it has proved to be a stronger and better adversary than anything we have used to kill it. Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy. If we have been able use something successfully to treat it, it mutates into something resistant and more aggressive. I have even ‘completely’ resected this tumor as evidenced by MRI scan, only to see it grow back, twice the size in less than 30 days! Recently, significant strides have been made in chemotherapy that has been hugely successful, even if on a relative scale. (See post of January 16th, 2010: Humility and a Malignant Brain Tumor). And one day I pray we find a cure, although I suspect we will always have death to face at some point.
It will be at that point that our true character will finally be revealed. Will we be afraid because we don’t know what the next world is all about or will we embrace it because we trust in Jesus’ promise of an everlasting life with Him.
A while back when my wife and I were in the process of adopting our daughter we met a couple like us, Mark and Karen, also looking forward to becoming united with their adopted daughter from China. He was an ophthalmologist. And it is quite interesting to me how many ophthalmologists I have met that are deeply committed Christians. Perhaps it has something to do with the realization that the ‘eyes’ truly ‘are the window to the soul’. Anyway, he told me of a story of a colleague, a friend of his that had a malignant brain tumor and he had exhausted all forms of treatment, and had death staring him squarely in the eyes. Mark asked him how he felt, was he afraid? And this other physician looked at him and said no. In fact he was excited! He was finally going to meet his creator and spend all eternity with him. “It’s going to be an awesome journey”.
Our life here on earth is far from inconsequential but it is in the way that we live that life that we will be judged by those we leave behind and by God in heaven.
