Much of our language of complaints in the 21st century emanates from our being ill informed. Nonetheless I think there has never been a better time to be alive than today. Despite our inequities, noise and rancor, our life is still the best it’s ever been. Statistics prove it. 

I personally see man’s existence, history and future through medicine’s lens. I’m thrilled  science has alleviated man’s pain. Frankly speaking, I’m happy I did not live in the Dark or Middle ages. Bubonic plague, caused by a bacterium spread by fleas, killed 25 to 50 million — 50% of Europe’s population — in the Black Death of 1346 to 1353. 

Since the Black Death we’ve identified bacteria and developed antibiotics. Our attitude towards scientific knowledge is: we accept it. Science has helped to alleviate our suffering; despite the recent Tylenol-autism kerfuffle, scientific facts will always remain the same.

The history of scientific knowledge includes discovery of anesthesia. Diethyl ether was discovered in 1842, nitrous oxide 1844, and chloroform in 1847. Sadly, though, America’s Civil war combatants suffered mightily from their injuries. French military surgeon, Ambroise Pare used boiling oil on soldiers’ wounds. Surgical interventions were done without anesthesia.

I give a shout out to William Morton and John Warren of Massachusetts General Hospital who in 1846 removed a neck tumor using general anesthesia. My own patients’ procedures are carried out under general anesthesia, intubated and monitored with an array of instruments and techniques. 

Progress continues to take place in a variety of surgical and medical fields. The saying, “the greater the surgeon, the bigger the incision,” was repeated often during surgical training. A scar, it was said, healed from side to side, not top to bottom and its size never caused much discomfort. Because of the safety and efficacy of anesthesia and a thorough understanding of aseptic techniques, laparotomy — the making of an incision to enter the abdomen and directly palpate, visualize and remove diseased structures — became the gold standard. 

Until the dawn of the modern era of video laparoscopy that many of us opposed vehemently. But after we became proficient in visualizing the interior of patient’s bodies on a video monitor, its benefits were realized. A large number of conditions are managed endoscopically with smaller incisions, less pain, and often shorter recovery time. It was almost magical for me when my infected kidney was removed laparoscopically, and I went home in 48 hours. In the classical surgical laparotomy days, I would have stayed in the hospital for a week or more. There is no better way to sing hosannas about a treatment than to be its satisfied beneficiary. 

We’re living at a time of such amazing advancements in medicine and science that we should from time to time pause for a few moments and appreciate it and give thanks for being alive today rather than the 1900s, when people died of appendicitis, or 1918, when millions died of influenza.

I am attuned to hearing the complaints of many about all that does not go quite right for them or that which has a hitch or two. In my practice, I spent time making patients aware of their good medical fortune. Often I asked if they had researched what ailed them.  It was satisfying to intelligently discuss implications of diagnoses; what the most common complications were and why. There’s nothing better than a well-informed health-care consumer. 

An issue that many are fighting against today is: media advertising of drugs and treatments. In my opinion it harms no one if patients know that other therapies are available on the market. A patient who has seen an advertisement and has taken time for research should be lauded for their effort. Whether the physician thinks the advertised drug a wise alternative, or whether it’s a medication the patient’s insurance will pay for, is another story.

We  must all embrace the fact that knowledge of research and new discoveries is available on many platforms, many places. It should be celebrated. I for one am happy and grateful that many of my ailments can be scientifically diagnosed and reasonably treated. 

By ascertaining that we don’t live in intractable pain, or die from, and in, pain, I believe that America and the world are great — as they are. In fact advances in science and technology do actually help advance human equality. Realization of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness are everyone’s right, much of it guaranteed by medical advances.   

Pius Kamau, M.D., a retired general surgeon, is president of the Aurora-based Africa America Higher Education Partnerships; co-founder of the Africa Enterprise Group and an activist for minority students ‘STEM education. He is a National Public Radio commentator, a Huffington Post blogger, a past columnist for Denver dailies and is featured on the podcast, “Never Again.”