About that study.....

NEW YORK - Does praying for a sick person's recovery do any good? In the
largest scientific test of its kind, heart surgery patients showed no
benefit when strangers prayed for their recovery.

And patients who knew they were being prayed for had a slightly higher rate
of complications. The researchers could only guess why.

Several scientists questioned the concept of the study. Science "is not
designed to study the supernatural," said Dr. Harold G. Koenig, director of
the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health at the Duke University
Medical Center.

The researchers who tested the power of prayer emphasized that their $2.4
million study could not address whether God exists or answers prayers made
on another's behalf. The study could look only for effects from the specific
prayers offered as part of the research, they said.

The highly anticipated study "did not move us forward or backward" in
understanding the effects of prayer, said Dr. Charles Bethea, a co-author
and cardiologist at the Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City.
"Intercessory prayer under our restricted format had a neutral effect."

Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard Medical School, co-principal investigator of
the study, agreed. "We cannot come to a conclusion, except to say that by
this study design, with its limitations, this is what we found."

The researchers also said they didn't know why patients who knew they were
being prayed for had a higher rate of complications than patients who only
knew that such prayers were a possibility.

Maybe they became anxious by the knowledge that they'd been selected for
prayers, Bethea said: "Did the patients think, 'I am so sick that they had
to call in the prayer team?'"

(NOTE THIS PARAGRAPH BELOW)

The researchers said family and friends shouldn't be discouraged from
telling a patient about their plans to pray for a good recovery.

Experts called it the largest and best-designed study ever to test the
medical effects of intercessory prayers _ praying on behalf of someone else.
That's different from studying the effect of a person's prayers and
spiritual practices on his or her own health; many studies of that have
shown a positive effect.

The new study followed about 1,800 patients at six medical centers. It was
financed by the Templeton Foundation, which supports research into science
and religion, and one of the participating hospitals. It will appear in
Tuesday's issue of the American Heart Journal.

The research team tested the effect of having three Christian groups pray
for particular patients, starting the night before surgery and continuing
for two weeks. The volunteers prayed for "a successful surgery with a quick,
healthy recovery and no complications" for specific patients _ their
identities known only by first name and first initial of the last name.

The patients, meanwhile, were split into three groups of about 600 apiece:
those who knew they were being prayed for, those who were prayed for but
only knew it was a possibility, and those who weren't prayed for but were
told it was a possibility.

The researchers didn't ask patients or their families and friends to alter
any plans they had for prayer, saying such a step would have been unethical
and impractical.

The study looked for any complications within 30 days of the surgery.
Results showed no effect of prayer on complication-free recovery. But among
patients who did receive prayers, 59 percent of the patients who knew they
were being prayed for developed a complication, versus 52 percent of those
who were told it was just a possibility.

Paul Kurtz, professor emeritus of philosophy at the State University of New
York at Buffalo, and chairman of the Committee for the Scientific
Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, had a blunt response when asked
why he thought the study found no effect of prayer.

"Because there is none," he said. "That would be one answer."

He added that while he tries to keep an open mind, he's seen no good
evidence for such an effect in past studies. The new work, he said, "gives
added emphasis to those who have been skeptical."

Koenig, of Duke University Medical Center, who didn't take part in the
study, said the results didn't surprise him.

"There are no scientific grounds to expect a result and there are no real
theological grounds to expect a result either," he said. "There is no god in
either the Christian, Jewish or Muslim scriptures that can be constrained to
the point that they can be predicted."

Within the Christian tradition, God would be expected to be concerned with a
person's eternal salvation, he said, and "why would God change his plans for
a particular person just because they're in a research study?"

Dr. David Stevens, executive director of the Christian Medical and Dental
Associations, said he believes intercessory prayer can influence medical
outcomes, but that science is not equipped to explore it.

"Do we control God through prayer? Theologians would say absolutely not. God
decides sometimes to intervene, and sometimes not," he said.

As for the new study, he said, "I don't think ... it's going to stop people
praying for the sick."

(Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

(end of quoted material)

All in all, I would not say it doesn't mean we shouldn't pray for (or wish
well for) someone who is ill.
What it means is that we shouldn't have any particular expectations from the
effort.

Hi Barbara,

Thanks for your post. You can uncross those eyes and fingers, now:-)
The news was good and bad, as you have probably read. The damage in
the right eye is permanent, but may not get worse. Also, the only
problem with the left eye is a small cataract, which is treatable. So,
all in all, I am still fairly well off, in that I can still see well
enough to function. As long as I don't get a poke in my good eye, I
shall be fine!

Hope you are doing OK with that lizard spit this weekend! Back in the
60's I used to have an old car that I used to call "The Gila Monster"

Will, T2

Thanks for the inspirational story, Jan. The story of your Jasmine's
survival is truly touching. If anyone were to ask me, I would say that
the great love of her mother was also a major factor in the miracle of
Jasmine. And of course, a miracle is a miracle, and we should all be
grateful for the blessing of a young life saved.

Will, T2

Thanks, Craig

I survived the experience and was told pretty much what I already
suspected, which is that I am permanently impaired in the right eye.
Now the job is going to be to determine how to prevent further damage
and possible other medical problems.

Hope you are well this weekend.

Will, T2

Wo me notice typos?  I have no idea what they are:-)

I lso haave a cataract in the righ t eye that wll soon haveto be taken
care of.  It seems to be causin me to see aobut 2 lines on teh eye chart
worse than my problem macula sees, so I shuld go from lousy tojusst
nediocre in tha eye.  

I currently see 20-100 with correction and can expect 20-60  after the
surgery for the cataract.  

And now for something entirely different-
Why is the word cataract the same word as for a water fal on the Nile
river?  Just wondering.  This is ot a riddle.

Wendy  

I'm very sorry to hear that it may not be reversible, but you are
right, it could have been far worse in many ways.

Just take darn good care of the good eye.    

ROFL!

I can sure identify with that! I used to be a very devout coward when
it came to anything medical. I shuddered at the thought of an
injection or blood draw. Now, I've sure changed my values on that!
When I had the flourecene angiogram, they put in a butterfly IV for
the dye. Or, rather, they tried. Seven times. A year ago I would have
been horrified, but I just found it humorous now. I finally just told
the assistant to go for a visible vein (figured that would be easier)
in my forearm, instead of trying for one in the crook of my elbow. Got
it in one!  

I still don't like to watch, though.

So far, so good. I still have some waviness when I look at an ansler
grid. It does not seem to be changing much. It's no imparement, but
it's enough that it concerns me, and I've decided to ignore the Doc's
advice about waiting until June for another exam (I haven't had one
post-laser), and I'll probably be having a much earlier exam, in a
week or two.  

You too, Will!

Thanks, Jan. The doctor was concerned that something had caused that
blood vessel to become blocked, thus killing part of the retina. One
supposition would be that the blockage was caused by a particle of
something that broke off from somewhere else and travelled through the
blood stream, until it lodged in my retina. One common source of such
particles, it seems, is plaque buildup inside the carotid arteries. If
that is the case in my situation, it would mean a high risk that
something similar could occur in the future, causing a stroke or
further blindness, possibly in the other eye.

To take it a step farther, if they do find plaque buildup in a carotid
artery, it would be possible to have it surgically removed, before it
could cause further problems...

Sorry to hear about your son. One of my sisters-in-law has a similar
situation with one of her eyes. Indeed, she was born with only one
eye. Her apparent other "eye" is an artificial eye that is purely
cosmetic.

As I am sure Wendy of our group knows, being down to one eye really
makes a person appreciate what they have left. It is rather like
making the rest of a long journey with no spare tire. The cataract
does sound a little ominous down the road, but lots of people have had
to deal with cataracts, and they seem to do OK, for the most part.

Thanks for the prayers, Jan :-) You are a real dear. No, they
certainly did not cause my problems! I already had them....

Thanks for the hugs, too. I like hugs:-)

Hope yours is a good evening tonight.

Will, T2

Even if blood flow is restored, the damage has been done. Bear in mind
that the light receptors in the retina are nerve cells, which don't
regenerate.

Hello Quentin,

Thanks for the kind words of concern... As you, more than most, are
aware, we just have to play the hand we are dealt and make the best of
it... What has happened to my eyes pales into insignificance when I
think of what you and others are enduring. In a way, I am fortunate,
because it could be so much worse. At least, I can still see with the
good eye.

I think I must know the painting you must mean. If we are thinking of
the same work, it was done by Edvard Munch. Sadly, "The Scream" is now
missing, having been stolen from its place in a museum in Olso on
August 23, 2004. Although Munch painted four versions of "The Scream",
the most famous one was the one that was stolen. There is a big tial
of the suspected culprits currently in progress in Norway, but so far
no one is saying where the painting is, if they even know.

You are absolutely right about "The Scream" as the epitome of the
human condition, to which we are alll subject  in our different ways
and at different times. As I have had to adjust to this sense of
partial blindness, my thoughts have sometimes turned to great examples
of inspiration throughout human history who have persevered and gone
on to do some of their greatest work in the face of the onset of their
handicaps. Look at Milton, who went blind and continued to produce.
Consider Beethoven, who wrote his famous Ninth Symphony when he was
absolutely deaf. In my case, while I would not ever compare to either
of those two genuises, my little retina casualty certainly will not
put me on the sidelines....

I hope you are having a truly good weekend Quentin.

Wishing you all the best in return,

Will, T2

Thanks Loretta,

I appreciate your sympathy and concern very much. As they say, life is
a great big pain, starting with the moments of birth. At times, all
one can do is sit there and take it.

And yet, what has happened to my eyes is not so bad, really. I can
still see to function, and hopefully, if I take care, things will not
get worse. A lot of people have to deal with far worse situations
every day.

There is a neurological component to my difficulties that I have
forgotten to mention which some might find interesting. One of the
worst problems I have with all of this is headaches that may be
secondarily caused by the differences between the signals my brain
receives from each eye. One of the tests they are doing is to measure
the comparative function of the optic nerves and the speed at which
information is transmitted to my brain and how that information is
processed.

One thing that struck me as I sat in the waiting area today was that
there were a number of other people who were obviously mostly blind,
including some who had to have assistance just to find their way to a
chair to sit in, or to walk anywhere on the premises. A couple of
people whom I especially remember were very emotionally upset when
they came out of their consultations and needed tissues, not for the
drops, but for the tears.... There were even a number of patients who
were suffering from complications of diabetes.... I went through my
emotional phase some time ago, when I was coping with my diagnosis of
diabetes, so the emotional part is all behind me now.

The clinic I went to is one of the most renowned on the entire East
Coast... There is another one in New York City to which I have been
referred, but so far these doctors seem to be adequate to take care of
my problem as well as anyone, I suppose. People come from all over the
U.S. to the doctor I saw today, so I think I am in pretty good
hands....

I hope you are well these days Loretta. Please take care of yourself
and be good to those eyes!

Will, T2

Thanks for writing, Susan. If we ever do have that holiday, I am sure
I would definitely want you to be there! :-) And, I would be delighted
to pass you that drink with the umbrella in it.... I was thinking of
something like the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, or perhaps the Dorado
Beach in Puerto Rico.... Then, some places in Cancun might not be bad,
either, or perhaps somewhere in Malaga.

I can just see it now.... "The ASD Friends Festival"... Party hardy
with the best group of diabetics on Earth! They could even make a
movie about such an event....

I hope you are feeling well this weekend.

Take care,

Will, T2

You're on, Priscilla... that's a deal. I promise to do the same. I'll
be sure to get a ticket this afternoon. Be thinking of where you'd
like to go! If you pay, you get to pick the location:-)

At least I am not joining the white cane toe tappers yet!

Nice hearing from you,

Will, T2

Thanks so much, Chuck, for the concern and good wishes. I care very
much about you, too, you know. These things happen in life. The good
news is that it may not get any worse, and the doctor I have is doing
all that can be done to determine the cause of the problem and to
prevent worse things from happening down the road.

Very few of us get to live long and pain free lives, to die peacefully
of natural causes in our own beds at 100 years of age. That is just
not how scripts are written for real life.

Take care and have a great weekend!

Will, T2

Thanks, Alan. I live in Virginia Beach, VA, right in the middle of the
U.S. East Coast. In fact, if we were ever to have that ASD get
together, this would be one good place to have it...

I'll be sure to keep in touch. Take care and have a good night. For me
it is about 5:30 A.M. I should imagine that it is about 9:30 P.M.
where you are....

Will, T2

Thanks, Alexander

I think something similar is what probably happened in my case. I am
not aware of any ongoing heart problems, although I had a serious
heart problem years ago that was caused by a virus that attacked my
pericardium and possibly the heart muscle... I was in intensive care
for days with that one. One thing I have learned about life is that if
we live long enough, we are all going to get some sort of health
problem.... Things just go wrong sometimes.

In my case, it does appear that the damage is permanent and a portion
of the retina is simply dead, as it has no blood supply. Whatever
caused it, the doctor said I am lucky it did not strike in my brain,
because it would have caused a stroke.

Take care, friend, and have a great weekend.

Will, T2

Thanks, Nicky

It is always nice hearing from you... You are one of my many favorite
friends on here, did you know that?

Yes, I am fortunate to have what seems to be a very competent and
thorough doctor... Can't say much for that technician, though. That
fluoroscopic dye is really wierd stuff! Not only did he miss the mark
and shoot a load of it right past my vein and into my arm, I have to
go back and subject myself to another round with the same guy on
Monday! In the meantime, I have a wonderful hematoma and discolored
area on my arm, and I am still having to deal with the after effects
of the dye solution, as it absorbs into my system.

Hope you are having a good one!

Will, T2