It was with more than a little sadness to hear of paramedic Ralph Oswald’s death in the line of duty. Not a year ago I commented on Oswald’s effort to improve his health through exercise and weight loss, not only for himself but for his family and his patients.
His sudden death serves as a constant reminder that life is but a brief moment in time, to be filled with what one can do to make the world better. Oswald and many others like him, strived to fulfill that obligation of serving his fellow citizen with dignity, pride and professionalism. Rest well, my colleague; you deserve it.
One might reconsider the merits of healthier living after this.
Don’t.
There’s too much evidence to show that exercise and a reasonable diet promotes not only longer life, but a more satisfying one. Oswald’s death places emphasis on monitoring one’s own health on a regular basis, through annual physical examinations and check ups with your primary care physician. If conditions such as heart disease or cancer are prevalent in your family, seek regular care and develop preventive activities to lower the risk.
Living a healthy life also means being healthy at work. Maintain immunizations. Vaccinate annually. Lift and move carefully. Stretch often during each shift. Mitigate hazards when they appear. It’s simply amazing that a simple sprain, strain or worse can take you off a healthy track in literally a heartbeat. After 33years in EMS, my shoulders remind me of the toll they took when I was younger.
Doing all of this won’t guarantee perfect health in the future, but it’s the path that will help reduce the chances of having chronic pain or disease in the future. Being in the business of saving lives doesn’t give us a pass at living.
