Dis-ease

In his book Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography, when discussing Jesus' miracles of healing, John Dominic Crossan differentiates between curing a physical pathology and healing the psychological and social impacts of the pathology. I don't have my copy at hand, so I can't quote Crossan's terms, but I'm going to use "sickness" for the physical pathology and "disease" for the psycho-social results. Of course this is a somewhat artificial distinction, since sickness and disease are both parts of a single event. But they can be discussed separately, as in HIV/AIDS (the sickness) and the isolation from family, erstwhile friends, careers, etc. that used to attend this diagnosis and probably still does. As I remember, Crossan leaves open the question of whether or not Jesus really cured sicknesses, but he emphasizes Jesus' miraculous ability to heal diseases.

It strikes me that LLUMC does a good job at treating both sickness and disease. The prostate cancers of my fellow patients and me are treated by the proton beam as well as, in some cases, conventional photon radiation and hormone therapies. Amazing indeed.

But the real miracle here is the healing of the associated disease. LLUMC proton patients are perhaps the happiest, most energetic, "healthiest" group of men I think I've ever met. How does LLUMC pull off this Jesus-like miracle? Here are some ways: Tuesday evenings, the proton patients gather for a potluck dinner that includes jokes and programs and conversation. Wednesday afternoons, there's a patients-only support group. Wednesday evenings there's a educational/support group gathering with a snack. Thursday evenings, there's the "Restaurant Tour" that goes to a different local restaurant each week. Dietitians and social workers are on the staff of the Radiation Department, and diet counseling is part of the program. We are given membership in the Drayson Center (a rec center) and constantly urged to use it to exercise, get massage therapy, etc. Then there's BOB (Brotherhood of the Balloon), a web-based support group for all active and former proton patients. There's also the ubiquitous focus on healthy life-styles that results from the Adventist concerns with diet. And finally, it's all done in an area that is beautiful with its hills, its trees and flowers, its mild climate, and its proximity to the mountains, beaches, and deserts of Southern California.

Amy, who is here for a few days, wondered if any other place in the country, or maybe the world, has put together this array of healing ministries. I don't know if LLUMC is unique in these respects, but it's certainly special.

"To make man whole." The wholeness in the Medical Center's motto brings together the curing of sicknesses with the healing of diseases.

It's a good place to be.