Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

In an ideal world, that would be the case. However, people aren't 100% rational agents motivated by logic.

My aunt was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis which led her to lose her eyesight from her left eye, because she refused to get a thorough checkup by a professional, and even today whenever I tell her that I visited the doctor for an issue she has... not very good words to say (something something "you are a chicken, you're hypochodriac etc). And I'm saying this without entertaining the probability of her visiting a professional who just happened to be in a bad day, which could potentialy lead to a wrong diagnosis.

I've been hunting down my own diagnosis for symptoms everyone seems to tell me that aren't serious (nail discoloration and a 24/7 headache that feels like my arteries are pulsing, which lasts for YEARS, cold fingertips during the winter, and more).

I get what you're trying to say and I agree with the general message. However, more checkpoints to catch a potential failure are good. For example, if someone were to make a take-at-home device which scans nailfold capillaries (no reason for something like that to exist) I'd get that in a heartbeat. I'm being actively ignored by every medical professional that I have visited, and if I'm not ignored they give the minimum amount of attention, kind of like "well, it's not like you're dying so who cares?"

Fair note: I'm from Europe.



Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: