In Science We Trust

For as far back as I can remember, I have suffered from I.B.S. This manifests itself as a debilitating pain behind my lower right rib. No doctors have ever been able to identify the cause of this pain, and the only way I have found to effectively alleviate the pain is to take a Buscopan tablet, lay down and listen to music on my i-Pod. For some reason, Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" and Depeche Mode's "I Feel Loved" are the most effective tracks for this. The power of love? Or the power of the synth?

A few years ago, as a follow up to some unusual results in my annual health check-up, I had an ultra-sound scan which revealed that my gall bladder has an unusually think wall. The doctor said that might be the cause of my I.B.S., but he couldn't be sure.

Ever since my last attack of I.B.S., which was over one year ago, I have had an unusual "echo" of the pain. Unusual because usually the pain goes away completely. However, since the sensation was so mild and easily ignored, I didn't worry about it, especially as, after the months passed, it seemed to have replaced full-on I.B.S. pain. A fair trade-off.

However, over the past few weeks, the "echo" has increased in intensity to become, at times, a minor distraction. Also, the pain seems to have become ambulatory, moving from its usual location beneath my lower right rib to the same place on my back, my lower back, just below my right shoulder and the centre of my chest. A couple of nights ago I lay awake and could feel it travelling between each of those locations, just as if I had some kind of alien life form living inside of me.

So, today I went for an ultra-sound scan at my local G.P.'s surgery. He thinks the problem could be trapped nerves beneath my ribs. That certainly sounds more plausible than alien endoparasitism.

I will receive the results of the scan tomorrow. I have complete trust that the scientists will finally be able to tell me what it is that has caused me so much pain throughout my life as I am sure whatever it is happening now is linked to my I.B.S.

“In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion.”  (Carl Sagan.)

I Feel Love

I Feel Loved