Life changing discoveries

Ooh Esspee tell me more!

All the vaccinations that are now given routinely. They have changed the life of our whole society.

Santana

Mammography machine saved my life.

And mine

The Pill.

Lens implant for eyes. Without it I would be blind in one eye and probably unable to drive.

My DS had antibiotics just after birth for a skin infection and at 3 months for pneumonia. Without antibiotics he could have died. Medicine has made such improvements to our lives.
On a daily basis, I can't imagine not having the internet now. It has changed our lives so much.

Penicillin, without it I would have died at six weeks!

My digital hearing aids.

B12 Injections for Pernicious Anaemia, without it I wouldn't be here.

I had PPH (Post Partum Haemorrhage) with all three babies.
First time, Queen Charlotte’s 1967 - lost loads but staff eventually sorted it out.
Second time, in Africa, midwife had panic despite having been warned. Luckily, it was not so bad and nature gave a helping hand, I think.
Third time, in Norwich, Gynaecologist listened and injected some preventative - no idea what but it worked.
Had I first given birth in 1867, I would probably not survived.

Glasses. I have worn them since I was 18 months old and without them everything is a blur. I wouldn’t be able to live independently but with my glasses I can live a normal life.

For me as a child, the tablets that stopped bed wetting. As an adult, pain relief-tablets, creams or injections. Makes life bearable.

Insulin and all the blood testing equipment. Always gad we don't have to pay for it, as my great grandmother had to. Also penicillin.

This is such a great thread - so heartening to celebrate and be grateful for things we have in our lives. I too have benefitted from all kinds of medication, surgery to remove an infected gall bladder, HRT for many years, glasses and hearing aids......and more I'm sure that I can't think of at the moment.
Thank you OP for such a cheering thread!

I also agree with KatieCrunch, Oncotype DX.Still had surgery,chemo and radiotherapy but it highlighted my very high chance of developing bone or brain cancer within five years.Careful monitoring has ensued.Also my ICD(Internal Cardiac Defibrillater)without which I’d be a goner.

I agree about the lens implants and so many other advances in eye care. I was very shortsighted and wore very thick, heavy and ugly glasses. Since my cataract surgery 15 years ago I only need glasses for driving or the theatre etc. It’s changed my life so very much.

The thing which has made such a difference to all our lives in this country is the NHS with the principle of free at the point of use. It has saved millions of lives and improved so many more, especially of women. On a personal note, the treatment which helps my DH manage his diabetes

While pregnant with my second child it was discovered, thanks to an Ultrasound scan, that I had placenta previa, highly dangerous for both mother & baby had a normal delivery taken place.
Thanks to repeated scans, inc a dopplar scan on the cord, a caesarean section and a blood transfusion we are both here to tell the tale, which would not have been possible in the past.

Vaccinations.

How wonderful that scientists over the decades have saved so many lives, and enabled people to live normal lives. How fortunate we are to live in the 21st century.

Antibiotics. My daughter got sepsis after the birth of her baby and was extremely ill. Eventually the antibiotics kicked in and she made a full recovery. Before antibiotics she would have died. Forever grateful for the antibiotics.

Anaesthetic

I'm another for asthma medication as it has changed out of all recognition since I was a child. In 1975, aged 10, I had radical mastoid surgery. This meant l had no middle ear for decades but potentially saved my life. In 2010, l had a second mastoidectomy but this time the surgeon had the skill and technology to rebuild the ear, performing a skin graft to make an ear drum and putting in tiny plastic bones to replace those which had been removed. My ear has remained infection free and much hearing has been restored. Miraculous. Unfortunately, l have started to develop similar problems in my other ear.
Computers and Zoom have been a lifeline over the past 16 months as l have been able to teach music online. Without it,my music teaching business would not have survived and, more importantly, my pupils would not have made the incredible progress they have.

Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, Herceptin, Anastrozole, Zoledronic Acid. NHS. ???

Antidepressants - without them I would have taken my own life years ago.
Also, being Rh negative - the injection that saved my babies from dying.