I am 79 years old. Government health offices said senior are the most vulnerable to Covid. T.V., radio, internet, newspapers, posters advertisements of some fake drug firms increased because they want to ride on 100 million Pilipinos fear Covid. They say their pills, tablets drinks, injections, ointments will remove and reduce the discomforts and pain of our aching creaking, groaning, crumbling, mummyfying, rickety, shrinking, shaking bodies, bones, joints, and muscles. Radio and T.V. testimonials, rave about the great, instant, awesome, mystifying, tantalizing, alluring, mind blowing relief. As add on, they say these products also immediately remove warts, pimples, skin blemishes and destroy cancer cells int he pancreas, liver, kidney, blood, bones, hair? It cures as side effect, asthma, influenza, lumbago, rheumatism, astigmatism, diabetes, arthritis, palpitation, shortness of breath, allergies caused by plant pollen, shellfish, sunlight, moonlight, twilight, dush, sweat, bad, stinking foul, gut retching body odor as a sweetener, it makes you sexually stronger than Solomon who had 1,000 concubines. The testimonial spots end with a warning spoken at 10,000 revolutions per minute or faster than lightning that the product is not medicine, not approved/regulated by government Food and Drug Administration and not endorsed by credible qualified doctors/specialist.
Unfortunately we seniors are heavily burdened with ancient decaying decomposing body systems. We cannot see, hear, eat, walk, talk, taste, move like our grandchildren. We easily forget because of the old, eroded, corroded, ancient, short-circuited, gasping, crawling memory cells in our brains. We cannot clearly hear, read, remember, decipher the micro-mini warnings, labels, instructions, especially the expiry dates and on how to use it. Some of which are in Malay Indian Chinese Korean etc.
Because of COVID we are now the favorite targets, victims of some greedy, soulless conscience less, attila-like pseudo drug, food, vitamins, supplemental firms.
Not because we are naive or stupid but because we want to enjoy long life without pain, discomfort. We grasp straws to sip, savor our remaining days. I get sick thinking what these mindless, zombie like growls will do to get, grab our very few precious hard earned (through blood sweat tears) moldy, jaded smells crumpled pesos hidden in bamboo alcancias. Why not put them in the army, police order of battle on the same level as drug pushers. You readers might laugh but think of your grandparents and parents who are quietly, patiently suffering.
Finally four questions to ask your doctors. 1. How long has this drug been on the market. If less than a year buy the tried, true, proven, let others be the guinea pigs. 2. Are there warnings, precautions I should know. All drugs have side effects so you must know the side effects symptoms. Is special monitoring needed. Liver patients suffer sometimes massive liver damage caused by drugs they were taking for fungal infections on their toenails. 3. Is this drug safe to take with my other medications. Give the doctor a list of other medicines you take like painkillers allergy pills, vitamins and herbal. 4. When and how should I take medicine. Ask the doctor to write the name of the medicine, how many times a day before or after meals what food or activities to avoid while taking this pill. Follow seniors, take care of yourself because you are the only one you got. If you don’t, who else will?
