If you want something doing, do it yourself!

Below is a link to an article I read recently.

Briefly, it describes the story of a man who was not happy with the options offered to him regarding heart surgery. He has Marfan's syndrome and in his case he knew that one day the aorta- a major vessel around his heart- could burst.
He was offered several options by heart surgeons, but he rejected them all as he felt they would be detrimental to his quality of life.

And so he invented his own solution! Having trained and worked as an engineer, he figured out a way to keep the aorta open without bursting. He credits his idea to his experience as a gardener.

His thinking was straightforward:

"He says: "If the hose-pipe is bulging, I must get some insulation tape and wrap it round the outside of the hose-pipe to stop it bulging.

"It's that crude and simple, and we have all done it in our gardens."

Persuading surgeons he might be able to improve upon their techniques was not easy. But he managed to convince Prof Tom Treasure, then at Guy's Hospital London, and Prof John Pepper, of the Royal Brompton Hospital, London, that they may be able to learn a thing or two from engineering techniques."

Full article- BBC


I was inspired by this simple story, because it's easy to put all our faith in 'experts', forgetting that we are the experts of 'us'! How many times have I given up, after being told by someone else that I 'can't do it'?

Well no more! Ok, maybe not heart surgery (yet!) but I'm certainly going to challenge a lot more 'experts' now where it seems common sense might have the answer when they don't.

Hope you enjoy x

I think you mean "if you want something Done, do it yourself"

reply to post by ObjectZero


I think you'll find I did not!
Apologies though, that's how we say it in Scotland so it may not translate well.

reply to post by beansidhe


Wow - that makes sense ! OP !

You can fix your title if you wish, it doesn't matter as you did get it across.

People could do well to learn from the message, not judge the messenger. ( collective Groan ! )

reply to post by Timely


Thanks Timely. I liked that bloke in the story; good for him, I say.

I might try and de-Scottishify my title, however.

Best wishes

reply to post by beansidhe


Don't you dare !


I'm an Aussie and I got it!
( on an island in the middle of bf nowhere ! )

reply to post by Timely


I daren't.

I'll make up my own titles, thank you very much! That was the point I was trying to make in the OP, I've just remembered!!

How quickly we (I) forget..

reply to post by beansidhe


Is it - Och - Aye Laddie !!?



Sorry mate . ETA:

Did not mean to de-rail. This is a great topic.

One deserved of follow up.

Are you good for that beansidhe?

reply to post by ObjectZero


In it's truest sense it's: "if you want something done properly, do it yourself"... My dad drummed it into me as a kid. I tend to be a perfectionist who cannot delegate for toffee

theres gotta be some exseptions!

going through something similar myself these days - cayenne pepper (capsaicin) solved a coiuple of issues at the same time better than the usual prescription drug (s)
theDrs are finding it difficult to argue with the blood pressure machine and their own charts
lol
here's to thinking, not just outside the box
just thinking at all
sandf op
keep doing the good threads

reply to post by Danbones


Wow, that's good to know.
Exactly, just thinking and daring to try something different is always worth a shot.
Cheers, Dan

reply to post by beansidhe


Hey beans !!

Hope all is well ...

Any updates on your OP ??

reply to post by Timely


Hey Timely! Good to see you!
As far as I know, all is still going to plan and his invention is being researched further. I'll keep an eye out for updates, though.

Hope all is good with you

What an amazing story! Star and flag for you!

I agree with the whole 'if you want something done, do it yourself' and here I am, practically unable to delegate! lol

There have been changes in the UK regarding patient's knowledge regarding their own conditions, as they may not have the academic knowledge but they have the personal experience that somehow makes them experts too.....although not everybody can come up with a way of fixing their own aorta!!

reply to post by Agartha


Spot on Agartha, they have the 'personal knowledge' and that, so often is what is lacking.
We've become too much of a 'one size fits all' society, which is flawed for so many reasons.
New ideas are always worth trying, I say.

Glad you enjoyed the article, I did too