K. R. Sethuraman
33 Acceptance after analysis The Peacock and the Crane: A peacock showed off his brilliant plumage and taunted a crane, "Poor dear! How dull are your feathers.� The crane replied, "No
doubt, your plumage is glamorous. But my feathers help me to soar into the clouds while your plumage confines you to the ground like any dung hill rooster."
Dr Singhal, a university professor, had angina (chest pain) on walking twenty steps at
a normal pace. Adequate medical treatment gave only partial relief and he was advised to undergo coronary bypass surgery. He learnt that the risk of dying of the surgery was about 2%. He decided to postpone his surgery.
"But you can't go on living like this - like a cripple," chided his close friend Mr
Moorthy, "Look at me. I got the bypass done. I am fine."
Dr Singhal replied, "You are right, Moorthy. But my daughter Pooja is doing her
MBA. I want to be around to ensure that she gets a good job and a good husband. I have lived with angina for the last six years. A few more months of the same are acceptable to
me than the risk of surgery.� He continued to be on drug treatment for two more years.
He was fortunate in not getting any worse. Meanwhile her daughter got employed and got married. Then he underwent a successful bypass surgery.
Comments Any health care option can be analysed in terms of benefits, risks and cost. The
benefits have to be weighed against the risks and against the cost. An enlightened health care seeker like Dr Singhal can cope with a difficult decision making process through 100
