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<\/p>\n\n\n\nThere\u2019s a longstanding joke that the only thing an older person wants for their birthday is not to be reminded how old they are. The exception to that punch line are cancer survivors, who love to be reminded how many years they\u2019ve lived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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I\u2019ve written before in my role with Dental Insurance Store<\/strong><\/span><\/a> <\/em>about the importance of regular dental visits in general, and specifically how a routine dental visit can sometimes result in early detection of a more serious health condition such as periodontal disease or oral cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recently we had the opportunity to talk with a stage 3 throat cancer survivor about his personal experience. When his dental hygienist first noticed an odd lump on his neck, not only did that help save his life, it also allowed him to finish a best-selling book he was working on at the time (his 12th). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Following weeks of treatment, the subject of this post was eventually allowed to return to the airwaves where he also hosts a \u200bnationally syndicated radio show<\/strong><\/span><\/a> and does one-minute film reviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We first learned about Michael Medved\u2019s scary health experience when reading the author notes in his book, \u201cThe American Miracle: Divine Providence and the Rise of the Republic<\/em><\/span><\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong><\/span>\u201d In those notes a very grateful author thanked his dental hygienist Shirley Stettler and dentist, Dr. Robert Gelb<\/strong><\/span><\/a> for their personal care and sharp eyes that helped detect his cancer early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He\u00a0wrote\u00a0at the time, \u201cIn mid-December 2014 a routine visit to the dentist\u2019s office resulted in a diagnosis of stage 3 throat cancer\u00a0(appropriate, somehow, for a professional radio host)\u00a0and led to a course of treatment that included eight weeks of radiation and chemotherapy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n When asked recently about that discovery in a phone interview, Michael recalled the day his dental hygienist first noticed a bump on his neck. \u201cShirley did my teeth cleaning and everything was fine; no cavities. Suddenly she says, \u2018What\u2019s this?\u2019 I said, \u2018What\u2019s what?\u2019\u201d Medved recalls asking her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe pointed to a small lump on my neck. You ought to have that looked at. It\u2019s probably nothing, but let\u2019s ask Dr.\u200bGelb,\u2019\u201d she said. Medved said Dr. Gelb spent a minute or two looking at the lump before agreeing it was probably nothing but suggesting he see a specialist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI went to see our family internist and he didn\u2019t think it was anything serious either but referred to me to an ear, nose and throat guy,\u201d Michael recalled. \u201cThe ear, nose and throat guy looked into my mouth for about 90-seconds and we did a CAT scan right there in the office. After reviewing that he said, \u2018I\u2019m almost sure this is throat cancer.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking back on that dark day, Michael credits older family members for his devotion to regular dental visits that led to early detection of his cancer<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFor lots of reasons, family reasons, I\u2019m fanatic about dental care,\u201d he admits unabashedly. \u201cThank God my teeth have held up pretty well. My dad wasn\u2019t as careful with his dental care.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n At that point \u200bthe author\/radio host, also known for his film reviews, offered a compelling back story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy dad had a PhD in physics and was one of the original 16 candidates selected to participate in the original Scientist Astronaut program,\u201d he said.\u200b\u201cHe didn\u2019t get to go though, because during his physical he was diagnosed with periodontal disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDad\u2019s experience really taught all of us kids about the importance of regular dental care,\u201d Medved recalled. Moshe Medved, Michael\u2019s uncle and his father David\u2019s older brother born in Ukraine, also had dental issues which reinforced to Michael and his siblings the importance of taking care of their teeth with regular dental visits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Medved recalls his own cancer treatment<\/span><\/a><\/strong>\u200b<\/strong><\/span> in 2015 consisted of seven weeks of radiation, six weeks of chemotherapy and three weeks in the hospital. Looking back today six years later, the author remains grateful and appreciative for the wide-ranging support he received then and the fact he has remained cancer free since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI was working on The American Miracle<\/em> at the time and I have to say that book wouldn\u2019t exist if it wasn\u2019t for my preoccupation with dental care. It was a blessing from God. I think about this all the time, obviously,\u201d he confessed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For readers unfamiliar with Medved\u2019s print and on-air work, he regularly expresses deep appreciation for the blessings of living in America and a strong belief that divine providence has helped shape our country from its beginning. These are regular themes in his last two books,\u200b American Miracle<\/em> and God\u2019s Hand on America: Divine Providence in the Modern Era<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are blessed to live in a country where you can get regular medical and dental care and where your teeth don\u2019t have to fall out,\u201d he said appreciatively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.deanriffs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Medved-5.jpg\")
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