did Tim Russert really have to die for experts to start caring?

[RySerr21]

to be honest, i've never watched meet the press, and i didn't even know who Tim Russert was until a week ago. it appears he was a well respected journalist and an amazing guy that eveyrone loved...in that regard, its unfortunate that he died so suddenly.

but seriously, does someone famous have to die before the media and physicians/health experts start nationally advocating healthy lifestyles? i swear to god every day i see a new special on heart disease, how it develops, how you can prevent it, who it affects, etc. etc. Every single one is deidcated to Tim Russert, which is fine.....but PEOPLE DIE LIKE THIS EVERY DAY, its the number one killer in the U.S. for crying out loud. where were these TV specials 2 months ago??? now because someone famous dies its important to tell the rest of the nation how to live healthily? give me a break...thats how it should be ALL the time, not just when someone on TV dies.

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[p30doc]

I dislike the media and this is exactly one of the reasons why.There are a ton of very important issues that they never touch unless of course it happens to affect brittney or one of their own.

 

[TexasTriathlete]

I care.

He was apparently a great guy, and he was very good at what he did. It is a bummer that this happened, but at the same time, that is what happens if you don't take care of yourself. Especially if you have a stressful job.

Hopefully, this will open some people's eyes. It probably won't though. People are content to be lazy, and then become frequent flyers at their local ER. My ER, for example, gets this **** all the time. I have personally helped lift 400+ pound people out of the chopper on many occasions. CHF, STEMI, etc


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[Thantis]

The biggest problem that we have here in the US as of right now is the culture of health. Unfortunately, it is the hardest thing to change as well. I would say I am among those that can be counted as the guilty masses.

It is going to be a tough road that will take decades, but the revolution will come.

 

[slim78]

I recently volunteered to train my mother in law. After going to the gym with her for a couple of weeks, I've learned that many people just have no clue what it means to experience physical exertion.

We live in a society where everything is convenient and now we are paying the price.

On a positive note, now that gas has become so expensive I have noticed a lot more people riding their bikes to work. This kind of thing should help.

 

[wanttogohome]

I actually really appreciated and respected Tim Russert and was very sad when I heard about his heart attack.

That being said, I agree with the above that this happens to hundreds of people everyday and no one cares. Of course, I, nor anyone, wishes poor health on anyone, but I think these events are interesting and provocative.

Personally, I found a sense of sad irony in the diagnosis of Ted Kennedy's cancer. I believe that everyone should have access to proper health care, but I also do not believe that quality should suffer as a result. Under Ted Kennedy's proposed health care plan, he would not have had the opportunity to choose his world renown surgeon or receive expeditious care. No one dares ever mention this. Famous people, regardless of their public advocacy, are benefiting differently than the rest of us...often time in a manner that directly contradicts their public positions. I'm not trying to be political, I just find this interesting.

 

[Revilla]

I hope no one takes this the wrong way, but I have to ask. If you didn't even know who Tim Russert was, how could you possibly know what the media does and doesn't cover on a daily basis?

I was a television reporter before returning to school to go into medicine. Heart disease was covered in all three markets I worked in, including a two-part report done me. I also covered cancer and did a story on MS.

I know it's easy to blame the media for everything, but if you don't watch enough to have heard of a man who was a media icon for the past 15 years, how can you make such a blanket criticism?

 

[cornpops21]

It is true that sedentary lifestyles, lack of exercise, and unhealthy eating plague our society today. And yes, maybe there wasn't media coverage earlier on how to live healthier, but if they can use Tim Russert's death for any good, and educate just 1 more person and possibly save their life, don't you think it would be worth it? Everything has to start somewhere and at some point.

It's very easy to sit behind a computer screen and criticize others for not taking action, but honestly, what action have you taken? Right now, the media's doing more than you, so I applaud them for that at least.

 

[EEL08]

I hope no one takes this the wrong way, but I have to ask. If you didn't even know who Tim Russert was, how could you possibly know what the media does and doesn't cover on a daily basis?

I was a television reporter before returning to school to go into medicine. Heart disease was covered in all three markets I worked in, including a two-part report done me. I also covered cancer and did a story on MS.

I know it's easy to blame the media for everything, but if you don't watch enough to have heard of a man who was a media icon for the past 15 years, how can you make such a blanket criticism?

I agree completely. I know that much more needs to be done to address these health issues with the public but if you think heart disease and contributing lifestyle factors have never been addressed in such a way you have been living in a hole.

 

[Revilla]

It is true that sedentary lifestyles, lack of exercise, and unhealthy eating plague our society today. And yes, maybe there wasn't media coverage earlier on how to live healthier,

But there actually was coverage. I agree with your point overall, but let's remember that there was coverage all along. People who never took notice before are taking notice now because it's been amplified by Russert's death. So maybe the OP should rephrase the question to ask, "did Tim Russert really have to die for viewers to realize the media covers heart disease?"

 

[EEL08]

But there actually was coverage. I agree with your point overall, but let's remember that there was coverage all along. People who never took notice before are taking notice now because it's been amplified by Russert's death. So maybe the OP should rephrase the question to ask, "did Tim Russert really have to die for viewers to realize the media covers heart disease?"

I feel like yelling amen and hallelujah. Oh what the heck!

AMEN!! HALLELUJAH!!

 

[Lamborghini1315]

to be honest, i've never watched meet the press, and i didn't even know who Tim Russert was until a week ago. it appears he was a well respected journalist and an amazing guy that eveyrone loved...in that regard, its unfortunate that he died so suddenly.

but seriously, does someone famous have to die before the media and physicians/health experts start nationally advocating healthy lifestyles? i swear to god every day i see a new special on heart disease, how it develops, how you can prevent it, who it affects, etc. etc. Every single one is deidcated to Tim Russert, which is fine.....but PEOPLE DIE LIKE THIS EVERY DAY, its the number one killer in the U.S. for crying out loud. where were these TV specials 2 months ago??? now because someone famous dies its important to tell the rest of the nation how to live healthily? give me a break...thats how it should be ALL the time, not just when someone on TV dies.

Well i am a big fan of MSNBC, Tim russert was one of those true hard working blue collar journalist that did so much throughout his career. He in fact shows how stressful any professional life could be?..forget journalists think of us doctors who will work 80 hrs/week in the hospitals and that lifestyle for sure leads to bad eating habits, less time to exercise, and the mounting stress altogether will be the perfect recipe for bad health. After tim's premature death you see the importance of health for those especially living a high profile life. I believe doctors can be often overlooked about their own health..i see so many obese and incredibly stressed out physicians. In tim's case a lot of factors led to his death...him traveling overseas to italy with a thrombus (not detected) is believed to have ruptured when he returned to America causing a massive heart attack. He apparently ran on a tread mill the day before he collapsed..and as far as i know when you are not a regular exerciser you should always start slow..anyways all of these factors contributed to the rupture of the thrombus. IMO its a great example of how fragile your health is and we often overlook our lifestyles, which is the biggest cause of any underlying pathology.

 

[Revilla]

I feel like yelling amen and hallelujah. Oh what the heck!

AMEN!! HALLELUJAH!!

LOL, thanks!

 

[cornpops21]

But there actually was coverage. I agree with your point overall, but let's remember that there was coverage all along. People who never took notice before are taking notice now because it's been amplified by Russert's death. So maybe the OP should rephrase the question to ask, "did Tim Russert really have to die for viewers to realize the media covers heart disease?"

There may have been coverage all along but it's usually put on the backburner, while more "important" stories take priority. Russert's death brought it more prominently to the forefront. So yes, I agree with you.

 

[scpod]

There may have been coverage all along but it's usually put on the backburner, while more "important" stories take priority. Russert's death brought it more prominently to the forefront. So yes, I agree with you.

Call me a cynic, but I don't think any amount of media is going to change our society. People have to be taught about healthy lifestyles from birth, and need to be surrounded by plenty of good examples if America is ever to be truly "healthy". I admitted a guy last week to R/O MI who had already had two stents put in. He eats whatever he wants, smokes a pack a day and drinks 2 to 3 cases of beer on the weekends. His daughter, who still lives at home, pleads with him every day to quit so he can walk her down the aisle one day-- but he just can't do it. He won't give up the bad lifestyle until he's dead. The sad part is that his type is pretty common in our ED. I'd guess it's pretty common everywhere.

 

[cornpops21]

Call me a cynic, but I don't think any amount of media is going to change our society. People have to be taught about healthy lifestyles from birth, and need to be surrounded by plenty of good examples if America is ever to be truly "healthy". I admitted a guy last week to R/O MI who had already had two stents put in. He eats whatever he wants, smokes a pack a day and drinks 2 to 3 cases of beer on the weekends. His daughter, who still lives at home, pleads with him every day to quit so he can walk her down the aisle one day-- but he just can't do it. He won't give up the bad lifestyle until he's dead. The sad part is that his type is pretty common in our ED. I'd guess it's pretty common everywhere.

That's a really sad story when you think about it. But I guess there's always those people with the mindset "I don't care how short I live, as long as I don't have to cut back on what I enjoy doing". I feel that people get so overwhelmed with information on healthy habits and kinda tune it out eventually and just live life the way they want.

Oh, scpod, good luck on your checklist at the bottom of the sig

 

[Gold 5]

I actually really appreciated and respected Tim Russert and was very sad when I heard about his heart attack.

That being said, I agree with the above that this happens to hundreds of people everyday and no one cares. Of course, I, nor anyone, wishes poor health on anyone, but I think these events are interesting and provocative.

Personally, I found a sense of sad irony in the diagnosis of Ted Kennedy's cancer. I believe that everyone should have access to proper health care, but I also do not believe that quality should suffer as a result. Under Ted Kennedy's proposed health care plan, he would not have had the opportunity to choose his world renown surgeon or receive expeditious care. No one dares ever mention this. Famous people, regardless of their public advocacy, are benefiting differently than the rest of us...often time in a manner that directly contradicts their public positions. I'm not trying to be political, I just find this interesting.

That irony was not lost among a lot of folks. To his credit, I don't think he proposed a system where you could not pay to see any doctor that you wanted if you had money to burn. On the other hand I don't think I would ever receive his level of treatment so quickly on any government plan or private plan for that matter. Maybe in my next life I can come back as a multi-millionare....

 

[Tachymeter]

Tim Russert was the best, I'm so bummed I don't get to see his brilliant political commentary ever again. The guy was a juggernaut against anyone who came on his show.

 

[roc]

i have been watching meet the press since I was in high school so this was totally shocking. I just didnt understand the whole over coverage of his death.

Sad thing is that MTP will never be the same. Hence, I wont be watching the program anymore. NBC news is a joke without him filled with egomaniacs and partisans. I will now switch to Face the Nation on CBS with Bob schieffer.