Today in Alabama news, I noted one of these oddball medical stories. Specialist from Morgan County, just south of Huntsville.....noted the first ever case in north Alabama of leprosy. Yep....leprosy.
They won't say much about the guy except he's not a local guy. One might assume he's from another country....but they were careful not to suggest that.
A big deal? Well....if you had it and just avoided doctors throughout the stages....yeah, you'd be pretty bad off and would eventually watch your body 'crap-out'.
Naturally, Bible-thumpers would pick up on this and start talking of various chapters where leprosy was mentioned and it's a hands-on thing from God.
What is generally said is that around 6,000 cases a year usually turn up in the US. Kinda shocking numbers and I have my doubts about this.
Treatment? Generally, as long as you get to it in the early stages....there's treatment for it.
The thing here though...is that folks around Alabama have a list of about 1,000 things they worry about: snakes, food-poisoning, meth-heads, tornadoes, rabid dogs, mad bulls chasing you in the field, blow-outs on the interstate, vengeful red-haired ex-girlfriends, chainsaw accidents, drunk relatives with guns, tractors flipping over, bass boat sinking in the river, ministers hooking up with your wife, staying overnight in Chattanooga, Bible prophecy, snowfall of more than six inches, new neighbors moving next door who lived in California for their entire lives, gambling casinos, Alabama getting a five-year suspension from the NCAA football business, lightning striking you on the patio while a thunderstorm rolls through, Aliens kidnapping you, and your minister finding out about your big refrigerator in the garage for bulk beer purchases.
And now? Another extra worry? Leprosy?
Yeah, it's something we just didn't have to worry about.
