Random Thought #108

As I was listening to the radio the other day, I heard about how the CDC was advocating that the Baby Boomer generation get tested for Hepatitis C. I never really thought about Hepatitis before outside of getting Hepatitis A/B vaccines as a normal course of actions. I just thought it was some sort of upper-respiratory disease or blood ailment or something, but then they started talking about how effects don't show up until much later and major complications occur when someone gets liver cancer or cirrhosis of the liver. I'm thinking....what in the world is Hepatitis that it targets the liver? Then I remember looking up cysts and was wondering what a hepatic cyst was. It also referred to the liver and then a light bulb went on. Hepa refers to the liver so naturally Hepatitis is a disease that affects the liver and A/B/C are variations of the disease. This may not come as much of a surprise to you guys, especially the ones in medicine, but its funny how we just go along in our lives assuming one thing and then are completely surprised when it turns out to be something completely different. I love it when that happens though because it challenges our ideas and perceptions and that is when we have our "AHA!" moments and light bulbs go off and we actually learn. I love "AHA!" moments. They are so much fun