Risk Taker

Am I a risk taker?  Because I am doing what can only be described as a high risk procedure I must be a risk taker right?  I disagree.  According to wikipedia a risk is "the potential that a chosen action or activity (including the choice of inaction) will lead to a loss (an undesirable outcome). The notion implies that a choice having an influence on the outcome exists (or existed)."


But doesn't every choice we take carry risk?  Every time we travel in a car there is a small risk.  Or eating seafood in a restaurant, or eating in a restaurant, or even eating. So does that make everyone a risk taker?  I think the risk has to be high and the potential outcome has to be poor to be a real risk taker.


But an STC has a very high risk and the potential outcome could be death, so I must be a risk taker right? Well I think that there are two more factors that one has to look at.  First, for every risk there is a potential benefit and for me that benefit is massive.  Second, there is a risk associated with inaction.  Without this treatment I will slowly continue to degenerate until I am in a wheel chair and eventually functionless.  So there is risk in doing it, there is also risk in not doing it.


So instead of being a risk, it is probably more of a gamble.  Now I am not a gambler.  I certainly wouldn't take my life savings to the casino and put it all on black or mortgage my house so I could have a punt on number seven in race three.  So is this a gamble?  I mean do the procedure for a huge potential gain (being full use and feeling in my limbs) but risk potentially ending up dead or don't do the procedure, don't risk death but suffer slow deterioration.


The example I like to use that effects everyone is vaccinations.  Vaccinations do carry some risk.  Depending on what publications you read and who you believe they can cause learning disabilities, autism, autoimmune diseases etc...  But if you decide not to be vaccinated you leave yourself open to the risk of contracting the disease the vaccine was designed to protect you from.


What makes this different to gambling is choice.  You can choose to be vaccinated or not be vaccinated, but there is no third option.  You are in the game like it or not.  At the roulette table you can choose red or black, but there is a third option.  Simply don't bet.


I do not view the SCT as a risk taking activity or a gamble.  It is a choice I have to take.  A choice I am forced to take.  So I did my research, weighed up the pros and cons and considered as many variable factors as my brain could handle and I've made my decision.  Only time will tell if it is the right one.  Stay well:)