For any of you who have a premium movie channel, you must have at least noticed this movie has been in rotation over the last several weeks.
Over the course of the movie, Columbus shares with the viewers his list of fundamental Zombieland Survival Rules, a compilation of rules which, when followed, can improve a person’s chances of survival.
There are sites all over with the complete set of rules as used in the film, and others with “complete” lists which fans have enhanced with additional rules to fill the gaps in the original list. Some are funny, some poigniant, others quite practical, even in a Non-”Zombie-ridden” environment.
Why I bring this to your attention is that yesterday evening I was the third party to a telephone call between my boy and a member of his family who lives out of state regarding their porphyria and that of their father. Over the course of the call I found myself giving short verbal cues or “rules” not at all dissimilar to those Columbus used as he guided us through Zombieland.
And then it struck me that a set of simple, no nonsense, experience proven and cleverly presented rules might not be a bad thing for AIP porphies and the men and women who care about them. Sure, there are lists of do’s and don’t's on the official sites and such, but those are dry and officious and often difficult for people to understand or follow. They just do not lend themselves to the kind of willing, proactive compliance that can make the difference between “a day like they used to be” and a full-blown, damaging attack or flare.
Here’s the best part: If you see a rule that doesn’t apply to you, remember rule #10:
“No Cookie-Cutter Answers”.
Everybody’s body chemistry is different. Everybody’s porphyria is somewhat different depending on which mutation it is, whether a person is male or female, if the porphyria is genetic or was induced, what their general health is, etc. I have even read that there are three subtypes of AIP that don’t show up in the blood or urine tests that are normally given to verify AIP. There just is no cookie-cutter answer to most of the questions people have, including the vast majority of physicians out there.
If you have an answer to one of these rules that works better for you, then by all means tell me. You might not be the only one your way works for, and it might make a huge difference in the life of another porphy or the people who love him or her. Use the comment option wisely.
