My mother, a once slightly famous biochemist, died in December from influenza. Tragic that someone who had been a health nut her entire life (other than the 2 pack a day smoking habit she fostered from 11 to somewhere in her 40s) became a complete anti science loon as she got older.

She always believed in new age crap. She was confined that she could see auras and perform psychic healing when l was a kid. She's the reason that I was dosed with ghastly spinach 'smoothies' instead of surgery to relieve the pressure on my brain after a TBI when I was 7.

But it ramped up massively in the information age. No longer relegated to fringe bookstores, her rampant need to be a keeper of the secret teachings was validated by a cadre of charlatans and lunatics online. She became rabidly anti-vaxx, except when forced to so she could travel to southeast Asia... right as lockdown happened in the US. Did she reconsider this ill conceived motion? He'll no!

She managed her sky high cholesterol with a variety of herbs or whatnot. Same with blood pressure issues. Then had a catastrophic stroke not too long after that covid road tour. Never recovered and very likely was receiving poor care while sick with influenza.

What an incredibly stupid end.