So you wake up tomorrow and you can heal people

In My Humble Opinion
1

(Inspired by the show “Heroes” and by a thread here a while back about what superpower people would want.)

You wake up in the morning and feel normal. You go downstairs. When you enter the kitchen, you startle your SO/Parent/Child who is slicing a bagel. Your loved one hurts him or herself with the knife. Concerned, you grab them, feel a tingle in your hands, and heal the wound. Thus, you discover that you can heal people. Further experimentation shows that you can pretty much heal anyone of physical or mental illness or injury if you can touch them. You can’t bring anyone back from the dead.

So, now what? What would you do with this power? Would you think it was a miracle? Would you want to know why you have it? Would you want to be open about it or hide it? Would you want to get rich or serve the poor or both? Would you be in danger and, if so, from whom? Would you become an object of veneration and would you want to?

What do you think the likely result would be of your newfound power?

2

If I woke up with the ability to heal people, I would be immediately worried about two things. One, about people finding out. And two, about people not finding out.

If everyone knew I could heal any and every illness and disease, I would be mobbed everywhere I went by people asking to have their cancer, broken leg, paper-cut tended to. I image that most people would be honestly deserving, but there would be some that just wanted to take part in the spectacle. But I worry that there would be so many in need that I would do nothing all day but heal, heal, heal. No time to rest, eat, breathe. Eventually, I picture being surrounded by an angry mob and beaten to death by their crutches.

But I’d also worry if I kept it to myself. Maybe there was an old friend or family member who was terminally ill or painfully injured and they missed the news and I didn’t help then when I easily could. What if there was a children’s cancer wing in a hospital I overlooked? What about all the old folk in nursing homes? Can I heal animals? Are there broken kittens out there I can fix?

Honestly, I think I’m better off without superpowers.

3

Does this work on appliances, too? Like toasters and washing machines?

4

I’d heal a couple of profoundly ill relatives. Not sure how I’d go about it, I don’t imagine rational people believing me so I’d kind of sneak it in, I guess.

Then I’d figure out a way to get a job at Children’s Hospital and probably die of exhaustion.

5

Wow, are you me?

I pictured that, and being kidnapped by a frillionaire who just wanted me around to heal his papercuts from when he fondled all his money.

6

Can I heal myself?

Because if I couldn’t, that would be really ironic, and it would serve the mob right after they destroyed the thing they thought would save them.

7

Simple.

I’d keep it quiet, and then start approaching the larger sports franchises in the area. That aging quarterback that you pay $25 mil for each year? How’d you like to give him the knees he had as an 18 year old… $100,000 a pop, cash, under the table.

Do a few of those, build up a nice sized bankroll.

Next, with that cash, I’d establish a nice little medical clinic, with some semi-crooked doctors. Treat the minor stuff, to look good on the books, but offer “private spa services” to the terminal patients at some horrendous rate, but GUARANTEE results. You’ll get known by the trendy set very quickly as someone who can miraculously fix any disease, through the proper application of “holistic herbology”. Make sure that the patients never meet you, or see you. Let them think some of your semi-crookend doctors are doing some fantastic things with that “rare peruvian purple hogwart”.

Once I get my cash reserves past 100 million or so, find a nice out-of-the-way property, hire lots and lots of security, and start offering “holistic herbology” as a reduced rate. Tell the patients that they can reveal the secret of their miraculous healing to two people - and if they make it known publicly, you’ll give them back their disease.

To assuage the occasional feeling of guilt, offer special “golden tickets” to various deserving individuals for free, possibly doled out by your semi-crooked doctors as they go on their “pro bono” rounds at local hospitals.

You end up rolling in cash, on a great estate, and your privacy is still relatively well-kept, and you can go in public to enjoy your wealth.

8

You’ve obviously thought about this a good deal…

9

Last question first. I think immense fame would be inescapable. I think at first, I’d sign on as an aide in my doctor’s office. Just taking patients’ pulses would cure 'em, and the doc would look like a genius for a while. After the cat was out of the bag, I’d have to do guerilla healing; get in, touch a lot of people, and flee. I could pose as a clown, pretend to be a sports mascot, act like I was running for office, be a ticket-taker for a few days, and that sort of thing. Sooner or later, somebody would track me down, and I’d never have another free moment.

Would you think it was a miracle? Would you want to know why you have it? I’d be mighty curious, but where do you go for answers like that? I could ask God (dess), but she hasn’t given me so much as a hint in these 57 years. Why should I expect any information now?

Would you want to get rich or serve the poor or both? I’d want to live comfortably. I’m pretty sure folks would be generous to such a healer. I wouldn’t have time to live like Donald Trump, anyway.

Would you be in danger and, if so, from whom? Mostly, no. However, some twisted religious misguide-o might see me as an anti-christ and want to kill me. :rolleyes:

Would you become an object of veneration and would you want to? People come to silly conclusions, and I wouldn’t be able to talk some people out of believing I was some kind of holy. I wouldn’t mind some level of respect, such as that given to a prominent surgeon. Nah, scratch that. Terry Trammel, for example, worked for years to become a world famous surgeon, and I came to my ability by a twist of fate. After my death, some would try to make a saint out of me, despite my protests during life.

Is that about what you asked for?

10

I believe I was one of the ones who answered “healing” in that superpowers thread. What I was picturing for it was essentially an unlimited ability to heal–an ability to heal that caused no additional fatigue, and which could be used on more than one person at a time (at least for trauma). Basically, it was lifted directly from my City of Heroes character, who can heal everyone around him of everything from fatigue to major trauma, pretty much constantly. That’s pretty different from a limited, lay-on-hands type of healing, but either way…you can’t save everyone. You can’t even save everyone who deserves to be saved.

I suspect that I’d make the rounds of local hospitals as often as I could, preferably in disguise–maybe present myself as a minister. My favored money-making angle would be offering my services to pro sports teams (which I believe I also mentioned in the other thread). It would be in their best interests to keep me secret from the competition, if they could. I’d also look for some researchers I could trust, and try to figure out how the power worked, and whether or not it could be copied or induced somehow. That should be quite enough to keep me busy.

I do not aspire to great wealth or fame, and I have a practical outlook on my limitations. I’d look for enough money to live comfortably, while helping as many people as I could.

11

I’d hook up with a wizard, a ranger, a thief, and a couple of fighters and then we’d raid a dungeon for treasure.

12

My Mom is in a nursing home, with a neurological disorder.

So, I’d be in a car in a heartbeat, driving to visit her.

After that? I’d probably work my way through the Post-op surgical wing at the nursing home.

Once that wing was done, I’d probably start volunteering my services at a local hospital. Maybe neo-natal at first, then children’s.

I’d try to keep it under my hat, so that I don’t get mobbed.

Eli

13

I wouldn’t want people to know, lest I be mobbed or kidnapped. Or worse, someone might kidnap my loved ones to force me to perform. I think I’d keep my gift to myself and get a job volunteering as a friendly visitor in a hospital. As I trundle the magazine cart through the wards, I’d touch as many patients as possible. Of course, I wouldn’t be allowed in the ICU and the surgical wards where they really need a miracle healer, so I’d have to find a way to insinuate my way in there. Maybe I’d become a chaplain’s assistant.

14

Can I also raise the dead?

15

::grin::

Its the basis for a plot for the next game I’m running.

16

I’d dress up like Jesus and hang out at the emergency room. I’d call all the men “Steve” and all the women “Pauline,” because eventually someone will have the matching name and say “He really is Jesus!”

17

It was hard work trying to figure out a way to harm people by healing them, but I think I’ve done it…

Start a holistic business and have people start taking things that would normally kill or seriously injur them. While they’re taking these medicines, I would heal them of whatever problems they had, in addition to the problems caused by their new diet.
While I wouldn’t encourage them to tell their friends about it, I know they would spread the word of the new miracle cure. Once this happens it would be time to close up shop and move to a new town, leaving people to suffer the effects of their previous ailment, and whatever damage the fake remedies cause.

18

Well, after that, I no longer feel guilty about my plan.

19

You could become the most deranged torturer in the history of the world.

Step one: Beat the victim to within an inch of his life.
Step two: Heal him!
Step three: See step one.

20

If it cured stupidity as well, then I would book a flight to Washington, D.C. pronto.

Barring that, I dunno… I would probably earn a major fortune healing people as a “miracle doctor,” and then I would establish my own philanthropy foundation. People would apply to be healed by me, and those most worthy of healing would be selected for my time.

It raises a lot of issues, but I think with enough time, money, and healing mojo, that I could work something out where everybody benefits.

Also, does clothing count or is it only physical touch?