Vegetable Oil

Last weekend, I had a spray paint can burst in my hand. Dark, oil based paint covered my face, arms and legs. I quickly took a long hot shower, heavily applying soap, and scrubbed mightedly. Then, I embedded my fingernails into the skin of my right arm and leg, trying to remove stubborn spots. Rubbed my self nearly raw.

Not satisfied, I quickly referred to internet articles for a better way of removing oil-based paint from my left side. An old time remedy of applying vegetable oil was mentioned in several articles. Immediately, I went to the kitchen, found a brand name vegetable oil, and started rubbing it on left side areas with a wash rag, much more softly than the right side application. Lo and behold, paint disappeared! And, I did not leave raw spots on the left side skin.

Duchenne researchers – let’s examine the relevance of this experience. I applied two methods to remove oil based paint from my skin. Each method worked, but one better than the other.

To begin, each application was used with as sense of urgency. One was instinctive while the other was counter-intuitive, namely, oil used to remove oil.

The method that employed elbow grease worked but not nearly as effectively as gently applying vegetable oil for a safe and efficacious chemical reaction. Smart.

The better approach was inexpensive and is available to anyone who has painted themselves. The initial application left rawness while the latter successful approach was soothing. 

Perhaps, research going forward intended to cure Duchenne, at least for ambulatory youngsters who have not yet succumbed to a wheelchair to live out their weakening and shortened lives, could revisit past research data and clinical trial results that may have been lost or forgotten in the shuffle of time. Maybe answers are readily available with a fresh look but simply have been overlooked.

During this scary period of a lethal germ pandemic, labs and research aiming to cure Duchenne may be short-handed. Funding may have shrunk. All the more reason to work smarter and not necessarily harder, although exhaustive work certainly is left to be done.

Duchenne researchers, please revisit all historic data (all the way back to the beginning of meaningful research) and trial results to see if finding a remedy or new steps towards finding a remedy to Duchenne are already before our eyes only to have been overlooked during the passage of time. Apply some vegetable oil before it is too late for so many.

Kindly yours,

Papa in Tennessee