On Our Side…
We’ve talked about the care givers. We’ve talked about the patients. We’ve talked about the nurses.
Tonight, it’s time to talk about the doctors. Cancer doctors to get specific.
These men and women are the soldiers in our fight, battle ready every day.
We expect them to be at the top of the their game when we’re in their exam room. We expect them to have all the answers, when we run out of questions. We need that eye contact like we’re their only patient. But we need to remind ourselves, we’re not. There was some one who sat in the chair we’re sitting in just a few minutes earlier. They had cancer too. They thought they were the only patient too.
What I”m trying to get at; our doctors do the very best they can to reach the best outcome for our individual disease. Each cancer in each patient is different. It is. And the pressure these doctors feel must be enormous.
I can’t imagine what the burn out rate is for doctors who battle cancer. There’s just too much loss on this battle field.
Those white coats stand for something….the uniform of a warrior who is on our side.
February 14, 2012 @ 11:02 am
I do not know how oncologists and oncology nurses do their jobs. I have said this from day one and even asked them the question. They would always smile and say something kind as it it was impossible to think they would even want to be anywhere else. When I was crying to my sister’s doctor and half apologizing and telling him ” I know you do this everyday but this is my sister and I don’t hear it everyday” and he said “Yes I do but it doesn’t get any easier for me either”. To me they are truly heroes and I can’t imagine the tremendous stress they have. But like any person in the business of protecting and saving lives they undoubtedly have their version of black humor and I can give that to them.
February 14, 2012 @ 9:19 am
I salute the cancer doctors all. It is a very difficult job to go from examining room to examining room knowing that the next room has a cancer patient and the line is unending. I am still here because of their dedication, persistence and perseverance. I do also know that the doctors celebrate along with us when NED comes to visit. My oncologist has delivered the bad news but he has also delivered some very good news. Does it balance out? No. There is still much too much bad news in the cancer world and the glimpses of NED are far too infrequent BUT at least there is that slight glimmer of Hope. I suspect if you ask your cancer doc “what keeps you doing what you do?” The answer would sound very much like Hope.