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I was going to add this as an addendum to my other post today, but decided to do a separate thread.
I wonder what it's like for surgeons and medical staff, dealing with cancer patients. My surgeon was pretty cold-blooded when he first told me about all of this; the first interview after the surgery, when he told me I'd have to take chemo, he sort of intimated, well, you could get run over by a bus tomorrow, and you can't live forever. True but not very comforting.
I wonder how he's going to handle it, if he has to tell me there's still cancer there. I've love to hear how these medical professionals feel.
I was going to add this as an addendum to my other post today, but decided to do a separate thread.
I wonder what it's like for surgeons and medical staff, dealing with cancer patients. My surgeon was pretty cold-blooded when he first told me about all of this; the first interview after the surgery, when he told me I'd have to take chemo, he sort of intimated, well, you could get run over by a bus tomorrow, and you can't live forever. True but not very comforting.
I wonder how he's going to handle it, if he has to tell me there's still cancer there. I've love to hear how these medical professionals feel.
was he really cold or just matter of fact? Remember they deal with this daily, for us, we think we are the only ones and should have our hands held through the entire proceedure..If, indeed he is cold, it is time you find a new doctor. Hubby just went through this with his urologist; cold, rushed and totally treated his patients like cattle. What did we do? We changed doctors quickly and have never regretted the decision. His present urologist is a dream, as his his surgeon, radialogy oncologist and his reg oncologist.
I asked the nurse navigator that very same question after my husband died: "How can you keep on doing this?"
She said she and everyone else at the cancer center know they cannot and will not cure everyone; she said what keeps her going is when she can help people improve or maintain the best quality of life possible for as long as possible.
I wasn't sure if she was giving me platitudes -- tell the grieving widow what she wants to hear -- but now that time has passed I don't think she was.
It's very upsetting for me to tell people they have cancer or might have cancer. I don't like doing it.
Usually it's something we discover here (in the ED) in the course of looking for something else or it's an unexpected reason for symptoms we wouldn't imagine would be been caused by it.
I don't like it one bit. It's just so sad and upsetting.
I also don't like telling people they have diabetes.
Or that their loved one died. That kind of stuff is more common around here.
Welp, I just had my monthly surgeon's visit this morning, and he was very upbeat. Said no more cancer, I'm lucky, it's healing fine. He seems to think I'll be just fine. I love the guy, really; he saved my life. Brilliant guy from India (I think), a devout Catholic, been doin' this for many years. I could have done much, much worse.
Everybody knows that nurses have a very difficult job and frequently suffer from drug/alcohol problems and burnout. I loved my night nurse when I did my surgery; she was great, and so were the day shift nurses, too. I don't think it's easy on them at all. I also thought the hospital food was outstanding (I insisted on vegetarian).
I think I'm pretty lucky, all 'round. One more chemo in two weeks, and then next month, the CT to see if I'm okay. Scary.
Welp, I just had my monthly surgeon's visit this morning, and he was very upbeat. Said no more cancer, I'm lucky, it's healing fine. He seems to think I'll be just fine. I love the guy, really; he saved my life. Brilliant guy from India (I think), a devout Catholic, been doin' this for many years. I could have done much, much worse.
Everybody knows that nurses have a very difficult job and frequently suffer from drug/alcohol problems and burnout. I loved my night nurse when I did my surgery; she was great, and so were the day shift nurses, too. I don't think it's easy on them at all. I also thought the hospital food was outstanding (I insisted on vegetarian).
I think I'm pretty lucky, all 'round. One more chemo in two weeks, and then next month, the CT to see if I'm okay. Scary.
It sure sounds like you have very little to worry about and a lot to be thankful for. I know it may not sound that way right now, but you can relax, don't worry about the CT right now and enjoy your summer.
It's very upsetting for me to tell people they have cancer or might have cancer. I don't like doing it.
Usually it's something we discover here (in the ED) in the course of looking for something else or it's an unexpected reason for symptoms we wouldn't imagine would be been caused by it.
I don't like it one bit. It's just so sad and upsetting.
I also don't like telling people they have diabetes.
Or that their loved one died. That kind of stuff is more common around here.
It pains me to have these conversations.
That is my perspective.
you sound like the type of doctor almost everyone would hope to have. I know how hard it must be to have to tell a patient he/she has cancer, especially when it isn't expected. This happened to my husband when he had the first surgery for his liposarcoma about 2 years ago. Even after the doctor finished surgery he said he didn't see anything that looks to bad, well, low and behold 48 hrs later the result were back. yes, there was cancer. I thought the doctor handled beautifully and has ever since. Hubby had the second operation about 6 months ago, followed by radiation which wasn't even considered the first time. Then it was thought radiation did very little if any good. Now things have changed and progressed so well. The only doctor we had problems with was the urologist. He simply popped in, gave us the results of the biopsy and gave us some websites to resarch. Of he did schedule the bone scan to determine if the cancer had spread. Long story, short, it had not and we decided to find a new urologist. Some doctors probably do not necessarily belong dealing with patients. My husband's cousin used to be the head of the cath lab at Johns' Hopkins. He is the first to admit, he is not a people person and knows he lacks bedside manner.
I think being an oncologist/omcology nurse has got to be a tough job. The patients they get to know best are the terminal ones. The ones that tney'll miss most are the ones that made their job a little easier. The patients that made them laugh. The patients that they got to know.
I have a great oncologist. Very warm and caring. Maybe it's just me, but I prefer the direct approach; '' just the facts ma'am." Even as warm and caring as my oncologist is, he doesn't like delivering bad news, and when he has to - it's "just the fact's". *shrugs*
Well, I thought it would be depressing walking into the cancer care center. Everyone was warm, friendly, caring. There was plenty of joking and smiles exchanged.
My onclogist, again, there were times when he was matter of fact, I could tell he didn't always like the news he had to give. He was always honesty and upfront. There were times when he displayed a wicked sense of humor.
I think being an oncologist/omcology nurse has got to be a tough job. The patients they get to know best are the terminal ones. The ones that tney'll miss most are the ones that made their job a little easier. The patients that made them laugh. The patients that they got to know.
I have a great oncologist. Very warm and caring. Maybe it's just me, but I prefer the direct approach; '' just the facts ma'am." Even as warm and caring as my oncologist is, he doesn't like delivering bad news, and when he has to - it's "just the fact's". *shrugs*
^^^this...
Quote:
Originally Posted by SD4020
Well, I thought it would be depressing walking into the cancer care center. Everyone was warm, friendly, caring. There was plenty of joking and smiles exchanged.
My onclogist, again, there were times when he was matter of fact, I could tell he didn't always like the news he had to give. He was always honesty and upfront. There were times when he displayed a wicked sense of humor.
^^^and this...
You both could be describing my own team members.
"Matter of fact" doesn't necessarily translate to "cold". While I'm sure that sometimes it seems that way, isn't it likely that some doctors have to put on a shell to keep from losing their own sense of balance? It isn't an easy burden, knowing that every day you have to help people with living...or dying.
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