By the end of this week, I would have completed 3 weeks of radiation therapy with no visible side effects. I am feeling hot alot more ('heaty'), but am not sure if that is the radiation, or the fact that daily excursions to my favourite spot in Sinapore ie, Orchard Road, mean I get to cheat on my macrobiotic diet and it is the MSG.
The radiation oncologist told me that I would begin to feel the effects at the end of this week and starting from next week ie, fatigue, and some degradation of skin quality. Nothing serious he said, just something approaching a sunburn.
I have to say that I really like Mount Elizabeth hospital. It is really service-oriented and everything seems spanking new and clean. Even the doctor told me that he welcomed any feedback! What a step forward for doctors here, many of whom have somewhat of a God complex, an impression supported by a garrison of nurses. When specialists enter a ward, there is a new buzz about the place, with nurses becoming brisker, telling patients to hurry up with their ablutions. Up and down those corridors is heard the whisper, "Doctor's here, doctor's here!" No need to mention which doctor, a doctor is about!
I wonder what radiation oncologists do all day. The real work seems to be done by the technicians, who position you for the blast, and operate the computers. My radiation oncologist sees me once a week for a review, and decided on the program I should be on, that's it.
I suppose they are called in to look at scans, and provide recommendations to the other doctors. So they spend their time with films and do very little clinical or pastoral work. It seems to be rather a cold part of medicine, when so much of it seems to have to do with the patients and dealing with their aches and pains, and bodily bits. And I wonder if it takes all those years of study simply to look at scans.
Before I decided on my radiation oncologist, I saw all others as well. The one from Singapore General I did not want simply because the patient load there meant I would only see her at the beginning of the protocol, and never again. I saw another who spent all his time on the phone. Both experiences taught me that they were not particularly essential to the process.
Well, I demand full attention and interest from my doctors. My radio onco is great at this, and is a pretty funny guy to boot - so, the reviews are almost like social chit chat. Thank goodness, given that I spend much of my time stuck in my room at home, chained to my computer. Social interaction is not great and I have realised, despite a strong hermit quotient in my make-up, I like chatting with people! I like having a laugh each day, and discovering other people and their interests.
Thank God for daily radiation, I am beginning to feel part of the human race again!
The radiation oncologist told me that I would begin to feel the effects at the end of this week and starting from next week ie, fatigue, and some degradation of skin quality. Nothing serious he said, just something approaching a sunburn.
I have to say that I really like Mount Elizabeth hospital. It is really service-oriented and everything seems spanking new and clean. Even the doctor told me that he welcomed any feedback! What a step forward for doctors here, many of whom have somewhat of a God complex, an impression supported by a garrison of nurses. When specialists enter a ward, there is a new buzz about the place, with nurses becoming brisker, telling patients to hurry up with their ablutions. Up and down those corridors is heard the whisper, "Doctor's here, doctor's here!" No need to mention which doctor, a doctor is about!
I wonder what radiation oncologists do all day. The real work seems to be done by the technicians, who position you for the blast, and operate the computers. My radiation oncologist sees me once a week for a review, and decided on the program I should be on, that's it.
I suppose they are called in to look at scans, and provide recommendations to the other doctors. So they spend their time with films and do very little clinical or pastoral work. It seems to be rather a cold part of medicine, when so much of it seems to have to do with the patients and dealing with their aches and pains, and bodily bits. And I wonder if it takes all those years of study simply to look at scans.
Before I decided on my radiation oncologist, I saw all others as well. The one from Singapore General I did not want simply because the patient load there meant I would only see her at the beginning of the protocol, and never again. I saw another who spent all his time on the phone. Both experiences taught me that they were not particularly essential to the process.
Well, I demand full attention and interest from my doctors. My radio onco is great at this, and is a pretty funny guy to boot - so, the reviews are almost like social chit chat. Thank goodness, given that I spend much of my time stuck in my room at home, chained to my computer. Social interaction is not great and I have realised, despite a strong hermit quotient in my make-up, I like chatting with people! I like having a laugh each day, and discovering other people and their interests.
Thank God for daily radiation, I am beginning to feel part of the human race again!
posted by Simone @ 9:17 AM
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