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smurphy0429
New User
Joined: 09 Jul 2008
Posts: 7
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 Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 9:10 pm Post subject: Dealing with Cancer... |
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I came here because I don't personally have cancer, but I work in a cancer center.
The center that I work at started out as a very small private practice with 6 doctors. We have been bought out by a huge oncology corporation. The reason that I loved my job so much was because we were genuine. Now that we've become a corporation, it's all changed.
I still care for the patients I see on a daily basis the same as I always did.
I just feel like we have lost the heart in it. Work isn't enjoyable anymore. There's all of these silly protocols that make no sense.
The other reason why I've come here is to vent. I have made so many family like bonds with these patients, and have watched one by one pass away. It's starting to eat me up inside. I try not to get attatched, but it's so hard. The people that I come in contact with, cancer patients, are some of the best people I have ever met .. someone please tell me what you would do in my boat. |
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brainman
Site Admin
Joined: 13 Oct 2005
Posts: 4244
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:41 am Post subject: Re: Dealing with Cancer... |
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Hi smurphy0429. Welcome to the forums. You sound like a genuinely concerned and caring person who just would like to help people with cancer. I have 3 suggestions:
1. Learn as much as you can about cancers... especially the big ones then add the less common ones. The ones to start out with are: Lung Cancer, Breast Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, and Brain Cancer.
2. Start a local support group or become a part of an already existing one. Contact the American Cancer Society for help with this.
3. Make a poster about this site and take it to your local hematologist/oncologists' offices and ask if you can post it.
Good luck and God bless you.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/ |
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zinger
Experienced user
Joined: 09 Jun 2008
Posts: 65
Location: SE Michigan, USA
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| Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 12:06 pm Post subject: Re: Dealing with Cancer... |
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Excellent suggestions Brainman!
I can only add one more thing...compassion...never lose your compassion! We are all well aware that treatment centers and hospitals are usually cold, antiseptic facilities where most of us are just a case number and the bottom line is the almighty dollar. It's the personal relationships made between the people within that make each experience a good one or a bad one. We need people like you, people of integrity who care about the patients and their families, their well being and their outcomes.
The patients that you come in contact with are lucky indeed!
Cathy
_________________
Dad ~ lung cancer diagnosed Dec 18, 2003, passed Mar 3, 2004.
Mom ~ lung cancer diagnosed May 27, 2008, passed June 1, 2008
They're waltzing once again... |
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brainman
Site Admin
Joined: 13 Oct 2005
Posts: 4244
Location: Tennessee
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smurphy0429
New User
Joined: 09 Jul 2008
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:20 pm Post subject: Re: Dealing with Cancer... |
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I just recently had a new baby ... I have never been so lucky to have so many people care about me and my child. I recieved gift after gift... people caring how I was doing .. and when the baby was coming.
I have had a patient tell me it was almost pleasant to be sick, because he has to come to our office. We are one of the most caring staff I have ever come across, and believe me I talk to a lot of them throughout the course of my day.
I have had many thoughts about leaving this job for more money. I dont make much as an administrative employee. But I love my job. I leave my brand new baby and my 6 year old son to go there everyday.
I only come back because of the patients. They are my second family.
I almost couldn't imagine life without some of them.
Many of them I see everyday. I spend more time at work than I do with my husband.
But I love every second of it. I love being their friend. Someone to talk to, someone to vent to. Someone to be scared with. Someone to lean on.
You guys have made me feel even better about doing what I do. |
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dano
Senior User
Joined: 19 Jul 2008
Posts: 173
Location: Oahu, Hawaii
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| Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 9:20 am Post subject: Re: Dealing with Cancer... |
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Smurfy;
Thanks for doing what you do and please don't stop, Cancer is a long dreary road, you are able to be perhaps the one person that can make it worth living, for in cancer world of fear, confusion, pain and uncertainty. It is people like you that put a smile on my face and helped me laugh and forget it all for a while.
Keep up the good work, you have treasures in heaven waiting for you!
P.S. Admin is all part of the team that the patients have to work with, you are able to help set the mood of the office. You are the first people we talk to, or the we go through when we call in with stressful problems and questions, I know you are great on the phone to build up that many relationships, you have been a blessing to so many people.
God Bless
Dan
_________________
54 year old male in Hawaii
Diagnosed Nov. 9,2007 with NSCLC IV
with Mets to the lymphs and brain
Had full brain radiation treatment in Jan 08
Currently on chemo treatments every 3 weeks
with Alimta
and taking Lovenox for blood clots
Now back to work full time
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=9993 |
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smurphy0429
New User
Joined: 09 Jul 2008
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:40 pm Post subject: Re: Dealing with Cancer... |
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You would never believe how that makes me feel. I love my job, what I do on a daily basis. You have all just reconfirmed my love for oncology.
You remind me so much of our patients. Such happy, loving people. More so than many others in the world. Including myself. I think of all the petty things that we all get mad about, or the wonderful things we take for granted. I have learned so much from being in this field. Realizing what it is to love life. Why we love life. Again, I love my job, and would not trade it for anything in the world.
I'd really like to get some kind of license. I'm not sure about it, because I don't know about sticking anyone with needles, flushing ports. I don't know if I can do it.. I love the patients, and like being the nice girl that gets copies of labwork, and scans. |
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pbj11
Site Admin
Joined: 12 May 2007
Posts: 1293
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| Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 7:27 am Post subject: Re: Dealing with Cancer... |
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Hi,
I'm coming late to this thread but cannot tell you enough the difference that the nurses and gals in the chemo area made for my husband and I during his long journey with cancer. Our oncologist was a one man practice -- his examining rooms on one side and the chemo area on the other -- all within one office. The nurses made all the difference to my husband. We had great confidence in the doctor, but we always got a lot more info from the chemo nurses. We laughed and talked all the time with the nurses and the other patients. My husband was usually treated on a Monday -- so we always saw the same group of patients and called ourselves the "Monday Chemo Crew." We said the nurses put all the troublemakers in our group. LOL We were the "rowdies" and never had a TV on because there was so much chit-chat across the room. Everyone had "their own" chair. The staff was great and let us take over the place. I think they liked the way this particular group handled things.
When we'd have to go to the hospital sometimes for treatment, they were equally as great.
The nurses at both places really put my husband at ease during an obviously stressful time. To boot -- when he lost his battle, they all came to his wake. I kidded them and asked who was left in charge with the whole staff showing up from the doc and the hospital!
It's a rough field and hard to maintain an emotional distance, but you are more priceless than you could ever imagine to the patients.
God bless you for your work.
PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.
Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 |
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smurphy0429
New User
Joined: 09 Jul 2008
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:17 am Post subject: Re: Dealing with Cancer... |
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We are a very small center that was purchased by a huge corporation. We were always a small private practice. We still have a very small building. 6 chemo chairs. A lab the size of a smal closet. 4 exam rooms, and the radiation treatment area.
Our center is that same way. No TV, just everyone chatting with everyone. I cannot distance myself from these patients. It as become easier to deal with death, but I don't think it will ever be easy losing people that I feel like are my family.
I spend more time at work these days than I do at home.
Anyways .. you guys have really made me feel even better about what I do, and the constant attention I pay to providing the best patient care I can. I love all the people that I come in contact with ... and Im starting to love you guys! |
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