When I check in at the radiologist's office, I have to first register for the procedure with a "patient coordinator."
The tech prepping me for the IV contrast for my last bilateral MRI asked, if I had become more or less sensitive / afraid of being stuck, since being a "cancer patient."
On another occasion, I emailed my alternative health care provider, and noted that the contact person for their office had the appellation of "Patient Care Coordinator" too.
It got me to thinking: what does "patient" mean?
It got me to thinking: what am I afraid of?
I have decided that what I am most afraid of is LIVING AS A CANCER PATIENT.
The tech prepping me for the IV contrast for my last bilateral MRI asked, if I had become more or less sensitive / afraid of being stuck, since being a "cancer patient."
On another occasion, I emailed my alternative health care provider, and noted that the contact person for their office had the appellation of "Patient Care Coordinator" too.
It got me to thinking: what does "patient" mean?
It got me to thinking: what am I afraid of?
Definition of PATIENT
A patient is any recipient of healthcare services. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician or other health care provider.
The word PATIENT originally meant 'one who suffers'. This English noun comes from the Latin word patiens, the present participle of the deponent verb, patior meaning 'I am suffering,' and akin to the Greek verb πάσχειν (= paskhein, to suffer).
I have decided that what I am most afraid of is LIVING AS A CANCER PATIENT.
YesTC, being a full-time patient certainly was not my idea of a fulfilling career. We "patients" need to stick together; keep sharing our fears; the highs, the lows; all of it. Writing about the experience does help ease things somewhat I find.
ReplyDeleteI often ponder the "whys" of our blogging. The visceral desire to share experiences (aka "stick together"). In part, we all need a forum to do personal processing. But to do it in isolation is too overwhelming. I also think, in part, we have a need to leave a legacy...our own "imprint." "Hi, I am here!"
ReplyDeleteTC, I find the sharing of thoughts, be they random or somewhat organized, to be essential. We need this forum which allows us to express ourselves and also listen to others doing the same. Without it, this particular patient would be a mess. I'm sure of it.
ReplyDeleteNancy ~ agreed 10-fold. I too would be an impossible basket-case if I didn't write, and read. Thank you! This forum is my sanity-saver.
ReplyDeleteNice posting, and I am with you on the writing-as-catharsis philosophy. I blog because I have to. I'm going to add you to my blogroll.
ReplyDeleteBeth ~ thank you for checking my blog out. I have writing, and dealing with cancer, for over two years now, and attribute part of my "staying" power to having this outlet. Which begs the question: where would our psyche-needs have been addressed without this medium??
ReplyDelete