Doctor at National Cancer Center

My younger sister called this morning. She was very distressed and emotional. She was sobbing and incoherent. Her doctor just told she will die. She just finished her followup visit with her doctor at National Cancer Center. I had to calm her down before she can tell what had transpired between her and her doctor, a Senior Consultant. My sister was going for her 2nd course of Chemotherapy. She was warded to General Hospital two weeks after her first chemo for fever. Her white blood cells(WBC) count were low. She was given a drug to stimulate white blood cells production. This drug has cause lots of pain to her bones - hip, spine and all the joints.

The Senior Consultant, a female doctor told my sister that she is prescribing the drug for stimulating WBC. My sister thinking of the pain she has gone through asked if possible to avoid taking this drug. Maybe if the blood test shows the WBC count is low, then she will take the drug. The Senior Consultant look at her straight into her eyes and said if you don't take this drug you will die. This is so traumatic to the patient. She is at a weak emotional state first discovering she has cancer, then having her breast removed and worrying and wandering why all this has happened to her...

I wonder what kind of doctor she is. Why is she so callous? Did she has a bad day? Why would someone who is supposed to save lives be out to cause such emotional distress? Is it because my sister is a subsidised patient? Maybe she is in the wrong profession...

My elderest sister called me in the evening. She told me my younger sister is still crying... I drop by to visit her right away. She is an emotional wreck. My heart bleeds for her. My wife and I stay with her for an hour. We talk and she improved and calm down.

I am so sorry my younger sister has this doctor.

Stress

Life is stressful, work is stressful, home is stressful, everything is stressful. Is it?? The best way to react to stress is to walk away and calm down. Easier said than done! Try taking a deep breath and hold... count thousand and one, thousand and two, thousand and three! Then breath out long and exhale completely. Repeat 3 times and let me know if this works for you...

50 Spiritual Classics

Kinokuniya has 20% discount for members. I loved books. 20%??.... time to pick up some books! Today, I pick up 50 Spiritual Classics. This is a summary of 50 books. Some I have read like Autobiography of a Yogi and others was always interested but have not read yet like Tao of Physics. I thought this book will allow me to "read" 50 books by reading on one just like Executive Summary of Business Books. It is an easy read and you can pick and choose which "book" to discover first. And if it looks interesting, another trip to Kinokuniya or Times to boost their sales numbers. There are two more companions in this trilogy - 50 Self Help Classics and 50 Success Classics. Look like I will be adding these two in my collection soon, real soon.

Chemo

Visit my younger sister in hospital today. She was warded for fever. Her WBC(white blood cell) count was low. At first glance she looks like my niece. She was slim. On closer look, I realise it was her and she looks rundown. Chemotherapy does lot of damage to the body! Yes, my sister has breast cancer and was operated a month ago. Right now she is undergoing chemo to get rid of any cancer cells that may still be lurking in her body. She has two sons, age 12 and 10. She is in good spirits when I saw her. I shall pray for her speedy recovery.