The oncologist said after suffering from cancer: "I calculate my death rate at 2 in the morning"

Oncologists have brought hope to countless cancer patients and helped them treat and recover

Today, we will share the true stories of 4 oncologists who became cancer patients

1 "This is completely different from what I imagined"

Dr.

In 2017, he was diagnosed with kidney cancer

This bad news was like a bolt from the blue, and his brain quickly flashed through a long list of treatment options, survival probability numbers, and how to tell his wife and children this unfortunate news after returning home

"It's like, I was originally singing and drinking with my friends, and on the way to the bathroom, suddenly I was hit by a brick in my brain and broke this beautiful night

At first, Despair dragged Dr.

"This is completely different from what I imagined

Dr.

2 "Knowing all the difficulties to face is more difficult than gradually understanding"

In January 2017, Dr.

Hendershott collapsed instantly

"For oncologists, it is not necessarily a good thing to know their symptoms, diagnosis and condition

Time and time again, when she was sitting in the car alone and analyzing her prognosis, she would inevitably cry

"But at the same time, because I am more aware of the risk of cancer and future treatment, I am confident to try more aggressive treatment options

Hendershott, currently 47, has a 60% chance of being alive in the next 15 years and is still often surrounded by fear

"When you face death, fear is lingering, just like an uncontrollable wave

But out of fear, another power was born
.
She regrown shoulder-length hair, very dense
.
She also uses this to encourage other patients: Don’t worry, the hair can grow longer after the chemotherapy is over
.

3 "I must experience the broken state of being a patient"

In December last year, oncologist Dr.
Taylor Riall began to cough continuously.
X-ray examination revealed a lump in her lung
.

At first, the doctor speculated that she might have a fungal infection and recommended that she continue to be monitored for six months
.
But as an oncologist, her professional sensitivity told her that she could not let go of these clues and needed more examinations
.

Finally in June 2021, a biopsy confirmed that she had lung cancer
.

"Cancer ruined my life
.
" Dr.
Riall said
.
Severe blood loss, chest tube insertion, various examinations, needle sticks, and nausea from the treatment made Riall feel extremely tired after the operation, and she failed to return to work as scheduled
.

"Cancer is like smashing the pottery with a hammer, then reassembling the pieces together, and then painting the cracks
.
As a doctor, my instinct is to pick up these pieces and put them back together
.
But As a patient, I myself have to experience this broken state and face the fear, frustration, anger, and pain that have swept through
.
"

For Riall, professional knowledge also makes her bolder in choosing treatment options
.
For her, if the tumor is to be removed, it means that the entire upper lobe of her lung must be removed.
She is a marathon runner and triathlete, which undoubtedly closed the window for her sports career
.

Despite this, Riall did not flinch from this major operation
.
"Compared with cancer, it is more terrifying not to know that you are sick and the tumor grows silently
.
"

She said: "After experiencing the fragmented state, I feel that my heart has become stronger, and I will not walk in fear for too long
.
"

4 "In this gamble, I won"

Gastrointestinal oncologist Mark Lewis found that his pancreas had a malignant tumor.
The results of a series of imaging tests and laboratory tests can prompt him whether he needs more active treatment, or he can continue to follow-up observation
.

In the end, he decided to take a risk: regularly monitor his tumor
.

During the eight years, the tumor grew up day by day.
When the follow-up results suggested that the tumor might have metastasized to the liver, Lewis decided to do Whipple surgery, which is a major operation that removes the head of the pancreas, part of the small intestine, and gallbladder
.

"In this gamble, I was lucky
.
Fortunately, I have a cancer that is slowly developing and can be treated surgically.
I have continued to treat the patient for nearly ten years, during which time I had another child
.
" Lewis said, "Yes.
The gratitude of fate and life also gave me the strength to endure hardship
.
"

Due to Lewis' condition, some patients who also suffer from pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors will also seek treatment from him
.
"To some extent, these are patients who are'like-minded' with me
.
So, I can experience the mentality and choices of patients facing the disease
.
"

Suffering from cancer makes them better doctors

The cancer experience of these four oncologists seems to explain that when the disease comes to them, the doctor's professional knowledge will not weaken the mental pressure caused by cancer
.
Related researches in recent years have also disputed the answer to this question
.

According to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2016, doctors may be different from ordinary patients when choosing hospice care
.
In the United States, the probability of doctors choosing intensive end-stage care, undergoing surgery, being admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU), and dying in a hospital is significantly lower than that of other populations
.
Researchers speculate that this may be because doctors know that their treatment in the later stages of the disease is cruel
.

On the contrary, a study published in the JAMA Open Network, a sub-issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2019, found that doctors with cancer are more likely to live in the ICU and receive chemotherapy in the last 6 months of life
.
This indicates that doctors may be more willing to adopt active treatment methods to face life
.

A 2015 study found that compared with 230 non-medical patients with similar education levels, 46 doctors had no significant difference in choosing breast cancer treatment
.
The study also found that no amount of oncology expertise can reduce emotional stress for cancer
.

Oncologist Dr.
Barbara Buttin shared: “For oncologists, the process of fighting the disease helps to become a more understanding cancer doctor
.
This is the resonance of many oncologists, and doctors will understand better after illness.
The fear and vulnerability of patients; this will also help doctors balance rationality and sensibility in future work
.
"

Reference

[1] Are Oncologists Any Better at Facing Their Own Mortality?.
Retrieved November 03, 2021, from https:// An Oncologist With Cancer: Mark Lewis Shares Unique Viewpoint.
Retrieved November 26 2021, from https://