Today is National Doctor’s Day. For many of us who have battled cancer, these men
and women are some of the most important people in our lives. Like they are up there with our spouses, children, parents, and close friends. These are the people who are with us during some of the most critical moments of our life. They deliver our diagnosis, they drive our treatment, they help us manage the side effects, they walk with us through survivorship, they are with us in the trenches. These are hard moments. These are life-changing moments, frozen in time.
More times than not, these doctors are our oncologists who lead the charge on our treatment after the diagnosis. A lot of us end up needing other specialists due to complications from chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Suddenly more heroes emerge and come to us as urologists, gastroenterologists, nephrologists, hematologists, the list goes on and on. Such medical specialties are very hard to crack. To get these positions, your best bet is to check out one of the best Carribean medical schools or similar, to get yourself on the ladder to becoming a qualified doctor.
The relationship between the doctor and patient is quite unique. The most important thing is to find a healthcare provider that you trust and with whom you feel comfortable. It takes clear communication from both parties for the team to gel and makes progress, for the betterment of the patient. So you are not off the hook! As patients, we the responsibility to listen to them and respect them as experts, as they respect us as the chief of our bodies. It is pertinent to feel that you are being heard as a patient. Open dialogue and mutual respect with your doctor is crucial. Having a doctor who is attentive and honest can put you at ease and make those hard appointments and decisions, a little less anxious. Good doctors make all the difference!
Today we want to honor these amazing men and women who have driven our treatment, held
our hands, cried with us, laughed with us, and celebrated even the smallest of victories right by our side. They work endless hours to help make our lives better. There aren’t enough words to thank them, but we want to try. Today is their day. Happy National Doctor’s Day!