I read an article written by an oncologist on bed manners which touched on how not to visit a cancer patient. This brought to mind my own experience when I spent 2 nights at the hospital when I had the mastectomy .
I personally felt good when my relatives and friends came to see me…after all I told all and sundry that I was going for a mastectomy.
It was nice to have them, bringing flowers or boxes of ikan aruwan among others items. Most importantly was the fact they brought with them lots of laughter and cheerfulness. That made me forgot the pain and uneasiness of the surgery, the fear and anguish of having breast cancer.
Friends whom I have not seen for ages came to visit me and I was really pleasantly surprised. To me, all their visits showed me they cared for me and I cherish that.
Well, each of us have of own perspectives of people having visit us when we are in hospitals. I know some friends who rather not have visitors as they just want to be left alone to rest and recover. Of course to those friends, I respect their privacy and would make enquiries from their family members on how they are recovering in the hospital.
I now recollect the encounters which I had heard from patients when I used make my hospital visits as a volunteer with the general hospital in Klang. Patients’ grouses included people had tried to sell them health products, strangers approaching them to preach about religion, family members do not coming often enough to visit them or worst still family members have not come at all but have left the maid to look after the patient.
That is the reason why when we volunteers visit them, they would be chatty or at least make an effort to smile. We had spent time with them talking to help them overcome their boredom or assist them in any other way.
Recently, I have a few people whom I know (friend’s friend or family member) diagnosed with breast cancer. As I was unable to visit them in the hospitals, I had endeavored to speak to them via handphone to motivate and to give them confidence. I think this I important as one lays in bed worried about life after surgery due to breast cancer.
I personally felt good when my relatives and friends came to see me…after all I told all and sundry that I was going for a mastectomy.
It was nice to have them, bringing flowers or boxes of ikan aruwan among others items. Most importantly was the fact they brought with them lots of laughter and cheerfulness. That made me forgot the pain and uneasiness of the surgery, the fear and anguish of having breast cancer.
Friends whom I have not seen for ages came to visit me and I was really pleasantly surprised. To me, all their visits showed me they cared for me and I cherish that.
Well, each of us have of own perspectives of people having visit us when we are in hospitals. I know some friends who rather not have visitors as they just want to be left alone to rest and recover. Of course to those friends, I respect their privacy and would make enquiries from their family members on how they are recovering in the hospital.
I now recollect the encounters which I had heard from patients when I used make my hospital visits as a volunteer with the general hospital in Klang. Patients’ grouses included people had tried to sell them health products, strangers approaching them to preach about religion, family members do not coming often enough to visit them or worst still family members have not come at all but have left the maid to look after the patient.
That is the reason why when we volunteers visit them, they would be chatty or at least make an effort to smile. We had spent time with them talking to help them overcome their boredom or assist them in any other way.
Recently, I have a few people whom I know (friend’s friend or family member) diagnosed with breast cancer. As I was unable to visit them in the hospitals, I had endeavored to speak to them via handphone to motivate and to give them confidence. I think this I important as one lays in bed worried about life after surgery due to breast cancer.
3 comments:
LAUGHTER
Laughter is the greatest humanizer and medicine God has given us. It can relieve tension and hysteria faster than all of the newest pills rolled into one. There is no more beautiful, soul-satisfying sound in all the world than a solid reverberating "LAUGH".
Valli,
yes, it was good to receive your call while in distress. thanks.
I loved the moments people visited me after the mastec op. Just seeing them made me forget the pain and the trouble... I also like visiting other patients in the hospital... to share and to be there if they need someone from the same boat...
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