A day in the life of…
Recently I volunteered to attend a medical careers expo to meet with medical students and recent medical graduates to answer questions about Radiation Oncology as a career pathway. A few people have asked what a radiation oncology registrar’s day looks like.
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Hello, my name is Joseph. I am a rad onc reg and here is how today looked like for me:
Still the same
This guy, young and only in his early thirties, has primary cancer of the brain with two previous surgeries to remove parts of his temporal lobe. He is now not the fastest-witted man — but still exuding a certain loveability. Now with his disease progressing, he is undergoing radiotherapy to the brain.
This entry is filed under Doctors and tagged regret. There are 8 responses to this post.
Sitting in the clinic room a few weeks into treatment, I asked him how he was. He let off a sigh. He took off his cap to reveal his scalp — a little red from the radiation treatment, with irregular patches of baldness. Whatever hair he had left, it was very short.
“What can I say. When I was told I got brain cancer five years ago,” he said, “I told myself I’m gonna change. Stop bumming around and get my life together. All my life, it’s all been about footie, but I told myself to stop. I wanted to do something meaningful y’know. Maybe some traveling.
“But here I am and I’m still the same. It’s the new AFL season again. Richmond lost last week and my whole week’s been depressed. Who knows if we won, maybe I wouldn’t be so affected.
“It’s been how long…,” he paused a little while. “Still the same. Got nothing done.” Possibly with a hint of knowing that he may not have many more years to go, yet still the same.
Things I learned over the past year
Here are some things that I have learned over the past year — about food, life, and stuff.
- Steak is quick and easy to cook and clean up, and tastes so good with the right spices.
- One of the perks of working in oncology is the frequent chocolates and fruits that we kindly receive from patients. The best cheesecake I’ve had by far is made by a patient (so good).
- What is even more inspiring is how some of the poorer patients give the best gifts — boxes of “high-end” chocolates from the local supermarket for each and every staff member (not a trifle amount), or a good sum of money donated despite their financial circumstances — from the poorer patients.
- An hour of walking to the supermarket, shopping, and walking back is worth more than an hour in front of the computer thinking that you are relaxing.
- When going out for dinner with colleagues, order an entrée to share with everyone.
- Higher octane fuel, although more expensive per litre, works out cheaper as you get more mileage out of it, and the engine is smoother to drive.
- Happiness in life is partly related to discipline (the discipline to sleep on time, get stuff done, refrain from certain things etc) — without discipline, life is unbalanced and unhappy.
- When motivation is waning and you are questioning whether you should be going to the gym, the answer is yes you should go.
- When trying to be frugal in saving up for something, do not forget to be generous in everyday life.
- Accidents happen often because things are not put back to where they are supposed be.
This entry is filed under Miscellany and tagged growing up. There are 10 responses to this post.
Surely there are many more, but here are some of them. Happy 2012 too! (Yes, it is already one month into the new year.)
If you have your tips of wisdom please share too.
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oming to you
from a junior doctor who is color-blind, cleft-lipped and left-handed — this is where
I largely write about my
somewhat weird and wonderful encounters in Medicine. I wish,
though, more often than not,
that I could rather spend my days
drawing colorful pictures and bringing stories to life...... -
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