447 Days Ago, I Found Out I Had Cancer

Re:447 Days Ago, I Found Out I Had Cancer by seanmcdirmid on Thursday February 14, 2013 @09:33PM (#5224082)

I think being an onocologist is the most depressing profession one could go into. I mean, you have this disease that is hugely fatal, many of your patients die, you have lots of noise on survivability, sometimes you win, often you lose. You can cause lots of anxiety with a misdiagnosis or a prediction that doesn't pan out.

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Re:447 Days Ago, I Found Out I Had Cancer by yen223 on Friday February 15, 2013 @01:17AM (#5224772)

Not to mention if you did your job well, the patient thanks you by saying "fuck you".

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Re:447 Days Ago, I Found Out I Had Cancer by chris_wot on Friday February 15, 2013 @08:16AM (#5225959)

Seems unlikely he remained his oncologist.

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Re:447 Days Ago, I Found Out I Had Cancer by dylangs1030 on Thursday February 14, 2013 @11:22PM (#5224419)

Depends on the person. I'm sure many people deal with it and get personal enjoyment out of (what they perceive to be) saving lives.

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Re:447 Days Ago, I Found Out I Had Cancer by dhughes on Thursday February 14, 2013 @10:39PM (#5224295)

Sometimes you win against cancer but you lose from something else. A co-worker of mine, Nick, in his 20s had Hodgkin's disease was doing well but then suddenly died of pneumonia.

The bathroom urinals will never be the same without hearing Nick say "So this is where the dicks hang out!"

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Re:447 Days Ago, I Found Out I Had Cancer by Retric on Thursday February 14, 2013 @10:31PM (#5224263)

I think having hope even if it's terrible odds is far better than knowing you will fail. IMO, working in a nursing home or a hospice is far worse as that really is all about waiting to die.

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Re:447 Days Ago, I Found Out I Had Cancer by seanmcdirmid on Friday February 15, 2013 @01:34AM (#5224834)

> I think having hope even if it's terrible odds is far better than knowing you will fail.

I don't think doctors get to make that call anymore.

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Re:447 Days Ago, I Found Out I Had Cancer by tomwalker on Thursday February 14, 2013 @10:18PM (#5224228)

I think this is true.

I have a lot of friends that have started down the route to become a consultant oncologist but changed after a few years of training.

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