During my night shift at the emergency department, I encountered a 72-year-old decorated war veteran named Mr. Sun. Accompanied by his concerned wife, he came to address a year-long struggle with fatigue and a non-productive cough he’d been exper…
Category: Oncology/Hematology
The insurance denial process: one oncologist’s fight against a broken system
It is 4:15 p.m. in my clinic, and I’m running an hour behind. One of my morning patients arrived acutely ill and thus required more of my time and attention than the schedule allotted for. Accordingly, every patient after that has ended up waitin…
Finding hope in the face of cancer
“My best friend’s mother arrived at our oncology outpatient department. She had recently been diagnosed with locally advanced breast cancer and was understandably apprehensive, filled with numerous questions. I took her medical history and …
Breaking Bad: the antihero’s journey through cancer
An excerpt from From Whispers to Shouts: The Ways We Talk About Cancer. “Walt, is that you?” Skyler asks her husband in the final scene of the Breaking Bad pilot. They’re in bed, she’s pregnant, and he’s come toward her in…
The beauty of a patient’s gratitude
This is not an ordinary 1000 Rupee note. It’s a happy memory for me. For those who say I always share depressing stories, this one is for you, for a change. We performed concurrent chemotherapy and radiation on a 70-year-old lady with nasopharyng…
The heart of a Desi doctor: Balancing emotions and resources in oncology
I am a Desi doctor, where Desi refers to someone from India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh. I am currently a final-year resident in radiation oncology at a private-sector hospital in Pakistan. During my medical school and house job, I worked in a public sect…
5 essential tips to help men prevent prostate cancer
1. Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Eating a healthy diet is an important way to help prevent prostate cancer. Fruits and vegetables are packed with antioxidants, which can help protect your cells from damage that can le…
Finding peace through surrender: a personal exploration
Words are everything. They carry energy. They are the currency of our connection to each other. They are the currency through which we will share with future generations; they are how we communicate with people in generations past. And they carry weigh…
The patient who became my soulmate
As oncologists, we encounter numerous patients on a daily basis and form emotional bonds with many of them, especially if they survive long enough and continue to see the same doctor for several years. This bond can grow so deep that we feel their pain…
From cancer survivor to thriving mind: a journey to true healing and purpose
“I own the world!” was my exact thought when my doctors entered my bone-marrow transplant unit and said I was cancer-free! That joyous moment lasted a few seconds because they immediately declared, “Be careful, you have a 30 percent c…
