Comments on: Cancer Despair Causes And Treatment Strephon’s Serious Condition

By: Strephon

Strephon — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:10:04 +0000

Dear Arthur (and friends)
Good news among the bad bearing out your previous suggestions: Our Dr M this morning took the initiative to talk to my lung specialist and he said getting me breathing oxygen is a good idea. So breathing oxygen is coming today! Also another medication you have to pay yourself, I guess 7 euro for the first dose or more. That comes today from the pharmacy to help unblock my throat. So Dr M takes initiative with my physical condition, maybe by phone is best, she might prefer getting her part of the job done from a distance. I have encountered real fear of psychologists here a number of times in the Netherlands. So people probably are afraid of being judged by a psychologist? Dr M may be trying to be also a psychologist with me, but that doesn’t work for me unless you are are really good and caring professional. “It’s okay, doctor, I have a very few intelligent and professional others who can help me handle the psychological, thanks. You don’t have to try and do this for me. I do respect and appreciate your trying to get the medications and treatments right. Maybe that is your best skill for me, and I like that practical side of you. My psychological needs I have another kind of expert who keeps up with me and helps me there.”

So Arthur, that seems to be you just by your choice to do so and to give me positive and real compassionate advice via the blog here so others can read and participate and use from the blog and maybe from a blog book eventually.

The negative news is that still more phlegm and worse blockage, one this morning almost total, it felt like, but medication coming through Dr M is supposed to help with this.

God, it wasn’t so long ago before my April 2 birthday that I was playing bad tennis, ending that sports activity for me in my life!

Anything else you feel needing saying, please feel free … -Strephon

By: Strephon

Strephon — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:27:47 +0000

Thanks Arthur for the strong but friendly pep talk right when I need it. Writing the 1500 words or so on the last blog entry about doctors here has helped express my issues and therefore my capacity to be positive. I must of course read over your comments and instructions to get the point and create the inner positive doctor. May I use you as one of my positive-realists doctors? I am using you already. This is my issue now. I go to sleep at 1:30 AM and get through the night. I feel good energy now, but not being physically well energy of course. Which is better? The well or its water? -Strephon

By: Arthur B. Treadway

Arthur B. Treadway — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:17:58 +0000

Dear Strephon,

You are surely right in thinking that the expression of negative thoughts, even professional evaluations, or emotions by a doctor at the patient’s bedside is likely to harm the patient. But you sure aren’t going to be able to change your doctors at the point you’ve reached, except perhaps by giving them an example of unusual good humor, positive thoughts and emotion, recognition of their efforts and those around you helping out. But the real workplace is inside yourself. No matter how sick you are, you still have the great advantage of having been working on yourself, your sensations, your feelings, your thoughts, for a very long time. You have perspectives that most other people cannot have. So your job is to keep up your own positive capacity, for yourself in the first place, and also for all those around you. The better your own humor, the more those around you will reflect that, too. Hard work, yes, but it is the divine work once again, it is all that really matters. Pollyanna it isn’t, buy yes, you yourself can make a difference. And you have been ready and willing to do it often in the past. Now you can practice what you already know thoroughly, no longer with your metal sword, but with the sword of your goodwill.

I wish you a smile in your heart,
Arthur