Life in an oncology ward

To some, this may sound like an oxymoron...Oncology = cancer = death

Well, you're not too wrong to say that Death is a frequent (or permanent as my tutor wld say) visitor in the onco ward. Everyday, some one passes on, sometimes gradual, sometimes sudden. In my short stay in oncology, I've personally witnessed 3 deaths (our MO has seen 7 in 10 days).

With such situations, the ward may seem like a graveyard of sorrow. Every moment, there are terminally ill patients who are frustrated with their condition, depressed with their illness and helplessly struggling to live each day. Not forgetting the family members and friends who walk them thru this final journey, their pain, helplessness and grief...

That was what I tot too...

But Dr Simon Ong thinks otherwise. Death does not simply bring grief, but more often hope and peace. With death lurking around, we are taught to treasure life and learn how to live. When one knows that his time is short, he should live life doubly hard and not give up on life. Indeed, in understanding death, we learn to live, learn to appreciate the beauty around us and to count our blessings. In death, there is hope!!!

And even more so for those serving in the onco ward, the nurses/ward assistants/medical student/doctors. Our interaction with these patients are so short and often unexpectedly terminated. Dr Ong suggest that if every healthcare worker can spend just 3min bringing a simple joy to a patient, think of how much we can bless our patients!!! And so often, as we see how our patients live their final moments, we are reminded of the fragility of life and too learn to treasure the blessings around us.

No man can know when another dies, not even with statistics show xxx% has a 5 year survival rate. But knowing that our time is short, we should not spend it drowning in dispair and sorrow, but rather be spurred on to live life to its fullest.

That is life in an oncology ward!!!

Ah...onco...