Back at it

It's been a about a year since I last posted and I feel in that year I've seen a lot of amazing and remarkable things. It's about time I start writing about it all again.

Today I had the great pleasure of watching one of the world's top otolaryngologists for a morning of appointments. I shadowed him for 6 hours and was able to see some pretty amazing things. Everything from people who had been failed by the "system", people who were looking for someone to blame for anything, people who were downtown on 9/11 and were still suffering aftermath, and then my most memorable people who survived different bouts of cancer. It became alarming to me how MANY people have lived with, are living with, or dying with cancer. It's become such a commonality that we almost don't realize. The desensitisation that comes with seeing it and hearing about it day in and out is appalling.

I loved watching these particular patients attitude towards their treatment. We're talking about rehabilitation of the vocal folds which are not fundamental to survival but they are fundamental to life. The trauma of radiation, chemo, being intubated and of course surgery is pretty detrimental towards the function of the vocal folds. Each of the patients attacked their recovery from these disorders with as much fervor as they did their cancer. To not be able to speak was not an option. To have limited speech was not an option. For several it was because they give speeches outside of work to tell their story and inspire and talk to others. Fundamentally though these people did not want to have won their battle against cancer and then lose their ability to communicate with those they love.

When one patient was asked how aggressively she wanted to proceed, her answer was a simple one. Let's go at this as hard as we can. I need my voice back. Let's do the surgery. I'm simply happy to be alive.

I found today to just be so fascinating and enlightening. There are millions of people out there with millions of stories. We've known that since we were young. Being allowed a glimpse into a dozen stranger's worlds today was a great gift. I'm left reeling and thinking about what's to come for them and where they've been. We live in the society which makes me accustomed to and sad that I'm not able to be a voyeur on these supremely interesting people. I wish I could see how their story unfolds. For now I just feel lucky to have been allowed to peek in and get a glimpse of a dozen strangers living their real lives. Not the lives we put on display for others to see. The behind the door, real deal, no baloney real life. And it feels refreshing.