Sometime during the 1990s, while I was practicing at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., I was asked to see a diplomat from one of the Middle Eastern countries. He was an educated and worldly man who had a throat cancer that required extensive surgery and post-operative radiation therapy. Just before the actual operation, I met with him and his wife in the bed-holding area, normally a hostel of heightened anxiety. As I approached the bedside, the couple greeted me with pleasantness and an extraordinarily relaxed demeanor – no doubts, no hesitation, only a mellow countenance in each. I remarked how calm they seemed. The man said “We are devout Muslims, doctor, and I have put my life and your skills in the hands of God. Once that was done, I stopped worrying because I know he will take care of me, and will guide you.” I remember this vividly because it was so definite and sincere. He really was fine with both the process and the inevitability of an outcome; essentially he had turned his fate over to Allah. I envied that intensity of faith under such important and scary circumstances. Continue reading “Guest Columnist Dr. Roy Sessions: Spirituality and the Cancer Patient”
Guest Columnist Dr. Roy Sessions: The Contemporary Cancer Team Approach
This is the sixth in a series of columns on the doctor/cancer patient relationship by Seabrook resident Dr. Roy Sessions, MD, and Fellow of the American Council of Surgeons.
Although less frequently then in previous years, cancers today are sometimes managed by the “occasional cancer doctor”. However, today’s diagnostic and therapeutic “standard of care” is the cancer team that is associated with a cancer center; and within the team, a multidisciplinary approach is ideally used in which the territorial interests of the doctors are subordinated to that of the patient.
Not too long ago, cancer management was less standardized (if at all), and not infrequently a primary care doctor who diagnosed a tumor referred the patient directly to a surgeon, to a radiation therapist, or to a medical oncologist. Where the patient started in the referral system had a lot to do with what treatment was ultimately employed. This is not to say that the treatment that followed was necessarily wrong, but the process did not lend itself to cross-fertilization of ideas between specialties; and additionally, the game plan–i.e. the treatment strategy–was inconsistent. In cancer management, nothing trumps a game plan in importance. Compare this concept to starting a business with or without a business plan.
With that said, Continue reading “Guest Columnist Dr. Roy Sessions: The Contemporary Cancer Team Approach”
Defibrillator Units Being Replaced
Dennis Nagy, chair of the SIPOA Safety and Security Committee, has announced that the automated external defibrillator units (AEDs) owned by SIPOA are being replaced because the manufacturer will soon stop supporting the older equipment through parts supply. While few of the AEDs have been used, they can be critical to saving the life of someone suffering a cardiac arrhythmia while waiting for emergency responders to arrive.
The AEDS have not only clear visual instructions but also clear audio instructions. They were designed to be simple to use even without any training.
SIPOA owns eight AEDs that are tested daily. Three are located in the Lake House, one in each of the three SIPOA Security vehicles, one at the Oyster Catcher Community Center, and one at the SIPOA Administration Facility on Landfall Way. As no employee is normally at the Oyster Catcher Community Center, the AED there is located outside to the right and around the corner of the building on the outside wall near the pool.
Other AED units on the Island can be found in various high profile locations. Continue reading “Defibrillator Units Being Replaced”
Defibrillator Units Refresher
At the request of an audience member at last night’s “Get the Scoop” meeting, this is a re-post of a Tidelines article submitted by the SIPOA Security and Safety Committee and published in May.
Seabrook Island has 15 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) placed in a variety of locations. The SIPOA Safety and Security Committee wants to ensure that owners, guests, and renters are aware of the existence and placement of the AEDs. While few of the AEDs have been used, they can be critical to saving the life of someone suffering a cardiac arrhythmia while waiting for emergency responders to arrive.
The AEDS have not only clear visual instructions but also clear audio instructions. They were designed to be simple to use even without any training. This is a picture of an open device.
Continue reading “Defibrillator Units Refresher”
Guest Columnist Dr. Roy Sessions: Demystifying Cancer Jargon
Cancer patients and their families enter a world that can be overwhelming. For starters, the mere word cancer evokes fear and anxiety, and often in the older population, a sense of hopelessness. The cancer topic for study or discussion is frequently avoided in the lay population (especially in the elderly), and ignorance concerning control and/or cure results. Truth be known, today we actually do cure a lot of people – over 60%; and in early stage cancers, the cure rates can be dramatically better. In years past, paternalistic physicians compounded patient ignorance with secrecy in this and other diseases. This shielding was a practice based on the attitude that patients were best left in the dark – protected from hard facts. This is somewhat understandable, given the meager state of knowledge; there frequently wasn’t much to offer – hence, the blind optimism. Thankfully, times have changed, and not only are contemporary doctors armed and ready, but the educated patient is the norm, rather than the exception. In today’s world of information technology, there is little proprietary information, and furthermore, doctors in general, and oncologist especially, prefer to deal with a realistic and educated patient. Essentially, patient information, self–advocacy, and substantive discussion between doctors and patients have become the ideal, and when not present, the relationship should be questioned. As the younger generation advances in this environment of full disclosure and patient awareness, secretiveness will become a thing of the past. I touched on this concept in my August blog.
For patients to take advantage of information, however, they must wade through a vocabulary that has historically mystified lay people. That’s not to say that this “medical language” is inappropriate, merely that it shouldn’t be proprietary, and unfortunately, some doctors not being good communicators, have a tendency to talk in the language of the profession. Since some doctors have always done this and undoubtedly some always will, the patient should be prepared. In this blog, my goal is to simplify some of the lingo, and making it more understandable for the readership. As future blogs are written, I will discuss a variety of these issues as I delve into the whole subject of patient comprehension, and communication capabilities of physicians (or lack of)- more on this later. For now, the following is a glossary of terms (in no particular order) that swirl through the cancer lexicon; there are many, many more, but this will get you started:
Continue reading “Guest Columnist Dr. Roy Sessions: Demystifying Cancer Jargon”
Roseate Spoonbill Spotted on Seabrook
Roseate spoonbills are uncommon on Seabrook but this one was in town last week and was happy to pose for a picture with a friendly wood stork.
-Submitted by Derek Fyfe
Guest Columnist Dr. Roy Sessions – The Journey from the Referring Doctor to the Oncologist: An Anxious Time
Physicians and dentists generally send those patients with suspected or confirmed cancer to oncologists*. Referrers can be primary care doctors, gynecologists, endocrinologists, pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, otolaryngologists, dermatologists and others. Not uncommonly, at the time of the initial visit with a surgeon or one of the other oncologists, the patient is unclear as to whether they have a malignancy. Many of them have been told, but they did not hear what they didn’t want to hear. This reflects something I wrote in an earlier blog – the brain is an effective filtration system for frightening information.
In situations in which there is suspicion but no proof of cancer, the referring doctor may have told the patient, “You have a problem,” or “You have a tumor,” or “You have a growth,” but often the realistic possibility remains unclear or even has been denied in the patient’s mind; and let’s not forget (this should not come as a surprise) that many doctors seek to avoid delivering bad news. While that might seem like an abdication of one’s responsibility, it’s actually correct for them to skirt around the cancer or malignancy words until proof is actually established. In most patients, the use of slightly evasive terms such as “a problem, a tumor, a growth” is enough, unless for some reason, the next step of arranging for an oncologist is inordinately delayed, in which case it is more difficult to be vague. However, even if such is not the case, the patient will sometimes push the referring physician to speculate – this tricky conversation should be avoided! If the patient asks directly, “Could it be malignant?” the physician should be honest with a simple yes—after all, why else would the patient be referred to a cancer specialist? The physician’s mere concern raises the patient’s anxiety level, and it is generally wise for the referring doctors not to speculate on likelihood or other specifics. One is tempted to comfort such a patient, but on many occasions, the attempt introduces unrealistic expectations or conversely, greater anxiety. In certain circumstances, however, it is appropriate for the physician to offer general data that is favorable and that might give a patient cause for hope during this interim period. For example, approximately 80 percent of “incidentally” discovered breast masses in women turn out to be nonmalignant. This is a widely known fact, but a well – timed emphasis on it can be emotionally helpful to a frightened woman. Similar optimism is possible in a patient with a parotid (salivary) gland tumor, in which about 75 percent are benign. Quoting such generic data when sending the patient for a diagnostic procedure or to an oncologist is different from specifically making predictions about that particular patient’s mass. In the case of a potentially ominous tumor—a pancreas mass for instance— no real value is gained by quoting such generic data i.e. the dismal statistics associated with this particular tumor. In many cancers, the probability of cure is directly related to stage (degree of advancement), and in the process of quoting statistics, the bad as well as the good has been included in the calculus – that too should be considered in the attempt to help with generic data. All things considered, better the patient be properly worked up and staged before the prognosis is bantered about. Then, and only then, is it wise to discuss real data and specific outcomes i.e. prognosis.
Woodstorks on Seabrook
A group of 20 Woodstorks were observed on Sunday the 28th by Heidi and Dieter Lantin near the small lake on Seabrook Island Road past the Racquet Club.
16 are shown in this photograph taken by Dieter Lantin
Submitted by Heidi Lantin
In The News-Bob Mason AKA “Doctor Geezer”
Be sure to watch SCETV’s Palmetto Scene program on Thursday, September 25th and Sunday, September 28th. The program will highlight Seabrooker, Bob Mason, AKA “Doctor Geezer” at Roper St. Francis and MUSC Children’s Hospital and his endearing impact on patients, young & old!
Submitted by Tidelines Editor
God Paints Every Morning…
God paints every morning…. somewhere. You just have to be patient. At 6:30 am, He was still mixing His colors… Continue reading “God Paints Every Morning…”
Parking on Seabrook Island Roads
A gentle reminder brought to you by the SIPOA Safety and Security Committee.
Rules and Regulations Governing Parking on
Seabrook Island Roads
The purpose of this article is to clarify the parking rules on Seabrook Island roads.
Parking is permitted on the road and the grass portion of the right-of-way in front of unimproved lots.
Parking on the grass in front of improved lots is allowed only with the property owners’ permission. Otherwise the vehicle must have all four tires on the road.
To the extent practicable, parked vehicles are to be facing the direction of travel and on one side of the road.
No parking is allowed within 50 feet of all traffic islands and fire hydrants. No permanent street parking on the streets of Seabrook Island.
And as to whether or not you should park, ask yourself “Can an emergency vehicle get through?”
If further clarification is needed, please go to:
The sipoa.org website, under the ‘Library’ tab, click on ‘Rules and Regulations’. Go down the document tree to “Government Documents” and click on the ‘SIPOA Rules and Regulations’ document, page 9, section 6.
-Submitted by the Safety and Security Committee
Visitor Notification: Did you know…
Did you know that you can sign up to receive notification (e-mail or text message or both) every time your visitor picks up a pass at the security gate?
Here’s how….