Home Maryanne's Tales My Random Experiences Of Cancer, a Doctor and my Random Thoughts as a Journalist

Of Cancer, a Doctor and my Random Thoughts as a Journalist

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Since its cancer awareness month, I am currently working on a cancer article and yesterday, I went to interview a doctor for an expert input.

Now, this doctor was very good in the sense that he did not rush the interview. In my own experience, some doctors always seem to be in a rush to go to I don’t know where. When I have seen them either as patient or a journalist, the clock ticks very loudly in the consultation room and I find myself speaking very quickly, panting and literally running out of breath. Not that they are usually chasing me or anything, but there’s something about that interaction that makes you feel as though you just need to hurry up already.

*sigh*.

Do you have the same experience too?

Anyways, the doctor I interviewed yesterday was different. A very soft-spoken doctor who did not seem to be in a rush to go to I don’t know where. He gave me all the time in the world and I found myself not panting and running out of breath.

As we commenced the interview, and as he began getting into the technical issues of the cancer I am writing about, he told me to relax and not take notes, that he will share the notes he was writing afterwards.

He was explaining his points on a piece of A4 paper and was helping me understand the technical issues in a manner that a layman can understand (I am very much a layman when it comes to medical jargon). The interview lasted about 30 minutes.

And after the interview, he handed me the notes for me to go home and refer to as I worked on my article.

This is how the good doctor’s notes looked like.

Woooii!!

I did take my own notes though. ;) But all in all, I have mad respect for doctors. How can you not? The nature of their work simply requires a brilliant mind, selflessness and  commitment. As a health journalist, I am in continuous awe of their work.

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Maryanne W. Waweru is a Kenyan mum raising her two sons in Nairobi. A journalist, Maryanne is passionate about telling stories and hopes that through her writing, her readers learn something new, feel encouraged, inspired, and appreciative of what they have in their lives. Maryanne's writing focuses on motherhood, women and lifestyle. "Telling stories is the only thing I know how to do," she says.

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  1. I thought I am the only one who goes through that. Especially gynaes for me eeeh I like being very fast with them. Tumalizane. Very few doctors have the patience in addition to explaining stuff in layman’ language. They do the medical jargon which leaves someone confused the more. However my kid’s pediatrician is one in a few. He takes his time as he explains stuff patiently in a simple language as he demystifies pediatric issues. When I started weaning our son he told me; think of a woman in the village with 12 children..she will feed her children with locally available foods in the farm. I have carried that advice close to my heart

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