The French way of cancer treatment — it's entirely humane

[unhappycamper]

http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/gaius-publius/54801/the-french-way-of-cancer-treatment-its-entirely-humane

The French way of cancer treatment — it's entirely humane
Healthcare Policy | Medicine & Biology
by Gaius Publius | March 16, 2014 - 8:56am

~snip~

When my father, the editor and writer Andre Schiffrin, was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer last spring, my family assumed we would care for him in New York. But my parents always spent part of each year in Paris, where my father was born, and soon after he began palliative chemotherapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering my father announced he wanted to stick to his normal schedule — and spend the summer in France.

~snip~

My parents were pleasantly surprised by his new routine. In New York, my father, my mother and I would go to Sloan Kettering every Tuesday around 9:30 a.m. and wind up spending the entire day. They’d take my dad’s blood and we’d wait for the results. The doctor always ran late. We never knew how long it would take before my dad’s name would be called, so we’d sit in the waiting room and, well, wait. …

~snip~

(Not Conus)

So imagine my surprise when my parents reported from Paris that their chemo visits couldn’t be more different. A nurse would come to the house two days before my dad’s treatment day to take his blood. When my dad appeared at the hospital, they were ready for him. The room was a little worn and there was often someone else in the next bed but, most important, there was no waiting.

Total time at the Paris hospital each week: 90 minutes.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. I lived in Europe. They have so much that is wonderful in their healthcare

I almost keeled over when I found out they have house calls. We're living in a harsh, hard, rather unpleasant country, and don't even realize it because we know nothing but this. The reason it's this way is the savage form of capitalism that makes up American religion and politics. Everything is savage capitalism, or is in the process of being turned into another branch of it.

[Warpy]

2. It's an extremely unhealthy culture

where people are isolated as consumer units and coming together in social groups is actively discouraged. The only social groups many people have are the sitcom groups on the television that don't resemble anything in real life. Struggling is valued. Relaxation and socializing are decried as wastes of time, and time is money and money is everything.

The PTB have managed to suck the joy out of everything here.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

3. You're right. And yet relaxation and socializing maintain health. :( Will things change?

Ever?

[Warpy]

4. Not while we have to work ourselves to death

in the hope of saving enough to get by when we're laid off the next time--and there will always be a next time--so we won't add panic to being consumed by shame at not having a job.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

5. Warpy, you need to write an article about working in the U.S. nt

[Warpy]

6. Too much like work and I'm finally retired

I keep hoping people who still work for a living will steal some of the stuff I've written here.

So far, I haven't been disappointed.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

7. I'm stealing, I'm stealing! nt