Early Rounds
By going to bed early recovered and able to go on into hospital early enough for morning report. Even a few minutes can make a big difference in travel time. I enjoyed morning report and I am impressed that it is focused and serious but relaxed. Professor Yin expects results but people are not nervous or anxious and tense the way this often is in the USA. We had a discussion of liver tumors. They were rare in the USA before the Hepatitis C epidemic and now on the increase. They are one of the most common and deadliest cancers here. Discussed the relationship to Hepatitis B infection and Dr. Yin tells us that over the last few years a major push to vaccinate all children before they could become infected. This could make this cancer very rare in Vietnam in just a single generation. For the time being they are incredibly skilled at operating on the liver. I think more skilled then USA surgeons who would have had much less experience and practice on such a delicate surgery.
I am continuing my Vietnamese lesions and words like hope (mong) and careful (can than) and fever or hot (nong) I can only manage a few new words every day. Still it is thrilling to hear some one talking and understand one of the words although I can not understand the context.
Also much discussion of if I should have a Vietnamese name. Since the meaning of names are so important and they ask me the meaning of Amos ( a heavy burden) and of course Bailey not much better since it is a jail or jailer. For the time being Mong ( hope) and Phuc (Happiness) are in the running if you would like you can comment and vote.
I am working on presentations today and then supper tonight with director of the Infectious disease hospital and several other dignitaries.
5 comments:
I guess we are the ones that gave you that heavy burden. I think my name means reaper. These people seem so nice. They are doing everything possible to make your stay nice. I vote for (Mong ) because you do give people hope even when there is little hope.
Have a great day,through as I write this your day is all most over. Mom
I think Amos is actually somewhat fitting; according to my Hebrew name dictionary, the meaning is a little different- "burdened", not "a burden," which I think actually fits very well with your personality. Like the original namesake, you feel a great deal of responsibility for the world and your fellow human beings.
But anyway...
I'm curious as to what the general "medical culture" is in Vietnam. Is palliative care as controversial there as it is here? I don't know too much about Eastern medicine/philosophy's view of death, but I assume it's slightly less drastic than the prevailing attitude of "anything short of dying is good" that still seems to be the norm here in the West.
what is picture 4193 of. It is next to the picture of you with all the rest of the rest of the doctors and nurses.
I can't sleep so here I am looking at your pictures. Will be tired tomorrow. So guess I say by for now,Mom
To Andrew
I have always thought that my name was appropriate and have understood the meaning as you have suggested. However, the nuance of this meaning is hard to convey in this culture.
In Vietnam all the names that I have been told about have meanings such as sweat water, happiness, bird song know for the beauty of the song. The meanings are positive and pleasant.
Palliative care seems to be positive view. However, as is true of some many things people live in the moment and trying to help doctors think about and plan for the future problems. In general though death is not usually spoken of in a direct way. This however, is true of so many things in the east where communication is not direct. I wonder if they really what information about palliative care from me so I always ask in addition what could I talk about in addition that would be helpful
Hi Amos, I think you'd better stick with "Mong" for your new name since "Phuc" seems just a little sketchy to me!
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