Christmas and Recovery

"Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? Every, every minute?"
-- Thornton Wilder

His cancer was growing and his symptoms were progressing alarmingly. As holiday music played in the background, I searched the calendar to see how rapidly his surgery could be scheduled. The young man and his wife first looked relieved when we found a surgical opening in the coming week, but their faces fell as they realized that he would spend December 25th in the hospital. Family plans were to be put on hold that year. The future was uncertain.

Is cancer care more special at certain times of the year? Just like the rest of the year, people with cancer continue to seek treatment in December. Nevertheless, the atmosphere in the hospital can be truly special as the holidays approach. While some clinics might slow down, the Radiation Oncology and Neoplastic Diseases clinics are open and busy. The hospital floors are active.

The sense of healing always seems more palpable in December. While taking in-house call on holidays during my training, I always found everyone to be more cheerful. Perhaps we felt that by providing care to our patients, we were participating in the true spirit of the season. I believe that our transformation was often apparent to the patients.

Happily, my patient recovered from his holiday cancer surgery. At a recent follow-up visit, he reminisced about the hospitalization, surgery, and recovery several years ago. It was a Christmas Week that he would never forget and it gave his entire family a new appreciation for life. Somehow, I wish we could capture and maintain that appreciation year round.

Bruce H. Campbell, MD, FACS
Interim Director
Froedtert & Medical College Cancer Center

"Reflections" is a collection of essays by the health professionals of the Medical College of Wisconsin.