Real-Life Communication
Your tests show that five-year-old Jimmy Winkle has acute lymphoblastic
leukemia.
Cancer used to be a death sentence, but things have changed.
Through the early disease detection efforts of hematological pathologists
such as you, people with cancer are living fuller, more productive lives.
The
Winkle case is a particularly trying case for the attending physician, Dr.
Sherry Melrose. Only a few months before, Jimmy's newborn sister died.
"Mrs. Winkle is going to be crushed," says Melrose as she mulls over your
blood test report.
The doctor turns to you. "I know I don't normally
do this, but would you come in with me to explain the situation to Mrs. Winkle?
You know the numbers better than I do and you're really good with people.
Maybe you could make mother and son feel that although this is serious, he
has a great chance of pulling through."
"Communication skills are critical
to get your job done," says hematological pathologist Jacob Steinberg. "What
I do is complicated. Everything needs to go smoothly in this line of work."
You
agree to Dr. Melrose's suggestion.
Here are two encouraging things:
70
to 90 percent chance of complete remission from leukemia
25 to 50 percent
chance of long disease-free survivals
Use these two facts
in your little talk. Be firm in the fact that cancer is a serious thing, but
be gentle as well.