A recent hospital experience was nothing but positive, writes John Duff.
Having recently undergone radiation therapy at Dunedin Hospital's oncology department, I must comment on the experience of this treatment. Having undergone X-rays, scans, biopsy, etc over several weeks at intermittent periods, I was finally sent to oncology for radiation treatment. I arrived on the first morning with some trepidation, not knowing what to expect.
The staff at reception, nurses and doctors put you at ease immediately and soon you feel as if you are talking to old friends. The radiation therapists are brilliant people and you engage in friendly, kind explanations of what is happening during your treatment, and after a few days they engage you in conversation about families and interests. They are even up for a bit of banter which I enjoy immensely.
These people are the same every day, always happy and cheerful, doing an excellent job under immense pressure, as do all our hospital staff these days. The condition of some patients must surely be depressing at times, but they never change in their demeanour.
Appointment times are around the same time every day, and so you get to meet the people who are undergoing the same treatment as you, folk from Southland to Waitaki come to Dunedin as the only other facilities are at Christchurch. Everyone chats away in the waiting area, and you develop friendships.
The Cancer Society provides accommodation for people out of town, most of whom stay five days a week and go home for the weekends, so patient numbers are large. Until you become part of it, you don't comprehend the number of people suffering with cancer, or the size of the operation, three radiation machines, several scanners of different kinds, and 30 operators on varying shifts. Mind-boggling to say the least. All in all, a wonderful asset to our city, staffed by dedicated, seldom recognised people.
On my last day I thanked the team for getting me into remission, and said, ''I never want to see you people again''. A hug or two, and some handshakes, and that was that.
As a final comment on a not-so-happy note, I would refer to the lack of parking at the hospital, the $300-odd I put into parking meters, and the ignorance and uncaring attitude of the DCC parking officers who ceaselessly circle the hospital chalking tyres and writing out tickets.
I am sure a few sessions in attitude readjustment, and how to approach and talk to people, would alleviate the cost to the ratepayers for their so-called ''incident cameras''.
-John Duff is a Waldronville resident.
