8.31.2010

Top nine things Catherine and I love about Jim Vredenburgh (my neuro-oncologist at Duke)

9. "We're all people." (See #1)
8. He made good (although sometimes a bit hard to follow) comments about the brain/mind connection.  Apparently my physical brain is having to negotiate with this other (tumor) material that's in there, and this may lead to tiredness.
7. One way to decrease seizures is through endorphins:  "Exercise.  Hugs.  Doing something nice for someone else."
6. He's also a big believer in de-stressing my life through such things as happy movies.
5. "Harmony is being restored in your brain."
4. He didn't bring in paperwork of any sort. He just sat there in the chair and made meaningful eye contact.*
3. He didn't even look at his watch the whole time we were in the exam room together.*
2. He emailed me at 6 p.m. on Friday to let me know that my MRI looked great.
1. We get to call him Jim.

*These were two observations Catherine made. James says she ought to be a spy, and he's probably right.

3 comments:

Aaorn said...

maybe he is a spy. maybe the harmony that's being restored is actually the activation of the implant that he put there (moo ha ha)... eh?

The Mom said...

What a good post, Alison! A great way (for me) to end my day. I love the endorphin advice, and hope you'll do all you can to increase those endorphins - Walter, you, too! I'm very thankful for all three of you in my life. Much love to you all. (And Catherine - good spying!!)

Trey said...

Totally kick ass. Props to Catherine for the astute observations.