The Struggle Has Ended

Greg Hewlett passed away on January 17th after nearly eight years of battling colon cancer. While we grieve his loss, we are comforted to know that he is with his Lord.

If you would like to leave your thoughts on Greg, please see this thread.

If you would like to make a charitable donation in Greg's honor, please see this thread.

Thursday, June 2, 2005

First week

I'm finishing up the first week of radiation. The treatment itself is a matter of seconds once they get me lined up. And I an feel absolutely nothing - no heat, tinging, nada. Symptoms, if there are any, won't kick in for another week or two.

I came down by myself for this holiday-shortened week. This weekend, I return to Dallas and move back here to Houston with Christine for the remaining five weeks.

It sat on the shelf for a while, but I am now again reading Birth of the Clinic by Michel Foucault. In his words, it is "an archaeology of medical perception". The themes are reminiscent of Kuhn's Nature of Scientific Revolutions. Anyway, I got a kick out of the requirements for students to be trained in medicine at around the time of the French Revolution. Quoting from a guidebook of the time, students were chosen who demonstrated "good conduct, pure morals, love of the Republic, and a hatred of tyrants, sufficient education, and above all, a knowledge of some of the sciences that might serve as a preliminary to the art of curing."

A lot has changed since then. But I have noticed that while these oncologists down here have many idiosyncrasies and a whole range of strengths and weaknesses, it is true that as far as I can tell, none has a love of tyrants.


6 comments:

Willeyne Berger said...

Thinking of you with continual prayers. I hope your folks are coming to Hermann this weekend as your dad's email keeps coming back.

Davo said...

I think medical students are now required to have a love of golf.

Shannon said...

...certainly not money or social prestige... OK, I already feel slightly guilty for posting that. CORRECTION: THERE ARE SOME FABULOUS SELFLESS DOCTORS OUT THERE WHO HAVE A TRUE CALLING (and maybe an added affinity for golf, big houses, and nice cars --oooh, see? I did it again, and my self correction was going so well!)

Jim M said...

A friend of mine once said to always get a second opinion because you never knew if the first doctor had a big boat or plane payment coming up.
Hang in and we keep praying for you.

Ed said...

But do the oncologists hate tyrants?

Glen Ragan said...

Cancer is a tyrant. It takes away your worldly freedom and doesn't care what you think about it.
Keep up the fight. You are in our prayers daily.
Glen & Lyn Ragan