A Change in Perspective
Dr. Jack MacKee learns he has laryngeal cancer and life as he knows it, is forever changed in the film, The Doctor (Feldman, Glick, Ziskin, &Haines, 1991). Jack’s experience with cancer, but more importantly as a patient, changes his perspective, practice, and relationships with his wife, child, partners, peers, students, and especially his patients. He soon learns that every doctor eventually becomes the patient (Feldman, et al., 1991). The changes are not easily seen by those around him at first but become overwhelmingly obvious and alter his life in many positive ways.
Jack and his family
Jack did not spend much time at home with his family causing distant relationships between him, his wife (Anne) and son (Nicky), going so far that when told to go talk to his father, Nicky went to pick up the phone rather than go look for him in the house. When Jack finds out he has cancer he seems to distance himself even further from Anne. After Jack’s surgery to remove the cancer, he was instructed to use a whistle and a dry erase board for communication so he could rest his voice. Jack woke one day and heard screaming between Anne and the contractor working on the kitchen. Realizing this was about the frustration Anne was feeling towards him, Jack tells Anne to yell at him and not at the contractor (Feldman, et al., 1991) opening the doors of communication. Jack goes on to write that he loves Anne and needs her. Anne does not believe him at first but Jack insists and then uses his voice for the first time since his surgery to tell her he loves her.
Jack and his Patients
Jack was a surgeon who could not be bothered with talking to his patients about their concerns, acting as if it took too much time to care about the patient. Jack did not explain tests and procedures in a way they could understand. He instead made jokes that belittled them, never considering how it might make them feel. Once Jack was diagnosed with cancer, he found it difficult to transition from doctor
Jack and his family
Jack did not spend much time at home with his family causing distant relationships between him, his wife (Anne) and son (Nicky), going so far that when told to go talk to his father, Nicky went to pick up the phone rather than go look for him in the house. When Jack finds out he has cancer he seems to distance himself even further from Anne. After Jack’s surgery to remove the cancer, he was instructed to use a whistle and a dry erase board for communication so he could rest his voice. Jack woke one day and heard screaming between Anne and the contractor working on the kitchen. Realizing this was about the frustration Anne was feeling towards him, Jack tells Anne to yell at him and not at the contractor (Feldman, et al., 1991) opening the doors of communication. Jack goes on to write that he loves Anne and needs her. Anne does not believe him at first but Jack insists and then uses his voice for the first time since his surgery to tell her he loves her.
Jack and his Patients
Jack was a surgeon who could not be bothered with talking to his patients about their concerns, acting as if it took too much time to care about the patient. Jack did not explain tests and procedures in a way they could understand. He instead made jokes that belittled them, never considering how it might make them feel. Once Jack was diagnosed with cancer, he found it difficult to transition from doctor