Everything else could wait...or could it?

[BellaGBear]

It is a tricky one. Cause on the one hand as a healthcare worker you are responsible for the health of your patients. However, if you also involve other people in your life in the form of a husband or kids they are ALSO your responsibility. So I don't think everything should move for your patients, cause it can affect the (mental) health of the other people in your life non-work related. I don't know if that factors into the book as well. Not to forget the responsibility she has for herself to take care of herself.

However, I do know that overworking is addictive in its own way, and a sign of a burn-out is inflating the importance of YOUR work. And hours in healthcare are crazy. So she might be mixing up the importance of her responsibilities at work with her other responsibilities. And in the end it will always be a tough choice, cause in the healthcare profession the consequences of prioritizing is higher, than say in deciding to finish a website on time or not for a client.

[Ana C Barrantes]

Preventing cancer will never be fully guaranteed. However, whether or not her chances of getting cancer got lowered, I do think that making more time for you and your loved ones is always the right move. You will not be able to fully succeed and give it your all in your calling or your job if you do not care for yourself.

[Ntombifuthi Londi]

I was once guilty of prioritizing my job over my health. My mental as well as physical health deteriorated. Everything must be put on hold when it comes to your health, and you must give your body the love, care, and attention it requires. Yes, I believe the author would have detected the illness much sooner if she had been more aware of what her body was telling her.

[Rachael S 1]

I have absolutely prioritized my job over my health and it lead to significant weight gain and panic attacks. I did not realize how bad it had gotten until I switched jobs and went from working about 80 hours a week (in the office - not including how much time was spent thinking and analyzing problems when I was home/off-work) to working 50 hours and able to leave my job at home. I would never have been discovered I had been sick unless I collapsed and was forced to the hospital.

[Drew Davis]

I don't think caring less about her carrer would have prevented her cancer or reduced her chances of getting sick. Being hyper-focused on her work did not cause her cancer so being less focused on her job would not have reduced her chances of getting sick. After all, if her job fulfills her and makes her happy, she is right to focus on it.

[Alexandur Gicov]

Definitely, health comes first. Yes, you can't survive without a job, but it's still possible. But without health, you really can't live to understand. In this order of things, I can say that even a little health problem can turn into a big one if it is not paid attention to in time.

[Bennaji]

There should be a balance between care for your patients and taking care of oneself. It would help to keep one healthy, maintain good relationships and being respected at one's workplace.

[Charlienmegan Wehner]

Wow, what a thought provoking question. From personal experience of decades working in a hospital, I will say that it is incredibly easy (and often necessary) to place your patients and their families above your own personal needs. Nurses are always joking about how big their bladders are because they don’t have time to go to the bathroom as they are running for 12+ hours straight. The logical answer is that it is critical to care for ourselves first in order to care for others however healthcare is so busy that it is very difficult for many providers to find time to stop and prioritize taking care of themselves - even something so simple as a routine doctor’s exam that could possibly result in earlier detection.

[Donald Trust]

Honestly, this is a difficult question that needs time to answer. For me, I would say she should follow her mind.

[Olomofe]

I agree with the author on this because when we love our job, as it makes us happy, it makes our life more meaningful and purposeful. However, for what the author that all other thing can wait... patients first, I will say that this doesn't mean that she won't be taking care of herself and that resulted in to getting cancer. Probably that is not case. Though, I don't know about the things involved in curing cancer

[Jerry Anozie]

This is a difficult question though. But I would say her passion for her work was the driving force. Though she should have tried to balance her life. No one saw the cancer coming so I wouldn't blame it to her work.

[kensgarment odogwu]

To me i think striking a balance is very important. In as much as the author is passionate about her career and patients i think she should recognize that she has her responsibilities as a wife and mother. If she is lacking in one area it would have an effect in other areas of her life. I she should be balanced in all areas.

[kipper_]

I think, more than anything, the author was sharing a very human trait about herself with all of us. No one is immune to health issues, and no one can step in at the right time in every situation. Even though she is highly knowledgeable on matters relating to healthcare, she still fell victim to the things that everyone else does too. I think an argument could be made that, because she was so passionate about caring for others, she developed tunnel vision for her own experiences. I think anyone could easily fall into the same situation, regardless of how many precautions are taken. Precautions reduce odds; but they don’t eliminate them.

[Wash William]

Well, I can't say much on this but being a healthcare worker makes you prone to nosocomial infections. I think would the disease would have taken time to develop if she had time for herself.

[Charles lib]

The author wasn't doing it for money but she saw it to be part of her not to see others get hurt or in pain