Childhood Leukemia
Chapter 10: Forming a Partnership with the Medical Team
“The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.”
IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that parents and the medical team establish and maintain a relationship based on excellent medical care, good communication, and caring. Trust is essential in this partnership. Doctors rely on parents to make and keep appointments, give the right medicines at the correct times, prepare their child for procedures, and monitor their child for signs of illness or side effects. Parents rely on doctors for medical knowledge, expertise in performing procedures, good judgment, compassion, and clear communication. It is a delicate balance that spans years of trauma and emotional upheaval. Cooperation and respect between the healthcare team and parents supports children and helps them cope. This chapter explores ways to create and maintain that environment.
Table of Contents
All Guides- Introduction
- 1. Diagnosis
- 2. Overview of Childhood Leukemia
- 3. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
- 4. Acute Myeloid Leukemia
- 5. Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia
- 6. Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
- 7. Telling Your Child and Others
- 8. Choosing a Treatment
- 9. Coping with Procedures
- 10. Forming a Partnership with the Medical Team
- 11. Hospitalization
- 12. Central Venous Catheters
- 13. Chemotherapy and Other Medications
- 14. Common Side Effects of Treatment
- 15. Radiation Therapy
- 16. Stem Cell Transplantation
- 17. Siblings
- 18. Family and Friends
- 19. Communication and Behavior
- 20. School
- 21. Sources of Support
- 22. Nutrition
- 23. Insurance, Record-keeping, and Financial Assistance
- 24. End of Treatment and Beyond
- 25. Relapse
- 26. Death and Bereavement
- Appendix A. Blood Tests and What They Mean
- Appendix B. Resource Organizations
- Appendix C. Books, Websites, and Support Groups