During an average monthly 4-hour visit to the infusion clinic, I get a chance to really connect with the treatment nurse that is administering my therapy. We talk about any changes that have occurred in my health over the past month. We talk about what meds will be included in the day's session. And, we get a chance to talk about ourselves as we pass the time - at least that's what I like to do. I mean, when a person is sitting 3-feet away from you, with a needle in your stomach for a 5:00 injection (administering the Darzalex), the opportunity for conversation sorta comes up. At the risk of sounding politically incorrect, which is not the intention, I particularly like to learn as much as I can from folks whose origins reach beyond the boundaries of the U.S.
These occasions present a great situation for me to probe into what life is like in other cultures. Depending on the time of year or news of the day, I'll inquire about what their customs are like? How do they celebrate the holidays? What kinds of different foods do they enjoy? Do they get the chance to visit their native lands often / still have family there? And, how long have they been here / how is the US different from their homeland? The answers are fascinating, often entertaining, and always enrich my view of the rest of the world.
But I don't limit myself to just small-talk about their life in America, I want to learn about their stories as to how they got “here” - their career journey. What was studying medicine like in their country? Many have shared with me how their families influenced their choice of getting into medicine (some were strongly encouraged, others were discouraged, but persevered regardless). How did they do certain things in their countries versus the ways we do things here? And what is the overall healthcare system like "back home" as compared to what we have in America (FYI: America 'wins' almost every time).
To me, their answers serve as the true definition of a melting pot - an amalgam of “ingredients” (talents) that blend to form a new, different, better “tasting/performing” result. An American healthcare system that benefits from the practices and processes of other nations, featuring the customs and compassion of other cultures, delivered by the best of the best of what the rest of the world has to offer, as these motivated medical "Magellans" leave their homelands to come here and do what they love - help sick people get better. Me for one, am glad and grateful that they took the chance, and that their path has crossed mine.
