World-renowned neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo
I had the absolute pleasure of meeting this amazing man, Prof. Charlie Teo.
Meeting Australians best neurosurgeon, I didn’t know what to expect. And I certainly didn’t anticipate that he would be casually dressed in a cotton t-shirt and jeans. And I didn’t anticipate that, rather than rushing us out the door, he would give us his undivided attention. In fact, I was consciously trying to wrap things up for fear of taking up too much of his time. Instead, he slowed me down and did not finish the meeting until mum’s case was given the attention it deserved.
To think that the last doctor’s appointment I attended, the doctor took upwards of 6 external phone calls during mums brief consult.
Now I’m not normally one to speak out of school about others. Most of the time I’ll sit on the fence and keep the peace. But for the important things … I’m more than happy to speak my mind.
When we were told that mums tumour was inoperable …. what they should have said was … “I am not able to operate … but perhaps you can consult with someone who can”.
It’s so important to challenge the status quo. I’m not saying that mum’s previous medical professionals were negligent. But simply, they gave the best advice based on their knowledge and training.
They should have thought “outside the box” rather than taking the … “well that’s what we have always done approach”.
If we had not fought so hard for mum in the last few weeks, she may not be with us now.
This article below is well worth the read. I sincerely hope that sharing this will give others the strength to not give up. To challenge the status quo.
For important things, we need to take ownership of the situation. We need to have the courage and strength to stand up for the things we believe in. The life of a loved one … isn’t that something worth fighting for?!
Article – In The Black: Why Brain Cancer is no match for neurosurgeon Charlie Teo
