Does anyone give a token of their appreciation to the staff (physicians and staff) at their CancerCare centers? If so, what and if not, why?

Just curious

Donna

LOL I don't have enough left for me after making payments to the Drs and the Hospitals. My daughter is the charge nurse in the heart unit at a local hospital and she makes enough. They all make a nice wage .

If you want to do something, send a nice Thank You card -- Personally, I give out many plastic flies!

Take them a box of candy or a basket of fruit,, that way they can share and all have some.

Guess the situation is different here where we do not "directly" pay our physicians. I have found that the relationship with the CancerCare team (from surgeon through scheduling clerk) is one that is enhanced with being considerate of each other. I guess that-to me-does include a gift at the holiday season to say Thanks. Maybe if I had to hand over a credit card each time I went to visit I would feel differently. I am curious about how people proceed.

Donna

i send or take thank you card every once in awhile to remind them i appreciate their care and their help ... they have loved this and said how much it meant to them ... I am also one who likes to give at holiday time ... to the mailman, the garbage man, my MD, my dentist, and all of my specialty care docs too ... I uaually do like a $10 gift card to starbucks because even if they do not like coffee, there are other things they can buy ... and it is lightweight, easy to mail or carry and is one that does not depend on gender to work ... i am sure a pumpkin pie, or basket of fruit or a bucket of christmas candies or a tin of cookies would all be well appreciated too. even homemade christmas cookies are always a wonderful gift and then they know it comes from the heart.

The money I have to pay out that my ins. doesn't cover is in the thousands. I wish I did have just a few dollars co-pay. The Ins I had didn't even have Ohio State or West Virginia University Hospitals in their coverage area. Sorry, but when you owe this huge amount and are on a fixed limited income, you just don't pass out your bucks when you need it to live a half decent life. I can't forget all of the Drs I pay monthly plus scripts. LOL would be wearing rag shoes. LOL

When dad was going through treatment he had appointments that fell directly on holidays (Valentines Day) or around holidays (Christmas). They use to take in a big tin of cookies with a nice note attached. They would do the same for the people at the valet parking area as well since they used their services every day. Nothing big just a small token of their appreciation. Had he not had appointments during the holidays I'm sure they would not have made a special trip over to take a tin of cookies as the hospital was an hour away from their home.

Doctors certainly don't expect gifts from their patients, but I think if you felt so inclined to spread a little holiday cheer I would keep it simple. JM2C.

Joy

I give hugs...great big smiles and thank you...and I am a lot like Jim...even though I don't pay for medical services those fixed incomes bite. We have dollar stores here a It is even expensive to make those homemade goodies. I haven't done it in years since the kids were in school. But that really does work. Maybe I should get back to it...But for now a note, smile, hug and thankyou work for me..

I hear ya Jim,
When one is unable to do so they should never feel bad. I am sure they do not expect anything, and if they do, they do not deserve it anyways LOL ... and hey - you keep them in those nice cars so they should feel blessed by you already

I think it is a nice gesture when one wants to, but definitely not an obligation in any way. ... and hey, a nice thought written in a christmas card goes a long way to brighten their day when you wish to express gratitude to those special ones along the way.

I have a question,.. How many people in here that had to work for their wages ever got a tip from the Supervisor or the Superintendant of your job?? I always figured I earned a decent wage and didn't expect a reward for doing it.

Gifts are never expected by doctors. I especially like the hugs, as Diane suggested. The thank you cards are always appreciated, I actually save them all. But when gifts do come, they are also appreciated, but I never think less of people who don't bring gifts and treat everybody the same. So please, never feel obligated to give gifts. Doctors are professionals, but are also human and surprises like notes of appreciation are always special.

Forgot , I did take small surprises for the whole group at the Drs office, My mind is out in the wind the last few days. They even let me put the OC Foundation that Brian mailed me in all of the offices there. A mind is a bad thing to waste . LOL Seems I know how to waste one at times.

That was supposed to say OC Foundation brochures , man, what a clutz.

I just stuck a couple of OCF stickers around Doc Haakenslash's office.

Brian, next time around printing stickers, consider putting the website address on them.

[quote=Pandora99]Does anyone give a token of their appreciation to the staff (physicians and staff) at their CancerCare centers? If so, what and if not, why? [/quote]

We took Homemade cookies, a cake and a couple of different kinds of homemade fudge up to the CCC, after all, it was around Christmas It was well received and greatly appreciated by all.

I just brought Christmas cards to my ENT and speech therapist (I don't see my speech therapist for therapy anymore but they are both in the same office so I say hi when I go see my ENT). My speech therapist was seriously on the verge of crying because she thought it was the sweetest thing ever, and my ENT said she loves cards and stuff because it's the thought that counts. So, simple is good!

I simply let them know that I am enjoying life and being a productive person again and that I wouldn't be here without them. They see enough death and suffering that they should know that some of us get through to the other side.

I like Gary's answer. Every year I write an email to the 4 main doctors in my team. I used to do it every Thanksgiving, but I now do it at Xmas which was the anniversary of my treatment starting. (Merry F#$%^^& Xmas!) I tell them that while I have issues, life is productive and good. That I have learned through my experience that living part of my life (well perhaps a disproportionate amount of it) in service to others was a lesson that I needed to learn, and my cancer experience taught me that.

I thank them for making it possible for me to lead what I call a very rich existence now, and that without their knowledge, skills, and care I wouldn't have the chance to enjoy the fruits that life now holds for me. I tell them that my helping others through this process that they made possible, I hope honors them, and thank them for the gift of life that they directly gave me. I guarantee you it will beat the fruit basket every year.

Hey Brian,

The next time you thank your doctors, give them a thanks from the 5767 members of the OCF, for giving you the opportunity to create such a wonderful place for us all to gather, learn and help one another.

It is a privledge and an honor to be a member of the OCF.

Jerry