Mondays

I have hematology clinic on Monday mornings. Most of the patients I have seen have some form of leukemia or "preleukemia". Due to genetic changes causing abnormal cell proliferation, normal cells in their bone marrow are being replaced with abnormal ones. We check their white cell, hemoglobin and platelet counts at each visit. I feel like a cheerleader most of the time. Mrs. A, your counts look great today. Mr. B, there is no evidence that the cancer has come back. But sometimes, we have to say that there is nothing else that we can do. Sometimes we also say that there is this experimental drug that is new that might be worth a try. I'm always tempted to say that it's worth a shot, even if the odds are one in a million. My preceptor reminds me that most of the time, a slight possibility of success is not worth the try especially if the odds are too low and the risks are high.

We have devotional prayer tonight. Odds versus prayers, no competition :).