Hi everyone,
As I am sure many of you remember, I have campaigned (or tried to campaign) for the introduction of Reiki into cancer hospitals and oncology wards here in Dublin.
I have written countless emails to the Director of Nursing at the hospital where my husband was a patient and where we attended so many outpatient appointments over the years and where he passed away, all of which remain unanswered to this day.
I have written to Paul's consultants because I thought that because they know me they might be interested in what I have to suggest; and, indeed, they responded to me saying that the idea was great but when I tried to follow up with them there was total silence.
I have spoken to the palliative care doctor at the hospital where my husband attended; first when I did that last year she said she felt it was too early for me to offer such a thing and a couple of weeks ago she said that I would have to speak to the Director of Nursing; so we were going around in circles.
I have had a meeting with the senior psychologist of the oncology department of one of Dublin's largest hospitals - a meeting to which he invited me - but only to tell me in the course of the meeting that he was not able to help me.
I have contacted discussion and debate radio shows in the hope that they would have some time for my suggestion but no answer/interest.
I have written articles on Linkedin - for that only reason I bought a premium membership for one month - and people, including healthcare professionals, were really interested and liked and shared the article; but nothing else.
I can't help but feel that the silence and obvious unwillingness to speak with me has to do with the fact that I lost my husband a little less than a year ago and that people think that it is better for me and my process but also for them and their patients to keep me at a distance for now. However, I feel that the contrary is the case: I know it would have helped me so much if my suggestions and ideas had been taken seriously and if they had let me work with cancer patients at the hospitals.
My idea that I present in that article on Linkedin is so simple: I suggested that, since we all don't know yet how effective Reiki really is for cancer patients who are undergoing treatment, we should have a trial where those patients who want to participate - from the outpatient department and from the inpatient wards receive Reiki treatments once a week for two months and after that they have to fill in (with assistance or alone) an evaluation form where I am interested in finding out whether a) they feel that Reiki has improved their over all quality of life and b) in which area of their life they feel Reiki has worked particularly well for them. Of course there would be more questions than that on the evaluation form but that is what it comes down to. I would be willing to offer the treatments during the trial completely voluntarily. All I would need at the hospital is a small room and a massage table. Insurance wouldn't be a problem because I have insurance and the patients who want to take part in this have to give a written agreement. Doesn't that sound like a good idea?
I was so much hoping that I would find people who are interested in this and supportive of my idea. And, naively, I was thinking that particularly the people who know me from the past would be interested in this. But it seems that all of them are only saying one thing which is: go away.
Last week, I had to come to the conclusion that for now I have to step away from the idea a little. It doesn't mean that I give up on it, how could I? It is so so very close to my heart. But the constant rejection is just hurting too much and I think is giving me the feeling that I am constantly stuck in the same place. After all, my name is out there now, my contact details too, and everybody who is important or could be important in this knows of the idea; so if people wanted, they could contact me. But for now I won't contact anyone myself anymore. It's just too painful. Well, unless anyone here has an idea of what else I could try.
Mel.
