[2SQ-Two Shot Questions-] This is a documentary that asks 50 questions to two people who are involved in social issues. The full version of 50Q can be found in the description. Please subscribe to the channel and turn on notifications. ▼Episode 01 Ι First time cancer treatment edition Takeshi Hirohashi, a palliative care doctor, has thyroid cancer. Yuko Suzuki, a respiratory medicine doctor, has stage 4 colon cancer. What did doctors learn from becoming cancer patients? They talk candidly about how to choose a hospital, how to announce the disease, and how long they will live. ▼Click here for the edition on death from a doctor who has had cancer • [70% of life expectancy prognoses are wrong] 50 questions for a cancer doctor Ι 2SQ ▼Click here for the National Cancer Center Cancer Information Service https://ganjoho.jp/public/index.html Q1. What is your name? I'm Takeshi Hirohashi. (Hereafter, Hirohashi) I'm Yuko Suzuki. (Hereafter, Suzuki) Q2. How old are you? Hirohashi) 48 years old Suzuki) 57 years old Q3. Where are you from today? Hirohashi) I'm from Ueno, Tokyo. Suzuki) Abashiri city, Hokkaido. Q4. What is your specialty? Hirohashi) Palliative care. Suzuki) Respiratory medicine. Q5. What about your family? Hirohashi) My wife is a former nurse, and I have a son who is in middle school. Suzuki) I live with my husband, a salmon fisherman, and his parents. Q6. What do your family call you? Hirohashi) Takeshi. Suzuki) Yu-chan. Q7. What made you decide to become a doctor? Hirohashi) Because I thought it was a deep profession that affected people's lives. Suzuki) I met a doctor I didn't like, and he taught me what not to do. Q8. What would you give your company a catchphrase? Hirohashi) A two-sword palliative care doctor (at home and in the hospital) Suzuki) One consultation, one smile Q9. What was your first impression of each other? Hirohashi) He's from Kansai! Suzuki) That was a great first impression! Q10. What kind of cancer? Hirohashi) I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer last year. Suzuki) I had colon cancer 8 years ago and it has metastasized. Q11. What stage is it? Hirohashi) I had a total removal in the early stages. Suzuki) It's stage 4. Q12. How did you find out? Hirohashi) A health check. Suzuki) I was having severe constipation and thought something was wrong. Q13. What did you do after you noticed you were feeling unwell? Hirohashi) I had it checked at my own hospital. Suzuki) I did a blood test myself. Q14. In one word, how did you feel when you found out you had cancer? Hirohashi) So it's cancer... Suzuki) I was shocked. Q15. How did you receive the news? Hirohashi & Suzuki) I looked at the electronic medical records myself. Q16. How did you tell your family? Hirohashi) I hesitated for about a week, and then I told my wife in person. Suzuki) I told her over the phone. My husband was speechless and started crying, and I started crying too. Q17. How did you choose your hospital? Hirohashi) I chose it after consulting with fellow doctors. Suzuki) I chose the university hospital at my alma mater where I have many friends. Q18. What treatment did you choose? Hirohashi/Suzuki) Surgery first. Q19. What should ordinary people do first if they get cancer? Hirohashi) Go to the cancer information service website! Suzuki) Be sure to consult with your doctor who diagnosed you. Q20. What are some tips for ordinary people when choosing a hospital? Hirohashi) It's best to choose based on objective data rather than word of mouth. Suzuki) Standard treatment can be received anywhere in the country, so I think the most important thing is ease of access. Q21. Is it the doctor's personality or skill? Hirohashi) Surgery is all about skill, so it's skill. Suzuki) Long-term treatment is difficult, so the doctor's personality is also important. Q22. What surprised you about getting cancer? Hirohashi/Suzuki) I received information about dubious religions and supplements! Q23. What was the most difficult part of cancer treatment? Hirohashi) Not being able to move my body after surgery. Suzuki) Everything. It was difficult. Q24. What did you gain from being a doctor? Hirohashi) Being able to access correct information. Suzuki) Being able to receive treatment at work without taking time off work. Q25. What are the disadvantages of being a doctor? Hirohashi & Suzuki) Even when I was hospitalized, I couldn't fully empathize with the patient and had to be considerate! Q26. Has anything changed since you became a patient yourself? Hirohashi & Suzuki) It all comes down to understanding how difficult it is for patients. Q27. Do you hate cancer? Hirohashi) I don't think it's the emotion of hatred. Suzuki) I do. Q28. What is the best way to deal with cancer? Hirohashi & Suzuki) It's really important to live a life that doesn't revolve around cancer. Q29. What do you keep in mind in your daily life? Hirohashi) I started making a list of things I want to do. Suzuki) I'm trying to live happily, just like before I got cancer. Q30. What encourages me? Hirohashi) Maybe it's the presence of people in the same situation. Suzuki) Having my husband. Q31. What are the side effects of anti-cancer drugs? Hirohashi & Suzuki) There's been a lot of progress, and in recent years, nausea has been greatly reduced. Q32. Have you been told how much time you have left to live? Hirohashi & Suzuki) I haven't. Q33. Are life expectancy predictions accurate? Hirohashi) There is a paper that says that 1/3 of doctors' life expectancy predictions are incorrect. Suzuki) They're not accurate. Q34. What do you think about the disease called cancer? Hirohashi & Suzuki) It doesn't equal death. Q35. What do you think about the progress in cancer medicine? Hirohashi) I think that customized treatment will become possible. Suzuki) One day, the time will come when it will be cured. I want to live until then. Q36. Do you think about death? Hirohashi) Since I was diagnosed with cancer, I've been aware that life is limited. Suzuki) I try not to think about it. ...Because it's scary. Q37. Have you written a will? Hirohashi & Suzuki) I have kept notes on bank accounts and other administrative matters. Q38. What would you like to say to yourself before you had cancer? Hirohashi) Don't push yourself too hard at work. Suzuki) Go for regular checkups. Q39. If you had a time machine, when would you go? Hirohashi) When you were in middle school. I wish I had studied more. Suzuki) When I was newlyweds. Q40. Are you doing your favorite idol activities? Hirohashi) I'm making a pilgrimage to the holy sites of the anime "Laid-Back Camp△". Suzuki) I'm really inspired by the song "Ikiru" by Crazy Ken Band. Q41. If you were to become a doctor again, what specialty would you be? Hirohashi) Psychiatry. Suzuki) Same as now, gastroenterology. Q42. Have you ever encountered the question "Is there a doctor here?" Hirohashi) Actually, once on an airplane! Suzuki) I'd like to encounter that. Q43. Do doctors like medical dramas? Hirohashi) Surgeons are so cool, aren't they? Suzuki) But there are plenty of things to point out. Q44. What do you often eat when you have cancer? Hirohashi) Garigari-kun. Easy to eat even during treatment! Suzuki) Sweets. I don't want to hold back because of my illness. Q45. When was the last time you cried? Hirohashi) My son's middle school entrance exam. Suzuki) I cried at my favorite idol's live show. Q46. Has your relationship with your family changed since you got cancer? Hirohashi) I've been able to spend more time with my family. Suzuki) It must have been hard for me, but he never showed any signs of it, and I realized how strong my husband is. Q47. Is there anything else you'd like to say to your family? Hirohashi) Thank you for treating me normally, even after I got sick. Suzuki) I'm sorry. Q48. What is the most important thing in fighting cancer? Hirohashi & Suzuki) The determination to live without giving up. Q49. What message would you give to people in the same situation? Hirohashi) Don't put up with it, rely on palliative care. Suzuki) Don't give up, don't give up, it'll be okay! Q50. Are you happy now? Hirohashi & Suzuki) I'm happy. *Filming was done with due consideration given to measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. #cancer #documentary #50questions