We all have our moments when we wish to be alone. Richard Loken's came when he was showering after cancer surgery. An 18-year-old nurse breezed in and chattered as his "soapy hands worked lather between necrotic folds of skin."
He wrote in his June 3 commentary ("The post-op routine: Turns out, it's personal") that as he heard her obtrusive, oblivious chatter about a signaling device attached to his body, he realized he "had become a nonentity."
My experiences have been different after cancer surgery. I have been treated by concerned professionals who looked after me mostly with skill and compassion.
Gina, Dawn, Susie and Kate (I don't know their last names) were a joy during my most recent visit to United Hospital's imaging center, during which I read Mr. Loken's commentary in that day's Star Tribune. Their presence enhanced my experience.
