Extended life, hope or truth.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2100684/Why-doctors-like-die-endure-pain-treatment-advanced-cancer.html<BR>
"Should I discover tomorrow that I have advanced, life-threatening cancer, I won't go rushing to the doctors for a heavily invasive course of medical treatment. No, I will shut up my London surgery, head to my home in Norfolk, stock up on gin and tonic and have a jolly good time until I meet my end.
Like most doctors, I understand that much of the care we offer patients who have serious, life-threatening illnesses is ultimately futile.

Worse, it can involve many months of gruelling treatments that might possibly extend the length of one's life, but do nothing for its quality.
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But most people — patients and their relatives — have hugely unrealistic expectations about what modern medicine can do to help those with life-threatening illnesses.
With pancreatic cancer, for example, which is often diagnosed late, the average length of time between diagnosis and death is usually less than six months.
If I had the disease, I would not attempt any of the treatments for it, such as chemotherapy, because it can be gruelling and misery-making, and the success rate is extremely low. I would rather have painkilling palliative care, which can do great things in helping to make you feel comfortable while you are dying.

'In one poll, around half of German specialists admitted that they would not undergo the operations they recommended to their patients'
The vast majority of doctors would know it was time to throw in the towel if they were told by a specialist that they had advanced, aggressive cancer, and that their treatment could, at best, improve their chances of surviving for five years by five per cent.
I can think of only one doctor among all my medical acquaintances who has had cancer and fought it with medicine all the way to their death."

"
'Often, the patients themselves would like their treatment stopped, but feel they can't say this because of the pressure from relatives to keep fighting'"

Keep fighting? Or give up hope?

Posted by Synapse
"Give up." I've never seen the point in extending a life under poor conditions. That just isn't smart in my opinion. I'd rather go out with a bang than silence.

Life is not fair, it seems. I asked my mother this last night, "why is life so cruel and unfair?"

It takes those away who are needed in this world, like a mother who is still needed by her children, to see them grow and see them marry someday. Which is why you wonder why life is so unfair.

Posted by starlover
My sister underwent intense chemo and died in agony, god rest her

I would not go for all that treatment...and would choose to surrender


Lisa who is in your default pic?

a very close aunt of mine died of cancer, when the doctors told her that they could do nothing and sent her home, it was plainly said, she is going to die. But she wanted to die with her family around her.

but she suffered in agony.

it is Scott Weiland, i like this photo of him because he looks very much /exactly like my husband.

Posted by starlover
Wow my inner voice said *her husband* 😄

The cancer thing is cruel...both my dad and sis passed from it last year ~ my dad refused treatment and thankfully passed quietly and not in pain

Sorry for your aunt lisa 😢

*smiles at your intuition*

I'm sorry to hear about your dad and sister too, i wish cancer never existed or that they find a cure someday. I'm so tired of seeing and hearing about loved ones and people I know whose loved ones have died from it. It is an evil and cruel joke to have someone you love just snatch away from you like that, something so vicious like this disease.

I dont want to give up hope, ever. It's just too terrible to not have any.