Re: Cancer is the best way to die?

I saw along with the rest of the family a once proud 12 stone woman reduced to a skeleton before she gave in to cervical cancer,nope its not a good way to die.

Re: Cancer is the best way to die?

On the subject of cancer,some of what stated here is obvious (mail article)but I'll present a brief family history.

Mother-cancer
Eldest brother-cancer
Eldest sister-cancer
Myself -cancer,prostate out and in remission.

Its in a bloodline and no amount research will convince me otherwise.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...nes-about.html

Re: Cancer is the best way to die?

I've already made my mind up that, if I get cancer, I don't want any treatment, just let nature take it's course with palliative care.

Re: Cancer is the best way to die?

I can completely understand that Alan.

I think young people will take treatment. They will try anything to prolong their wee lifes and I wouldn't blame them.

Its just a hellish disease.

Re: Cancer is the best way to die?

Nothing in the Daily Wail would convince me neither.

Re: Cancer is the best way to die?

My wife did not `suffer`-a blessing I guess. Nobody knew there was a secondary lurking next to her heart-gushing blood and it seemed she died in a few seconds. We never got to say `goodbye`

Re: Cancer is the best way to die?

Sorry to hear that OG. There are two sides to it. The side where we watch someone go downhill in pain and suffering. Or the side when loved ones get taken away in a whisper. Which is a huge shock.

There are no winners with terminal cancer.

Re: Cancer is the best way to die?

Me too, Alan.

I think this article was very badly written, and didn't present the full context. While I abhor the concept that "cancer is the best death" I think a lot of what he was saying was that we plough money into research for third-line treatments to try when all else has failed, and these may offer a few more months/weeks of life but the quality of that life is questionable.

I haven't really thought about this much before, always thinking I wanted to go quickly, like a sudden heart attack. But on the other hand, maybe having some time to get my things in order would be reassuring. No relatives to worry about so ultimately my death will only affect me, and I hope I have a say in it if I am ill.

Re: Cancer is the best way to die?

I think it makes us more aware that doctors are not God. They can't find a cure for the common cold, so what makes us think they can cure terminal illnesses?

A work colleague of mines did take treatment for her cancer. It gave her time to organise her own funeral, spend some quality time with her children. Generally get her business in order. She knew she was dying, but had the time to do things she wanted to do in the time she had left. Her mother was also dying of cancer, but ambulance staff from the local ambulance department took her from the hospice to see her mum, completely in their own time and unpaid. She spent an hour with her mum. A time she said was so worth it.

The treatment gave her some extra time. Every situation is, of course, different.

Re: Cancer is the best way to die?

They can't......terminal illness means incurable.