Yesterday was the anniversary of the passing of my mother-in-law. She died from cancer that originated in her breast and metastasized to her lung and liver. It was as painful to watch her wither away from cancer as it was my own mother. She has been gone now eleven years. Her death was clearly from the cancer, as she had begged us to not let the doctor order any more treatment. Her quality of life was very poor. She was too weak to walk or eat. Her last days were spent in a hospice facility at the age of 68. The kindness and compassion of the nurses is what I remember the most.
I personally feel that with all the greed that is going on the world today that we have lost the empathy and compassion that patients want. They want to know their options and they want a doctor that will give them some quality of life in their remaining days. Palliative care that will ease any discomfort they have and help them in their final days. We had to beg for the palliative care for my mother and it was denied by a doctor. He told our family it was his job to do any treatment to keep her alive despite the severe suffering she was in. He offered no palliative care and would not sign any papers to allow hospice to help her or us. She died two days later. He would not speak to us and a nurse told us that he was there to generate money for the hospital. Her death is one of the most gruesome deaths I have witnessed as a nurse. It was greed of the hospital and administration.
I have witnessed greed one too many times in last couple of years. We need drugs to help cancer patients conquer their cancer. Patients need drugs that don't leave them bankrupt and unable to live the rest of their life.
We need oncologists to help cancer patients with a survivorship plan once they are in remission. A plan that will give them the best quality of life. My husband's oncologist of three years said there was no such thing as a survivorship plan on two different occasions. My husband has been left with the burden of side effects that affect his daily life and the anxiety of an uncertain future. I guess the institution got their money and doctor reminded us his job was to prescribe chemotherapy and no more. The NCCS states that all cancer patients should receive a comprehensive summary and follow up plan from their doctor. This plan will help them improve their health and the quality of life. Google the NCCS to view the elements of the survivorship plan. So I wonder whose job is it to ensure that a patient has a survivorship plan. These great ideas always look good on paper, but they only work if they are instituted by the cancer center and the oncologist in charge of the patient.
Cancer is not just prescribing a drug to kill the cancer. It is a life long partnership with a doctor that you have entrusted to help you live a quality life.
We have learned our lesson that large institutions may give us hope for a cure for cancer, but their false advertising of anything beyond the chemotherapy was just a bait. Or was it just a burned out doctor ?
God bless my mother and mother-in-law ! You have given me strength and purpose to make sure that patients are receiving the quality of life they deserve.
Life is beautiful !
Elizabeth:)
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