All about Cancer

[ammonite]

MrsKiasu:

I have no definite ans too. The immediate reaction would be try all possible ways. But after awhile, may be able to think better, realising the chances? My (almost immediate) thought was the possibility of the patient (could be either one) request for not to continue treatment, and the thing I saw was hugging and crying together.. why suddenly have this discussion arh..first Jen's side now here..yalah that is fact of life :sad: the more we should treasure our life

Ya it is a fact of life. How will you decide for a child with cancer and how will you decide for an elderly with cancer etc. People tend to go all out for a child, but when do you reach the point when you give up? The doctors and nurses are very very careful not to advise that because they may get blamed for it. They will be very indirect and use roundabout language and if a person is new to this, it is natural to want to keep trying and trying, often to great sufferings.

[zbear]

ammonite:

In fact, i believe one does not \"recover\" from cancer, can only say it has gone into remission. It depends on the spread and location of the cancer, the age, the individual's will and the family finances. Some people prefer quality of life to length of life, others want that chance no matter how slim.

This is so true. Chemo treatment may kill the cancer cells in that infected area but there is no guarantee that cancer cells will not appear in other areas at a later stage n it becomes even more difficult to fight against them especially when you are much older.

Once diagnosed with cancer, life is never the same for the patient even though you may be certified ok after treatment. The fear of relapse will always be there. It's just a matter of time or rather when you are called up.

[starlight1968sg]

There is no cure for cancer. The treatment is to control the faulty cells until they become uncontrollable by using a cocktail of drugs

[Nebbermind]

starlight1968sg:

subsidized: delay attention which leads to faster death.

private: prompt attention which delays death

I guess it depends on the age of discovery. At 80, how much more it treatment prolong? Can tahan the intensity of the treatment or not?

[hercules]

Nebbermind:

I guess it depends on the age of discovery. At 80, how much more it treatment prolong? Can tahan the intensity of the treatment or not?

For chemo, I heard there are three options:

1. 'Standard' - injection that runs through whole body. Max side effects. 'Standard offer' to subsidised patients.

2. Oral Med - lesser side effects (not sure subsidised patients 'entitled' to this treatment or not).

3. Injection - lease side effects as injection is 'part specific' (only private patients can opt for this as it's about $3000/injection and many injections are required over a period of time).

So, if one wants 'comfort', needs to pay; also meaning my friend has to decide whether 'Standard' treatment if she opts to appeal to downgrade to subsidised patient or to stay as a private to get Option 3 for her dad (I can't bring myself to tell her the fourth option is to give up treatment and concentrate to learn on pain management).

All in all, I still encourage all to get a private IP plan for self and ALL family members. Go save on others but to 'plan' for this expensive contingency to rid self of worries. Buy it if your health is still permissible (once women are over 40, usually it becomes more difficult to buy as a standard life coz most of the time, the fibroid issues start to set in and then have to face probable exclusion of reproductive organs etc. Even if this has to be excluded, it is still advisable to buy coz disease can appear anywhere).

[floppy]

Nebbermind:

I guess it depends on the age of discovery. At 80, how much more it treatment prolong? Can tahan the intensity of the treatment or not?

At 80, I would suggest to put off all treatment and enjoy the remainder of the patient's life. He / she is going to die, may as well enjoy the remaining bits.

[Jennifer]

If cancer strikes me now, I will opt for no treatment. Why burden others financially?

[starlight1968sg]

Jennifer:

If cancer strikes me now, I will opt for no treatment. Why burden others financially?

Jennifer
Depends on the stage/spread and age, if still relatively young and early stage, one should not deny any treatment

[lee_yl]

.

[Jennifer]

starlight1968sg:

Jennifer:

If cancer strikes me now, I will opt for no treatment. Why burden others financially?

Jennifer
Depends on the stage/spread and age, if still relatively young and early stage, one should not deny any treatment

Everyone sees life differently.