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Prognosis
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Nov 24, 2012 - 6:37 pm
I had one of my husband's family members want me to talk to the doctor and ask for a prognosis for my husband. His doctor has been wonderful and has said he will tell us as much as we want to know. I know I can't ask the doctor this in front of my hubs but do any of you suggest I call the doctor beforehand and ask? I know that everyone lives and dies in God's time but didn't know if I should call and just talk to the doctor to see what he says. Any suggestions here? |
Joined: Aug 2012
A few thoughts.
The MD is likely to be coy about percentages of recovery and life expectancy. This is not out of nastiness but part of the common MD philosophy that these are basically unknowables and in any case vary so greatly across individuals that no macro estimates for larger populations are reliable.
Because you are unlikely to get a straight direct answer, I do not see the problem with discussing it in front of your husband. Most MD's prefer to give maximum disclosure to the patient himself anyway, although I am not sure this is always the optimal way.
I am a statistician and try to pin down statistical projections of my own (4th stage RCC) situation with MDs and these usually refuse to cooperate. Maybe they are right in doing so.
In any case, even if the statistics were not encouraging, the doc will say, and he will be correct, that statistics do not matter, what matters is just that in your individual case things improve or work! Hard to argue with that!
Even if things look gloomy, a bit of optimism in the patient can still translate into real physical improvement. Trust me, I know this the hard way!
Depression releases real chemicals in the body that reduce recovery and prospects, while laughter releases chemicals that do the opposite!
Happy thanksgiving!
Joined: Mar 2012