Venting I guess

I know in the world of science, anecdotal evidence does not count for anything.  But here are two cases that I know of.  The mother of a friend was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and given less than six months to live.  They put her on hospice.  Her hospice benefits ran out, and she was doing fine.  She did not have any additional scans, but her CEA levels returned to normal.  She went on for three years of normal life, finally passing in her mid-nineties from a flu.  

Another woman I know is in her mid-eighties.  She has had several bouts of cancer and was diagnosed with lymphoma two years ago and told that, with chemo, she had six months to live.  She elected not to go on the chemo.  After six months, she asked the doctors why she was not dead.  They told her, "oh, I guess we were wrong, you must have the slow-moving lymphoma, not the fast moving lymphoma."  This Summer she is driving cross-countly with her husband and has no ill effects of symptoms of cancer, other than catching colds easily.

These stories prove little, other than that there are exceptions to the rule and doctors do not know everything.  My philosophy is to take each day as a gift and live it to its fullest.

I hope things brighten for you soon. 

I do not think when a person who clearly functions need to go to hospice. Hospice can also be stopped. They bill hospice services monthly by count days when they were visiting. In my insurance it is 720 days of hospice coverage when hospice people are invokved that may be in the beginning only 10 days a month. I always thought that I would be able to move to hospice house when I start going downhill and spend there 2 months or so. Wrong. I went to the local hospice house and talked with them. They taje folks when death is imminent for the last week or so. They will visit you in a house, assisted living facility. There must be someone who must take care if you in those last 2-3 months or so and it is not there problem. I put documents on file with the local health care agency. 24-7 care is 17k per month. The issue is that many of those caregivers prefer to sit in a couch or  do A Facebook all day long. Someone needs to monitor what they do. I don t have any family in the US. I have a good friend with elderly mother with a solid denentia. She is in a nursing home. They don’t do their job and the family had to hire the private caregiver who sits next to her bEd. Someone needs to keep an eye on whats going on when you are very physically sick and your mind is off. Due to the fact that Karen indicated that there are issues with the family I am concerned in who will keep an eye on her and do proper coordination of neccessary activities.,Butt.

Since you are getting advice which you don't agree with, I would ask...why do you think I need to go on hospice?  What is it about my condition that makes you recommend it now rather than later?  See if the answers bring you any clarification.

Worth time and effort to get clarification for both you and your doctors.

Marie who loves kitties

KarenMG said:

Thanks a bunch

I appreciate so all your replies and all the very inspirational thoughts. Things have been crazy hectic and still battling this lingering virus and etc. 

Still sick and I can’t imagine that it’s a good idea to get toxic chemicals dumped into my body right now, unless of course I just wanted to speed up my demise...that’s how this feels, so I’m going to have to postpone starting chemo this week. I’m really worried that they will get angry with me for cancelling last minute, I hope they understand and don’t write me off. 

Whatever happens in the next 2 weeks, I will not be signing up for Hospice at this time. 

Thanks for your heartfelt responses. 

Karen

They won't get mad. In fact, they might have delayed the chemo for your sickness. They want your body to be able to dight.