Cancer sufferer refutes "Cancer is the best way to die"

Referring to this topic and thread: http://www.newsfixboard.com/t7402-cancer-is-the-best-way-to-die-and-we-should-stop-wasting-billions-on-trying-to-cure-it-doctor-says?highlight=Cancer


Larry is 59 and has advanced pancreatic cancer. Here, he responds to a recent article claiming that cancer is ‘the best way to die

As an oesophageal cancer survivor of 9 years – and now a terminal pancreatic cancer patient – I was deeply offended by Dr Richard Smith’s recent article in the BMJ in which he stated that “cancer is the best way to die” and concluding with “let’s stop wasting billions trying to cure cancer”.

My first reaction was to pen a scathing attack on the author and publisher who, in my humble opinion, acted irresponsibly, resulting in a global media frenzy that focused on those shocking sound bites.

However, another recent in-depth media debate – this time around the barbaric massacre at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris – reminded me that the right to offend is a fundamental principle of freedom of speech!

That stimulated a rethink, and I concluded that I should not focus on the offence, but engage in the debate and test the hypotheses that Dr. Richard Smith’s article put forward.

So, is cancer the best way to die? Let’s look a little deeper into this.

Richard suggests two reasons for this hypothesis.

A slower death gives you time to put your affairs in order and resolve your goodbyes.
A cancer death is only unpleasant for a few weeks at the end.
Well, I’m now in my fourth month of my death sentence, and I will share with you my direct experience on these two points.

To be fair to Richard, I do believe that a slower death has the benefits that he suggests in his first point. BUT – and it’s a big ‘but’ – this would apply to many other terminal diagnoses as well, and is more an argument for delayed versus sudden death, NOT an argument that actually supports his hypothesis.

Additionally, I would point out that it really doesn’t take very long to put your affairs in order. In my particular case I would say that I had mostly completed this part of the process in around 2 weeks, which included legal, financial and communications with family and friends. I had certainly fully completed it within 4 weeks.

So let’s move on to the second point: a terminal cancer death is ‘only unpleasant in the last few weeks’.

Sorry Richard, you couldn’t be more wrong if you tried.

I will walk you through three aspects that you need to study much more closely before you make these types of blanket assertions.

Psychological aspects

While I was on post-operative chemotherapy, when I was faced with the reality that my cancer had spread I went into denial, and thought that my medical team must be wrong.

I inundated them with questions, and suggestions of how my previous history of liver aberrations could be responsible for a misdiagnosis.

Of course I realise now how futile that was. But I needed counselling to help me to that realisation.

However, what this highlights is that I was immediately suffering from the news. That meant not being able to sleep, not being able to get it out of my mind. Being scared, bewildered, confused and angry.

Now as I highlighted earlier, those feelings would probably be appended to any terminal diagnosis. But I had already undergone a Whipple operation with extreme difficulties because of my previous oesophagectomy, and had spent 24 weeks in post-operative chemotherapy.

On top of this, I was convinced that I had yet again miraculously beaten ‘the big C’. I felt strong, (well strong-ish) and was holding my weight. I was planning to return to my high powered job.

But the moment those liver lesions came up on the CT scan, it all got dashed on the rocks.

So, sorry Richard, but the psychological impact is way bigger, and occurs earlier, than you seem to realise. I could probably write a whole book on the psychological aspects, but I’ll leave you with a few clues:

I have no idea if I’ll live two months or two years. HUGE problem. How on earth am I to plan what I do, or how I fund it? That drives me mad, and is a constant inner battle. Remember how actress Linda Bellingham wanted one more Christmas? She took the conscious decision to halt her chemo last November, so that she could enjoy it and then die shortly after. Great plan! However a month after she made that plan, in September, she died anyway.
The progress of my chemotherapy – which is my only weapon for ’buying time‘ – is a constant worry. How am I doing? Why do the markers shoot up so fast and come down so slowly?
How soon will the cancer get round the chemo, which it certainly will?
What will it be like when my liver starts shutting down?
How much pain will I be in?
How will my dignity be maintained? I had my first bowel accident on Saturday night.
At times I can actually find myself feeling guilt! If I manage to survive a number of years, how much pain and stress will that cause those around me? Crazy but true.


Please read the rest of the article : http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2015/01/19/cancer-the-best-way-to-die-you-couldnt-be-more-wrong-if-you-tried/comment-page-12/#comments

I think the best way to die is a 9mm to the head.  That's why so many we hear about, who have terminal illnesses, do that.  You avoid all of the pain and misery.

But I don't care about pain.  I have a tremendous curiosity.  I would never do suicide in case there's something I haven't learned or experienced, right here.  Like when you're leaving the theme park Funland or Playland at the Beach...I would hate to be floating up there in the clouds and look down and say, 'Oh shit, I wish I'd tried that ride!'

AFTER having had a few family members and friends pass away from the nasty effects and complications from various cancers over the years, (and the most recent, only three weeks ago..) I would like nothing more than to to take that misguided and misbegotten "Doctor" Dickhead Smith who started these ridiculous claims out the back with a telephone book and a rubber hose...

AND teach him a few "life lessons"..

I agree with you both; I don't think its the best way to go at all.
My dad died within three months of having his diagnosis (complications of chemo etc) but I remember one McMillan nurse say to us, that Cancer can linger on and change people and that some times it's better to go quickly in the long run.

I think Id more listen to a Cancer sufferer than a boffin who thinks he knows....