Would family and friends be shocked if they refused treatment? If it's so bad the colon needs to be removed, won't some people prefer just to die from the cancer? The whole stoma thing... I couldn't do it.
Cancer - 9 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Chemotherapy alone is not going to bring the cure. Nobody can/will force you to have an operation if you don't want it. But remember that having a segment of the colon doesn't necessarily mean that you will have a stoma. Often the two ends of the bisected colon are simply anastomosed together. Most people who actually have a stoma live a happy life with it. Given the choice between a stoma and death, most people will chose the stoma.Unfotunately some alternative practitioners exploit peoples predjudices/fears and offer them worthless treatments.
2 :
Patients are always able to refuse treatment in the US. THe exceptions can be minor children, pregnant women, and some folks with psych disorders. As to family and friends being shocked, who knows? I have an advanced directive that states unless I say differently, I do not want to be placed on a ventilator, receive CPR, dialysis or insulin. My MDs and my husband are aware of this, and have copies. Having said that, last year I was nearly intubated with my consent. When push comes to shove, you may think differently than what you expect.
3 :
In the end it's the patients choice. If you would rather die then to live who knows how much longer then it is your choice. no one can force you to do it unless they have medical power of attorney over you or you are a minor. If you can't bare to live with a stoma then you can choose to die. family and friends probably wouldn't understand as most people would do anything to live just a little bit longer. Most people would have the surgery especially if they didn't have to take too much of the colon out and a lot of times they can sow the intestines back together and the stoma will heal up.
4 :
Well, if your quality of life is so dependent on sitting on a toilet and wiping yourself afterward, then you certainly have the choice to refuse treatment and die a pretty horrific death. I think given the choice, I'd take the surgery. Living is pretty cool, even if it means having to deal with a bag of waste periodically. I've had chemo, and so going through it again, while not tops on my list of things I want to do, it's certainly do-able.
5 :
Nobody can force you to have medical treatment you don't want. Many cancer patients have to weigh up quality of life over quantity, and make decisions based on the percentages by which the recommended treatment would increase their chances of survival. You never know, until you're in the situation, what you would do. I once thought I could never have a mastectomy, and that I would rather die; and I certainly thought I would never have chemotherapy. When push came to shove and I was diagnosed with aggressive advanced breast cancer I had both - though with both I was undecided right up till almost the last minute. And I'm glad I did - I'm alive and well. But if I had a recurrence or secondary cancer, I would again take account of by how much treatment would improve my chances of survival against my likely quality of life during that prolonged survival. I can certainly forsee situations in which I would refuse further chemotherapy. The reaction of your family and friends to a proposed refusal of treatment will vary; they love you and want the best for you, they also don't want to lose you. But it's the patient's decision and it has to be respected
6 :
I was diagnosed with cervical cancer when I was 26. Recommended treatment: hysterectomy. Well, I'm still sitting here with my uterus and I am just fine. Was my family shocked? Nope. They know me well enough to know I only trust doctors about 50% of the time. I totally agree with you. I couldn't do the stoma thing either.
7 :
Yes, they can deny treatment. Family and friends would not be shocked but they may be heartbroken for the rest of their lives. As long as the patient is aware of the options and the fact that at some point in time better choices may become available . . there are always new options coming up . . so it is possible a patient would make a decision to not pursue treatment only to have a new treatment become available to save the colon . . but it would be too late for that patient. Cancer patients always live with the knowledge that medical research changes constantly and what isn't available today may be available next year. It takes more courage to live under those circumstances. But again, it is an individuals choice.
8 :
Well you would not want to die when all they had to do was hand a bag from your side for you to live. If there is not hope then refuse treatment, but if there is not hope...I would still try it a while to see if it would help me live longer. A loving family will stand by what you want to do, but chemo or removal of colon,,, I would say get to cutting Dr.
9 :
In America, any cancer patient has the right to refuse ANY help. What it comes down to, is how willing is the cancer person to die a horrible death in a LOT of pain? When the cancer got advanced, the patient wouldn't think about the stoma, because he'd be reduced to wearing a diaper, or peeing himself, unable to move like a real person anymore. What is important, is how much a person wants to live, and how much that life means to him. I hate getting chemo, but I do it in order to stay alive and happy with the husband I love
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