moving to end of life care for my dad, but i've not given up

i'm finding it hard to accept the doctor moving my dad to end of life care. i know its important to be at peace and accept we all have to die at some point, but.....i can't let go of seaching online for other drugs, other trials that he might help him. Or second guessing if the doctors have done enough, or are they denying him anything because of their QALY calculations....the cost of extending an old man's life is not worth it perhaps. 

papers are full of success stories about cancer trials curing cancer.

reading these, how can i not try my hardest to find something for my dad.

i know i'm exhibiting the 'fix it' trait - and its not an area I can fix - but at the same time - what if there exists something out there that can help, and noone else is helping him find it?

anyone have similar issues or any tips?

  • Hi Blooskies, I don't have any specific suggestions except to say there will always (for all of us) be a "shoulda" thought process.  The reality is that even if you found the most cutting edge drug and programme it would likely be prolonging rather than curing --- so put your energy in the last little while with him.  I say this with a Father in stage IV and trying to find the right path for him.  Keep messaging if you want to chat. 

  • thank you for your reply. and sorry to hear you are also going through this. i suppose people on this forum all must be in simlar boats, unless people come here for other reasons.

    i understand what you say...enjoy the precious time what's left. and also not have the loved one go thru more hospital viisits and possible side effects, for unknown outcomes.

    its still hard to block out the idea of lucking out with a response to a drug that even if it prolongs by 6  /8 / 12 months, we'd take it, desperate as we are. even at stage iv, i've read artciles about people resonding really well to some drugs e..g immunotherapy

    part of me feels we've had nothing but bad luck on this journey, nothing responding like it was expected to, that surely at some point, we'd catch a break and get a good result...[i know not necessarily]

    there's a webiste with all the clinical trials that are going on in the world. i been having a look on it. but i dont think i understand all the medical terms for inclusions and exclusions etc.

    anyway, thanks, good luck.

  • Thanks for sharing Blooskies. We are at the junction point with our dad and feel the doctors are on the verge of putting him on a palliative pathway too. However, we haven't even started any treatment yet and so feel there is more that can be done so we're also also researching and getting a 2nd opinion. 

    I've personally accepted that we may only have a short time left with dad so we can enjoy the time we have now. But I'm also not giving up and will try everything we can as long as dad is comfortable and still wants to fight. 

     

  • good for you. do all you can, research, ask questions, second opinions. that's what I did. you dont want to have any regrets about not doing your best. and spend as much time together as you can. cause you never know how long have.

    i had a very short but intense journey with my dad. but i didn't stop reseraching or looking for other treatments. we just ran out of time. and had a very rare cancer so nothing seemed like an option.

    all the best to you.