Re: It's not only the press
I helped look after my father after finding out suddenly without any warning that he was diagnosed with cancer, lining the lungs and a large tumour on his liver.
He just was in serious pain one day out of the blue, like I said no warning signs at all and the scariest bit of all.
The therapy went on for more than a year and the cancer was just about beaten, his health and weight suffered and looked a lot older than before but the prognosis was good and would have to endure two or three more treatments before a review and probable remission.
He wasn't able to have the next treatment but instead had a blood transfusion and told to rest for now, eat well etc.
The next month he started the last phase of chemotherapy and unknowing to us had become weary of the after effects, drinking loads of water and taking the after medication to flush out the chemicals.
Well he was fed up with going the loo for a pee all night and had stopped taking them.
We'd all got into a routine over the course of time and never thought he would be so stubborn like this.
So basically when his abdomen bloated and he was in pain a trip to A&E and telling the doctor what his condition was, his first question was about the after medication.
He confessed what he had done and we had to tell him his liver and kidneys were gone, three days later so was he.
So chemotherapy is very hard on the body we'd all agree but how many deaths are the result of the patient being stubborn?
I don't know but could have had my father around for many more years, I think he just got tired of it all.
When the oncology department rang up a few months later to schedule an appointment and check up were very surprised to hear the news, I told them what had happened, thanked them for their help and they said this does happen sometimes, it's not your fault.
The article the reg reports on could do a massive amount of harm and suffering, he was originally given weeks to live and without the treatment would have had no chance at all.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
