The Exit Stamp

The other day, I listened to one of my housemates relate a story of her aunt who was diagnosed with cancer. The lung cancer had developed without adverse symptoms, except for a persistent cough. It is not uncommon for people to ignore such symptoms and get used to living with it. In her case, a relative who was a doctor picked it up and she was referred for further medical investigations. The tests came out positive for a final stage lung cancer. The prognosis was that she had 6 months to live. The family decided for themselves to spare the patient of the news of the cancer and the time frame that she had left. Then, when she had a month left on her prognosis, they told her. Needless to say, she took a turn for the worst after hearing the news and passed away with much mental and physical suffering. She left behind a husband and two children, aged 5 and 3.

A death sentence from a terminal illness is no doubt one of the worst experiences one can go through, unimaginable even; undergoing the phases of grief, watching the time with family and friends slip away, feeling the gradual loss of control over self, having flashbacks of the life lived before the news of  the cancer, the physical pain and finally, the fear. No one can be perfectly ready for it.

Now, it can be debated if it is better for a family to be honest with the patient all along and let them suffer mentally for a longer period, than not tell them and let them succumb to the disease unaware or in her case, tell her late so she had only a month's time to suffer mentally, compared to six months.

Personally, I am of the opinion that it is important for a patient to know what's going on with them, however bitter the truth may be. It is, after all, the reality. Okay, perhaps we can leave out cancer patients who are very young children and elderly folk from this argument. But if it were me, I'd WANT to know because the only sense of control left for me would be to decide how I am going to deal with the new reality and for this, I need the transparency from the doctors and the family. If they withheld such information from me and told me too late, I'd be very angry for not having any authority over decisions concerning my disease and feel betrayed for being 'robbed' of the few precious months I had to live, coming to terms with the disease, making any amends and making any other arrangements before my exit. And that's why I was deeply affected after hearing that story. What if she also wanted the same things that I want?

Far more important than the frivolous matters I usually blog about and on the topic of health, there are things that we need constant reminders for. Our immune system is the best weapon/ defence we have against diseases that can affect our quality of life. Sure, life is good now so we have taken our health for granted. But what about 5 - 10 years from now? So even when armed with the know-how of building a good battle system, what really keeps us from making one?

It's not a simple and straightforward formula, but let's be reminded and encouraged to make the little changes that we can: 

• Eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and low in saturated fat.
• Exercise regularly.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Control your blood pressure.
• If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.
• Get adequate sleep.
• Take steps to avoid infection, such as washing your hands frequently and cooking meats thoroughly.
• Get regular medical screening tests for people in your age group and risk category

Source and highly recommended reading: "How to boost your immune system", Harvard Health Publications.