For most people, you could opt for hospice care. The hospice nurses just load you up with morphine and you stop breathing in your sleep. Peaceful and painless. Of course, I don't have that option being on a vent. Death from cancer for me will be long, drawn out, and miserable
On Sun, Aug 28, 2022 at 10:35 AM Jeffrey Gaede <[email protected]> wrote: > For those ready to "cash in their chips", for lack of a better expression > this morning, and I do understand where you're coming from, have you > thought about what having cancer, what dying from cancer might be like, or > did you have other plans? > Jeff > > On Thursday, August 25, 2022 at 11:59:32 AM PDT, Greg < > [email protected]> wrote: > > > Greg, > > Receiving those results from the Cologuard test must have been a bit of a > shock. I hope you fall into that 13% false positive group. > > I'm 58, and was due for another colonoscopy earlier this year. It would > have been my third in 15 years. My doctor told me to call him back with a > date and he would set it up with my gastroenterologist. Two weeks later my > doctor retired and I have not yet seen his replacement. I never picked a > date and I never called him back, so I still haven't had the colonoscopy. > Like most, it's the prep that makes it so difficult. And of course, the > prep is even more difficult for my caregiver. But putting all that aside, I > am almost certain I would reject whatever treatment necessary to tackle the > problem if they discovered cancer. I have lived a comfortable, full life, > relatively free from serious health problems. But I know without a doubt > that my life is only going to get harder going forward. And not just a > little bit harder, but a lot harder. I lost my dad last year, and mom is > not getting any younger. 35 years of quad-dom is quite enough for me. > Anything beyond this point is just the credits rolling. I'll enjoy what I > can, but I'm not willing to spend my remaining days recovering from colon > surgery and/or chemotherapy should I be diagnosed. > > Having said all that, my dad was diagnosed with colon cancer when he was > 58. They discovered it during another surgical procedure, brought him out > of anesthesia, broke the news, had him sign some papers, put him back > under, and removed a sizable length of his colon. He then underwent > chemotherapy, and it was a terrible two year ordeal. BUT, he survived, > eventually felt much better, and lived another 20 years in good health. All > of us were glad he chose to fight it. That is of course a personal decision. > > Good luck with the colonoscopy. If you receive good news from the > procedure, and you are anything like me, you will come out of it feeling > better for having cleaned yourself out, maybe lost a few pounds, and you > will vow to do better going forward, to eat better, and take better care of > yourself. And if you're anything like me, you will be wolfing down a pizza > and chugging a couple tallboys by the end of the week. I look forward to > hearing your good report. > > Greg > > > On Sun, Aug 21, 2022 at 5:58 PM Greg <[email protected]> wrote: > > Recently had a positive Cologuard Test. So doing a colonoscopy next week. > I almost said no. I just can't handle the prep. Drinking that nasty stuff. > But the Doc said I could do just pills and water. 12 pills lots of water, > 12 more pills, lots more water. > > They do have a 13% false positive, but if not, lets hope its not far > along. Not sure I'd do Chemo. > > Greg > >
