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No to Chemo, Yes to assisted suicide

Posted: Oct 28, 2009

That Oregon has had State run healthcare for 15 years, this is what could be heading our way ... Our lives in the hands of the government. Wow!

Health plan denies Chemo Medicine, but Offers Assisted Suicide instead.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6ojBgTyA7I

;

The title should read - lalala

[ In Reply To ..]
No to new/experamental drugs, yes to Hospice Care.

Its pretty crappy of them to do, and I'm glad that that lady got her drugs for free, but the state-run care which is already tapped out on money, can't afford to cover drugs for everyone just because they "might" make things better.

sm please - cj

[ In Reply To ..]
I do hope you are kidding when you say no to new and experimental drugs. What? we just let everyone go ahead and suffer and die instead of trying to find new treatments and cures? Now who is putting money ahead of people?

I may get slammed for this but I agree - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
Assisted suicide is much kinder than chemo.

Chemo is a killer drug. It does not cure cancer, just prolongs the pain and suffering. You lose all dignity and wish you would die.

How bout working towards finding another avenue than chemo. Having had family members go through chemo and still die I can tell you it's not a good thing.

I agree with you, anon - Smitty

[ In Reply To ..]
My brother has stage IV lung cancer, and my best friend has stage IV renal cell carcinoma. The chemotherapy is doing very little to fight the cancer, but it is drastically affecting the quality of their lives. I would much rather see them enjoy whatever time they have left on this earth than suffer through the side effects of the chemotherapy, as it most likely is buying them little or no time.

I am so sorry to hear that news. - CrankyBeach

[ In Reply To ..]
See my post just below. Obviously, your loved ones fall into that unfortunate category where their diseases are among the more difficult ones to treat, and are in advanced stages as well.

I don't know their exact situations, of course. It could be that palliative chemo was worth a try--but once it is shown to be ineffective it should be stopped, and other palliative measures put into place.

Again, my condolences to you and your loved ones. My thoughts and prayers are with you and the families.

Thank you, CrankyBeach - Smitty

[ In Reply To ..]
I read your post below, and you are absolutely right...it depends on the situation. Unfortunately, my brother and friend were diagnosed when their cancer was very advanced and had already metastasized. At this point, I am more concerned about the quality of their life than the quantity.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

No, not going to slam you, but... - CrankyBeach

[ In Reply To ..]
... all cancers and all chemo are NOT created equal.

I worked in oncology for 28 years, and EVERYTHING depends on the type of cancer, the stage, whether it has metastasized, and nowadays, even the genetic type of the cancer. A great deal also depends on the general overall health and condition of the patient at the time of diagnosis and treatment.

Some chemo drugs and combinations/treatment regimens are highly toxic. Others are very well-tolerated.

Some kinds of cancer, you might as well say goodbye as soon as you're diagnosed.

Other cancers can be CURED with some of the treatments that are available nowadays--including chemo.

Even an incurable tumor can be palliated by judicious use of certain chemo regimens. Other cancers can be kicked into a good long remission, giving the patient many more months (or years) of quality time.

Because "chemo" gets such a bad rap, we had many, many patients who, when told they could have chemo, had an understandable knee-jerk negative reaction. Once they had a chance to sit down with a chemo-teaching nurse, however, and be educated on the pros and cons and possible side effects of the regimen being proposed for their particular disease, they were in a much better position to make a well-informed decision. Depending on their tumor and the suggested treatment, many patients would change their mind and opt for treatment.

Nowadays there are also much better supportive drugs available than there were 20 years or so ago. I remember when Zofran first came on the market, we were stunned to have patients demanding FOOD during their chemo treatment! So we actually started ordering in lunch for patients who were having long treatment sessions.

Medicine is nothing resembling an exact science. We had a patient in her 80s who was a competitive swimmer in the senior division. She was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer--a put-your-affairs-in-order-RIGHT-NOW diagnosis if ever there was one. But she elected to undergo chemo--and she kept swimming and winning tournaments. She is still in remission now, a couple of years later. Go figure.

So... it's impossible to make a blanket statement that chemo kills and is worse than the disease. It really, really depends.

I'll take assisted suicide ANY day, over chemo. - nm

[ In Reply To ..]

I'll take assisted suicide ANY day, over chemo! - no msg

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

all I can say is this - cj

[ In Reply To ..]
That may be your choice now, but have you ever been diagnosed with any cancer? People often change their minds when they are faced with the actual decision. My mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1970. It is still considered pretty much a death sentence, but back then it was even worse. However, my mom chose to try anything that might help. Chemo was hard but dying wouldn't have been such a great option either. My mom was cured of her cancer, lived 26 years after that and then died of something not even remote related to that cancer. Furthermore, while you may choose assisted suicide, it should be the decision of the patient and their physician and NO ONE else.

I absolutely believe in physician-assisted suicide (sm) - Nikki

[ In Reply To ..]
IF that's what the patient wants. I was expecting to see a bedridden, frail, weak patient in this video, but this woman seems to be very healthy, someone with still a lot of life in her, and she doesn't WANT suicide. I just can't imagine this woman being killed instead of given treatment that just might prolong her life by years.

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