struggling

I have known several people who have been diagnosed with Stag IV cancer of various kinds and who have chosen not to fight it. They decided that they would rather continue with life as usual for as long as possible rather than live life from one hospital visit to the next  and/or with chronic misery from chemo. So if you choose to go that route, it is certainly a valid option.

However, most people choose to fight their disease. In a surprising number of cases, grabbing for a few more months here and a few more months there has resulted in years long or even permanent cures. Doctor and hospital visits decrease with time. Side effects are being controlled much better now and new, more effective treatment options keep being introduced. 

Whether you choose to fight or how vigorously you choose to fight is up to you. A lot depends on the nature of your disease and the circumstances of your life. But deciding to forego treatment because you are very old, living alone, sick with other ailments and ready to go when God is ready to take you is very different from deciding that there's just no point in fighting. That sounds like depression. Please be aware that cancer and its treatments can cause depression– serious clinical depression. I strongly suggest that you ask your doctor to prescirbe an antidepressand and that you see a therapist (preferably a hospice grief counselor) to talk about your feelings. There are often very good and very helpful cancer patient group therapy sessions that you could join. 

I have known several people who have been diagnosed with Stag IV cancer of various kinds and who have chosen not to fight it. They decided that they would rather continue with life as usual for as long as possible rather than live life from one hospital visit to the next  and/or with chronic misery from chemo. So if you choose to go that route, it is certainly a valid option.

However, most people choose to fight their disease. In a surprising number of cases, grabbing for a few more months here and a few more months there has resulted in years long or even permanent cures. Doctor and hospital visits decrease with time. Side effects are being controlled much better now and new, more effective treatment options keep being introduced. 

Whether you choose to fight or how vigorously you choose to fight is up to you. A lot depends on the nature of your disease and the circumstances of your life. But deciding to forego treatment because you are very old, living alone, sick with other ailments and ready to go when God is ready to take you is very different from deciding that there's just no point in fighting. That sounds like depression. Please be aware that cancer and its treatments can cause depression– serious clinical depression. I strongly suggest that you ask your doctor to prescirbe an antidepressand and that you see a therapist (preferably a hospice grief counselor) to talk about your feelings. There are often very good and very helpful cancer patient group therapy sessions that you could join. 

I have known several people who have been diagnosed with Stag IV cancer of various kinds and who have chosen not to fight it. They decided that they would rather continue with life as usual for as long as possible rather than live life from one hospital visit to the next  and/or with chronic misery from chemo. So if you choose to go that route, it is certainly a valid option.

However, most people choose to fight their disease. In a surprising number of cases, grabbing for a few more months here and a few more months there has resulted in years long or even permanent cures. Doctor and hospital visits decrease with time. Side effects are being controlled much better now and new, more effective treatment options keep being introduced. 

Whether you choose to fight or how vigorously you choose to fight is up to you. A lot depends on the nature of your disease and the circumstances of your life. But deciding to forego treatment because you are very old, living alone, sick with other ailments and ready to go when God is ready to take you is very different from deciding that there's just no point in fighting. That sounds like depression. Please be aware that cancer and its treatments can cause depression– serious clinical depression. I strongly suggest that you ask your doctor to prescirbe an antidepressand and that you see a therapist (preferably a hospice grief counselor) to talk about your feelings. There are often very good and very helpful cancer patient group therapy sessions that you could join. 

POW made some good points, but no one can know how that really feels until they've been there…..and even then, how each person responds and what they choose to do is dependent on their personality and their options.  The truth of the matter is…we are all "terminal"…from the moment we are born.  Period.  You ever seen anybody get out of this life….alive????  That is not meant to make light of your situation.  I had a lung met and brain met in 2010.  I am still here.  NED (with no evidence of disease) even, heading toward 4 years later.  It has not been easy.  It has not always been fun.  But, each day is more than I might have had, and certainly more than some other folks have been given.  I wish you my best…but more than that…I wish you hope.  Hang in there.  Celeste

POW made some good points, but no one can know how that really feels until they've been there…..and even then, how each person responds and what they choose to do is dependent on their personality and their options.  The truth of the matter is…we are all "terminal"…from the moment we are born.  Period.  You ever seen anybody get out of this life….alive????  That is not meant to make light of your situation.  I had a lung met and brain met in 2010.  I am still here.  NED (with no evidence of disease) even, heading toward 4 years later.  It has not been easy.  It has not always been fun.  But, each day is more than I might have had, and certainly more than some other folks have been given.  I wish you my best…but more than that…I wish you hope.  Hang in there.  Celeste

POW made some good points, but no one can know how that really feels until they've been there…..and even then, how each person responds and what they choose to do is dependent on their personality and their options.  The truth of the matter is…we are all "terminal"…from the moment we are born.  Period.  You ever seen anybody get out of this life….alive????  That is not meant to make light of your situation.  I had a lung met and brain met in 2010.  I am still here.  NED (with no evidence of disease) even, heading toward 4 years later.  It has not been easy.  It has not always been fun.  But, each day is more than I might have had, and certainly more than some other folks have been given.  I wish you my best…but more than that…I wish you hope.  Hang in there.  Celeste

Sometimes. I haven't had brain mets yet but I have 3 tumors in my skull which one has swelled to a lump I can feel about half the size of a walnut. So it may happen but I hope the medicine I started last wednesday fixes it.

I chose to fight mainly because I believe I can beat this. I look forward to the day I can say I'm ned and only have to go for a 6th month checkup. Is that dream guaranteed? No. Is this fight rough? Heck Yes. This is the toughest thing I've ever had to do. You just gotta dig deep and decide is your life worth fighting for. Once you decide to fight you gotta believe you can win. There are many folks here that have been through worse than me and have been ned for years. So why not me too? Why not you if you keep fighting?

Sometimes. I haven't had brain mets yet but I have 3 tumors in my skull which one has swelled to a lump I can feel about half the size of a walnut. So it may happen but I hope the medicine I started last wednesday fixes it.

I chose to fight mainly because I believe I can beat this. I look forward to the day I can say I'm ned and only have to go for a 6th month checkup. Is that dream guaranteed? No. Is this fight rough? Heck Yes. This is the toughest thing I've ever had to do. You just gotta dig deep and decide is your life worth fighting for. Once you decide to fight you gotta believe you can win. There are many folks here that have been through worse than me and have been ned for years. So why not me too? Why not you if you keep fighting?

Sometimes. I haven't had brain mets yet but I have 3 tumors in my skull which one has swelled to a lump I can feel about half the size of a walnut. So it may happen but I hope the medicine I started last wednesday fixes it.

I chose to fight mainly because I believe I can beat this. I look forward to the day I can say I'm ned and only have to go for a 6th month checkup. Is that dream guaranteed? No. Is this fight rough? Heck Yes. This is the toughest thing I've ever had to do. You just gotta dig deep and decide is your life worth fighting for. Once you decide to fight you gotta believe you can win. There are many folks here that have been through worse than me and have been ned for years. So why not me too? Why not you if you keep fighting?