Cancer: Is it better to know or not to know?

[ThatDude30]

Has anyone else ever noticed, when a friend or loved one finds out they have cancer, soon as they start to get treatment, die not to much longer after? My father, up to the day he found out he had cancer, would go to work everyday and work 10 hours, mow the grass every Saturday, be in no pain and was pretty active. One day it looked like he was healthy and strong as an ox, next day found out he had cancer, and it descended rapidly down hill . Going from 180 lbs down to 106 in the matter of 2 weeks. He had to under go radition treatment. The doctor was trying to get my fathers insurance company to approve this special cancer med, as it was very expensive somewhere in the ballpark of 4,000-5,000 a month and he would have to take it for the rest of his life, and that would keep my father alive for 5+ years. The doctor even said if my fathers insurance company does not approve it my father would have 2-3 more years to live. Well a week later my fathers remaining time went from 2-3 years to 2-3days. He ended up living for another 12 days laying in a hospital bed unable to move and talk. They had him laying there with only an IV pumping Dilaudid in his body. No water nothing. I have friends who say the same thing. They are healthy one day the next they got cancer and die just like that. Is it population control? Is it insurance companies not wanting to dish out money( but they have no problem taking yours, your entire adult life)? And I cant help to wonder, is it better to know you have cancer or not? would you live longer not knowing? I don't know, what do you guys think?

 

[Bonzi]

Depends if it's treatable or not
I'd rather not know personally

 

[ThatDude30]

I'd rather not know myself. Knowing would be torture for me. I wouldn't be able to enjoy my last days because of my mind.

 

[Weatherman2020]

Has anyone else ever noticed, when a friend or loved one finds out they have cancer, soon as they start to get treatment, die not to much longer after? My father, up to the day he found out he had cancer, would go to work everyday and work 10 hours, mow the grass every Saturday, be in no pain and was pretty active. One day it looked like he was healthy and strong as an ox, next day found out he had cancer, and it descended rapidly down hill . Going from 180 lbs down to 106 in the matter of 2 weeks. He had to under go radition treatment. The doctor was trying to get my fathers insurance company to approve this special cancer med, as it was very expensive somewhere in the ballpark of 4,000-5,000 a month and he would have to take it for the rest of his life, and that would keep my father alive for 5+ years. The doctor even said if my fathers insurance company does not approve it my father would have 2-3 more years to live. Well a week later my fathers remaining time went from 2-3 years to 2-3days. He ended up living for another 12 days laying in a hospital bed unable to move and talk. They had him laying there with only an IV pumping Dilaudid in his body. No water nothing. I have friends who say the same thing. They are healthy one day the next they got cancer and die just like that. Is it population control? Is it insurance companies not wanting to dish out money( but they have no problem taking yours, your entire adult life)? And I cant help to wonder, is it better to know you have cancer or not? would you live longer not knowing? I don't know, what do you guys think?

My father in law was given 3 months with cancer.

15 years later he died of a heart attack.

 

[ThatDude30]

Its crazy. Doesn't make any sense. That's awesome though! He beat all odds.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Has anyone else ever noticed, when a friend or loved one finds out they have cancer, soon as they start to get treatment, die not to much longer after?

I know a few people who have had their cancer cured

 

[Weatherman2020]

Its crazy. Doesn't make any sense. That's awesome though! He beat all odds.

Even if you don’t get a break and die in 3 months, you’ve been granted time to tighten loose ends and say see you later.

 

[ThatDude30]

Yea I feel I got robbed of time to spend with my father.

 

[BULLDOG]

I think it depends on the situation. After years of smoking, and other bad health choices, that made cancer seem to be a definite possibility, I didn't want to know. At least until I had to take a CAT scan for an unrelated issue. The scan would show it's intended purpose, as well as any indications of cancer. At that point, I wanted to know the cancer indications more than I did the original purpose of the test. I turned out lucky on all fronts, but those few days waiting on results were nerve wracking.

 

[WillowTree]

I would want to know! I would fight like hell while tying up all the loose strings.

 

[JOSweetHeart]

^^^ Amen to this. Plenty of people have gone forward because of the sickness, but plenty of people are still here too. Country singer Wade Hayes was sitting at stage four when he he learned that there was even anything wrong with him and he beat his cancer.

God bless you and him always!!!

Holly

P.S. The even more amazing thing about his experience is the fact that he never once lost any of his hair from the chemo therapy and if I remember right, he went through about six months worth of it.

 

[ThatDude30]

When my father found out he had cancer, it was stage 4 kidney that spread to his spine neck and pelvis. The day before he was cutting grass and felt fine the next day he tripped and fell and ended up fracturing a vertebrate. And that's when they found it. The day they found it, it seemed like he did a 180 and was dying. I have had this discussion with a bunch of friends about their parents also. And what everyone seems to think is that the hospitals kill you quickly for population control or so insurance companies to don't have to dish out money to pay the hefty bills patients with cancer could rack up. The thought of either hospitals or insurance companies kill people off for various reasons, always seem to pop up in discussions.

 

[TomParks]

Has anyone else ever noticed, when a friend or loved one finds out they have cancer, soon as they start to get treatment, die not to much longer after? My father, up to the day he found out he had cancer, would go to work everyday and work 10 hours, mow the grass every Saturday, be in no pain and was pretty active. One day it looked like he was healthy and strong as an ox, next day found out he had cancer, and it descended rapidly down hill . Going from 180 lbs down to 106 in the matter of 2 weeks. He had to under go radition treatment. The doctor was trying to get my fathers insurance company to approve this special cancer med, as it was very expensive somewhere in the ballpark of 4,000-5,000 a month and he would have to take it for the rest of his life, and that would keep my father alive for 5+ years. The doctor even said if my fathers insurance company does not approve it my father would have 2-3 more years to live. Well a week later my fathers remaining time went from 2-3 years to 2-3days. He ended up living for another 12 days laying in a hospital bed unable to move and talk. They had him laying there with only an IV pumping Dilaudid in his body. No water nothing. I have friends who say the same thing. They are healthy one day the next they got cancer and die just like that. Is it population control? Is it insurance companies not wanting to dish out money( but they have no problem taking yours, your entire adult life)? And I cant help to wonder, is it better to know you have cancer or not? would you live longer not knowing? I don't know, what do you guys think?

From my personal experiences the meanest toughest SOB's either get cured or live well past their expected time. It seems to me those who have a I don't give a shit attitude do best while those who get down and out go quick....and yes once they seek treatment they go very fast. I know a 80 year old man heavy smoker just diagnosed with tumors in the lungs. He refused a biopsy and just wants to take it one day at a time. Another 85 year old man had prostate cancer refused treatment and died three years later.

 

[Mason Michaels]

I'm a cancer survivor about two and a half years ago,I went to a urologist, because of slow stream.Was given flomax and took a PSA.
Which came back above normal was given a biopsy, which came back prostate cancer.
My urologist said,I could watch and wait,getting MRI yearly.
Radiation. Or Devinci Robotic removal surgery.
Went with surgery.Was rough for a few months after,but now cancer free have a great life.
Better to know and face the truth.Then hide from reality!

 

[tycho1572]

Many types of cancer are treatable if it's caught early.