Scenario 1:
A 60+ y/o man, came to the clinic on monday morning, with the complaints of dysphagia & LOW for few weeks duration. He was referred from hospital P, has done a CT & brought it along. When the surgeon reviewed it, he was stunned as the pt has Stage III - IV carcinoma at the gastro-oesophageal junction. The surgeon then told the patient that he needed to do a scope to get a biopsy of the tissue to confirm his diagnosis. Then, when the patient went out, the surgeon informed his family members that he had end stage cancer.
Where's the ethics behind all these? The patient doesn't even know the truth! Nevermind that, when he came for his scope yesterday, he was still walking around like everyone else, and walked out of the room. He was told to be admitted, to insert a 'Jejunal Feeding Tube', as he was really emaciated. Upon admission, he collapsed and passed away early this morning due to aspiration and acidosis...
Now, the family members are making a 'BIG HOO HAA' over the whole issue. (That they were not informed that he was going to die soon, bla bla bla..) They just can't accept the fact that this man has passed on. But, has anyone thought how he felt and his opinion throughout the whole process? If he really wanted to know what was wrong with himself in the 1st place?Not knowing the truth (even upon his death bed)? Not knowing that that he himself had end stage cancer? I guess now it dosen't really matter to him as i pray that he is in a better place.
Scenario 2:
A 60+ y/o man, came in with the complain of yellow discolouration of his eyes for 1 week duration. He has a past history of colorectal carcinoma, operated in 1999, completed chemo and radiotherapies, has been cancer free since.
After almost 9 years leading a GREAT life, now, he comes back with recurrence on cancer, with metastasis to the liver...
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Hospitals... Is it a place where healing & recovery is supposed to take place? Or just a place that brings you closer to your death bed? Good & evil, better & worse, 'ying' & 'yang', everything in life there sure will be an agonist & not forgetting the antagonist to it...
So, would you like to get treated and admitted if you were sick? Would you seek medical help in the 1st place if you knew that you had a disease that has no cure? Would you put your life in another human being's hands hoping that they can play god to 'cure' you?
For me, if i really knew that i was going to die, the hospital would be the last place that i'll go. I would want to spent the remaining time in my life with my love ones, so that there will not be any regret by anyone in the future. I would accomplish whatever i wanted to before i leave this realm, rather than sitting on the 'death bed', waiting to die!
Is it too late??? NO, it's NEVER TOO LATE!!! No matter however late it is, something can still be done. Why not let the man leave in peace, rather than all the bickering, arguments and blamings going on and on and on???
@Just my opinion... 0930, 05072007
Post morning rounds... Gut turning insude out, continously 'killing' every second...
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