In your fight against cancer, your primary focus was to beat it to be cancer-free as long as possible. However, there might come a time that your treatment suddenly stops working. And then you realize that you’re ready to surrender, but your family and medical team are urging you to try other treatments.
When you honestly believe with all your heart that stopping treatment is the best thing for you, but no one agrees with you, how do you stand firm with your decision?
Giving Up Doesn’t Make You a Loser
You’re probably thinking that you should go on fighting and stay strong. Battling cancer is a deeply personal choice, however, and there’s no right or wrong decision. If you believe that you want the fight to end and just enjoy being alive, don’t think yourself as weak because standing up for what you think is the right choice — choosing how you live out the rest of your life — takes a great amount of courage.
Plan Ahead for a “Good Death”
Many treatment options today are becoming popular, such as palliative and hospice care, which are aimed at easing the pain and suffering of cancer symptoms. Although these options are not focused on curing cancer, home healthcare and hospice care providers in Indiana explain that they could help improve and maintain your quality of life while you wait for the end.
You Would Have a New Medical Team
Your existing medical team is dedicated to fighting your cancer through the latest treatments. This means that when you decide that you no longer want to be treated and would like to refuse their recommendations, they would probably back off, but not completely. This is due to the fact that you would need a new medical team that’s focused on improving your quality life rather than giving you a cure for your condition.
Prepare for an Emotional Roller Coaster Ride with Family and Close Friends
Expect anger and resistance from family members and friends because in their eyes, you’re simply giving up the fight. What you need to remember, however, is that their emotions are mostly out of concern and love for you.
They have no idea what it feels to waste away and not being able to enjoy the time you have left because of the severe physical, emotional, and mental side effects of your treatments. Just tell them that you understand where they’re coming from, but you want to spend your remaining time, enjoying every single second with them.
When you’ve decided to stop treatment, expect that you would begin to doubt your decision at some point. When this happens, just keep in mind that feelings of self-doubt are completely natural. Acknowledge it and remind yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing in the first place, and then let it go. Considering that you heeded the advice of your medical team, family, and close friends and have weighed the benefits and risks of stopping your treatment, all will be well.
