Giving Up … I think Not

May 20, 2014 | Jeannie | 1 Comment

This past week two friends died from prostate cancer and another isn’t doing so well with head and neck cancer. Another friend’s father-in-law passed last week from leukemia, having chosen to forgo treatment and enjoy his final days without the side effects. Other friends have lost friends to cancer this past month – one who was only 30 years old, with an 11 month old daughter, to stomach cancer.

A guest lecturer spoke to my nutrition students last week on home health care. She presented a case study about a gentleman who was being treated for cancer and was being fed through a tube at home. Everything was very matter of fact in her presentation. The photos she shared were graphic. Her descriptions for why the patient needed home tube feedings were hitting close to home.  And then she spoke words that I’ve railed against for some time now. When a student asked her what had finally happened to the patient the lecturer replied, “He gave up.”

Gave up? I’ve never met anyone who “gave up” while dealing with cancer.  Some have died, but none ever gave up.

 

Copyright © 2014 Jeannie Moloo. All Rights Reserved.

Jeannie

Jeannie Gazzaniga Moloo PhD, MS, RDN cared for her late physician husband through 12 years of blood cancer treatments, including a stem cell transplant, while raising their three young children. She is an award winning registered dietitian nutritionist and former owner of a clinical nutrition practice where she advised clients on healthy eating to manage heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and gastrointestinal conditions. She is a Ph.D. in epidemiology, with an emphasis in preventive medicine and environmental health. For nine years, she was a national media spokesperson for The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics providing sound, science-based nutrition advice to media, consumers, industry, and researchers. She has been quoted in several publications including the LA Times, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, and Parents Magazine, and appeared on ABCNews, CBSNews, NBCNews, NPR, and KYGO-FM.

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Comments

  1. askyvi says

    I don’t think the patient gave up!
    I think it’s actually the final fight. Having the strenght to decide “it’s time” no matter what others say is best. Making THE decision for yourself, no one else.

    Reply

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