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The Tragic Reality of Rapidly Progressive Cancer
A Hospice Nurse's Perspective
As a hospice nurse, I have had the privilege of caring for many patients who are facing the end of their lives. Some of these patients have been living with cancer for years, while others have been diagnosed with the disease only recently. The latter is often the most devastating to witness, as it can feel like the patient's life is being taken from them in the blink of an eye. This is the story of one such patient, a man who was so healthy that I initially believed there to be a false diagnosis.
The Patient: A Marathon Runner with Rapidly Progressive Cancer
I met this patient in hospice care, where he had already been diagnosed with a rare and rapidly progressive form of cancer. Despite his illness, he was still running 5Ks in the spring of that year. When I met him, he had already arranged for his body to be donated to a medical school that was doing research on this particular type of cancer. He stated, “At least that will provide some meaning to all of this!”
The Prognosis: Nine Weeks The doctor's prognosis from the hospital was nine weeks.
However, the dear man only lasted for seven weeks. At the end, he was comatose and unresponsive. This was a man who had been so full of life and energy only a short time before.
The Tragic Reality of Rapidly Progressive Cancer Unfortunately, some cancers are more aggressive and rapidly progressive than others. This man's cancer spread like wildfire, taking his life much too soon. At this time, we have no means to even slow down those types of cancer.
My Advice: Treasure Every Moment
As a hospice nurse, my advice to anyone facing a similar situation is to treasure all the time you have with your loved one. Have them tell the stories that you’ve heard 1001 times and record them for posterity. Make certain you hear all the stories about their great-grandpa being a moonshine runner in the hills of Tennessee, or whatever they did. Because shortly enough, these will only be memories. You are in my prayers.
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