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To: PleaseNoMore; sinkspur

I worked on a medical floor as a nurse 20 years ago. This was when Hospice was relatively new so terminal patients came to the hospital to die.

I have seen many, many, many cancer patients die. I have never seen a patient die as you relate your fathers death. Never.

Death is not an easy part of life to go through. Your father had to have medication to ease his pain.
Unless he has supernatural help from above.


312 posted on 03/26/2005 8:06:53 AM PST by It's me
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To: It's me
I am not exactly sure who you are addressing your post to.

If it is to me, I assure you my father did have medication. His body was covered with transdermal morphine patches. I do mean literally covered. He also had patches of medication for his intense nausea. I want to say scopamine but I am not presently sure of the medication. I have his records and would check if you would like. You see, as he went without food or hydration in combination with his pain medication, I presume, he became incredibly nauseated. However, his vomitus more often than not could not be expelled due to the tumor blocking anything going in or coming out.

What did come up and out did so causing him tremendous pain and often caused great bleeding. Because of the bleeding from the force of his vomiting, and because his tumor grew so close to his carotid artery, we were told to have dark towels on hand in the event of the artery rupturing. The dark towels were to conceal the amounts of blood that would be released so as not to cause my father "fear" and "panic" if this were to happen.

As I said, I have pictures and video of my father during his last few months. The video evidences his struggle to drink and his emotional and physical agony at not being able to. There are also moments in which he literally falls to the floor his body being wracked by pain. The photos evidence a rapidly growing squamous cell carcinoma which eventually grew outward leaving a hole in his neck/ upper chest (around his stoma) the size of a grapefruit and the multitude of patches covering his body.

My family and I know too well what my father endured throughout his last two weeks of life on this earth. We saw it first hand as did many of our wonderful friends nad loved ones who volunteered in shifts to be with us so that we were never alone nor was he.

336 posted on 03/26/2005 8:24:21 AM PST by PleaseNoMore
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To: It's me

I also wish to comment that I have seen many many friends and relatives suffer with and/or die from cancer. I do not know of one who refused medication to alleviate their pain throughout their battle or during their last days. Those are my personal observations only. I would assume that the case of a patient dying with cancer and having no pain whatsoever is not the most common experience among those who die with this disease.


342 posted on 03/26/2005 8:28:29 AM PST by PleaseNoMore
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To: It's me
Your father had to have medication to ease his pain.

He had none. But, since you weren't there, you obviously know better.

We know what's in his heart.

See? You're just full of judgments.

383 posted on 03/26/2005 10:36:35 AM PST by sinkspur ("Preach the gospel. If necessary, use words.")
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