Indexing Title: CLEYSONs Medical Anecdotal Report [05-06]
MAR Title:  Death with Dignity
Date of Medical Observation:  July 17, 2005

Narration: 

It was a Sunday evening, when a 65-years-old female was wheeled in the emergency room by her relatives. She was complaining of a very severe pain on the back radiating to her whole body. As I looked at her it seems that her body hasn’t toughed by a single drop of water, she smells that way too. When I examined her I discovered that she has a huge mass on the right breast and an old fracture on the left arm and she has been bedridden for quite sometime, as evidenced by the decubitus ulcer on her back. She told me that the mass started one year ago and it gradually enlarges to its present size but she was afraid to go to a doctor because it might turn out to be a cancer. The fractured left arm was five months old. She said she consulted the Philippine Orthopedic Center, but she did not come back for follow-up.  Based on the data gathered, the patient has indeed breast cancer. When I broke the bad news to her son and sister, they were shocked. I asked them if they knew about it, but they came out with a series of explanation of their absence and why they didn’t noticed the mass etc. I sense guilt and fear in their voice, and I noticed tears in there eyes. As I continue explaining her condition and the treatment options, they were very attentive, they’re even asking questions. I thought that moment that this time her relatives will take care of her but I was wrong…dead wrong. After they went out to buy some things for her, they did not come back. They left the patient all alone for three days. She stays at the emergency room until on the third day somebody showed up she was a sibling, and yet she was always standing about five steps away from the patient’s bed. I asked her what their decision was; she replied that it was not was her but her other sister who will decide.

Insights (Physical, Psychosocial, Ethical) (Discovery, Stimulus, Reinforcements)  

A world wide campaign against breast cancer is going on. Our country joins this fight; there are a lot of institutions or groups facilitating and providing information about breast cancer. Studies and researches were done to improve the detection and control of this disease.  But this patient goes to show that despite these efforts there are still women who are still too afraid to face reality. They rather live in denial than to find out and do something about their ailments.  This also gives us an idea that the campaign to fight breast cancer touches only the surface of our society, and that in the deepest corner of Manila alone, the information and help failed to reach them.  

I have met a lot of breast cancer patient. During the course of their disease each one of them as well as their relatives demonstrates different kind of reaction and level of acceptance. Some will accept it easily, others will be hysterical, and others will be suicidal. Some will fight, some will loose hope and others will blame GOD for giving them such disease. During one of our conventions, I learned that there is a branch of medicine dealing with dying patients.  They focus on the alleviation of the physical and psychosocial suffering of terminally ill patients and their relatives. They teach the patient and relatives on how to cope up with the disease, to value the experience of the end of life—A Death with Dignity.