My Dad died from cholangiocarcinoma only four months after diagnosis. I wish that I could say that the rest of your experience was similar to mine.
He was initially relentlessly encouraged by Mayo to have "experimental" chemo; which had the predictable effect of killing him off a good two months before he would have died.
Then, our worthless "hospice" had him sign a "no extraordinary means" document...which they carefully explained would mean that he wouldn't be resuscitated. I actually asked if that meant removing hydration by I.V. They said "no."
Then, his Dr. removed the hydration anyway (without asking us)...about five days before he died; dehydrated, in excruciating pain, flailing about,....while we begged them to give him morphine and tried to "swab" his mouth with the sponge that they allowed us.
The Hospice nurse kindly explained that they had to "watch" what they gave out with "those type of drugs."
They said he died "peacefully." Cretins.
After witnessing that, upon diagnosis I would immediately find the biggest drug dealer in town...stock up; take a nice vacation; say goodbye to my family; pray...and go to sleep.
If they ever bother to come up with any type of effective treatment for such cancers, I might actually change my mind. They haven't in 30 years....I won't hold my breath.
You can help with finding a cure by joining us FReepers on the "folding" thread. Search Folding.
ALL are invited to help, it's painless, costs nothing, is a for a great cause, and we have competition with the DUmmies for added comic relief.
:O)
P
It's too bad you had such an experience. A hospice that's stingy with the drugs isn't serving it's purpose. We probably had enough morphine in the house, in several different forms, to kill a team of horses. We were instructed to dose her any time she wanted it (or if unable to communicate - which never happened in her case - whenever it appeared she needed it). But Sacred Heart Hospice (operated by the Catholic order Sisters of Saint Joseph) is one of the pioneers in the business of providing hospice care as a primary function, and are probably among the best at what they do. Thank God for their service, and the insurance to pay for it. It may have helped that she worked at a hospital run by that same order and that the nun who ran that hospital put the best folks she had to offer in charge of all aspects of her care, but I dunno. I have never heard a negative thing about that hospice unit. Of course if anyone ever asked them to help obtain "assisted suicide", I'm sure it would be (politely) refused in no uncertain terms.