Nearing End Of Life From Breast Cancer

There is no right or wrong when it comes to what to do when the end of life is likely to be near. While your religion, ethnic community or family may have other thoughts on this matter, bottom line it is your life. As long as you are mentally competent, it is your choice.

It is even your choice how to make a decision: whether on your own, in consultation with family and friends, your clergyman, and/or in consultation with your medical team. Experience indicates that is easier to at least involve the people closest to you.

Ultimately, we are talking about your life. The final decision is yours.

Even after you are no longer able to speak for yourself, you can stay in control if you execute easy-to-obtain, free, documents known as Advance Health Care Directives ahead of time. To cover in case you become mentally incompetent, you can stay in control by executing an Advance Directive For Mental Health 

• Even the woman who wants to be as aggressive as possible in fighting breast cancer may say something like: "It's time. The treatments are not working. There is no cure in sight. The treatments are keeping me from having any life at all. I'd rather just be comfortable and as pain free as possible. I'd just like to spend time at home with my family."
• Or there may be an in-between course in which you choose which procedures and/or treatments you want and which you don't want, and under what circumstances, while receiving care for pain and other side effects.

If you haven't before, and if there are no further standard treatments to treat your condition, consider trying cutting edge drugs by joining a clinical trial. In addition to the possibility of being helped, you may receive free medical care. At the least, you will be helping other people in a similar situation.

Remember that:

• You don’t have to live in pain. It is your choice whether to live with pain and other symptoms, and, if so, to what extent.
• If you choose to stop receiving medical care aimed at curing you, you can always change your mind and start treatments again.

Even after you are no longer able to speak for yourself, you can stay in control if you execute easy-to-obtain, free, documents known as Advance Health Care Directives ahead of time. In particular, consider a Healthcare Power Of Attorney. To cover in case you become mentally incompetent, you can stay in control by executing an Advance Directive For Mental Health

For additional information, see:

• Fatigue (and how to deal with it) 
• Pain 101

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