Patients with Mesothelioma, the cancer associated with asbestos exposure, face a poor prognosis for their futures. Since this cancer often is not diagnosed until the cancer is quite advanced, there is often little hope for survival of this dreaded disease. While aggressive therapies provide some little hope, often it is the palliative care that makes the difference in the quality of life patients have in their last final months.
Palliative care is in many instances care that is provided to both the patient and patient’s family. It does not seek a cure, but rather is aimed at making the patient as comfortable as possible. In cases where aggressive treatment and hope is ongoing, palliative care serves an important role in helping the patient through the effects of chemotherapy and other treatments. In cases where there is no hope for continued treatment or survival, palliative care takes on the traditional role of hospice.
Palliative Care’s Role In Symptom Management
There are many symptoms that can be related to any serious condition, and Mesothelioma has more than it’s share. Not only do sufferers of this disease often find the pain unbearable, but may experience the fatigue often associated with cancer, dry mouth from medications, dry skin from various treatments and anxiety, anger and depression due to the severity of the illness.
In most cases much of the palliative care falls to family members and friends and is often overseen by a health care professional trained to provide palliative care and assistance to family members. While some care is pretty straight forward such as giving patients sips of water or slivers of ice to help relieve the symptoms of dry mouth other care may take some special training such as techniques to help the patient manage pain that medication does not control and helping to relieve the anxiety and depression of both the patient and those closest to him.
Palliative Care Gives A Patient Back Dignity
As Mesothelioma progresses a patient may find that he cannot even do the simplest things without help. This helplessness often leads to feelings of hopelessness and a loss of dignity. The support offered by palliative care helps restore the dignity to these individuals. It does this in a number of ways. First, the care giver never sees the Mesothelioma sufferer as simply a patient they see them as a whole person who just happens to have a serious illness. By seeing these people as people and not as a disease they treat them like individuals and this allows the patient to see themselves in terms as something more than sick.
Since much of the palliative care is given by relatives and close friends, there is usually a personal quality to the care these patients receive which is often lacking in a hospital setting. The personal relationship between care giver and the Mesothelioma sufferer helps the patient to feel he is still a vital part of his family in some small way. This allows the Mesothelioma sufferer to look past his illness and focus on everyday life which is important in keeping a positive outlook.
Even in cases where the Palliative care falls to a professional, oftentimes a bond quickly develops between the patient and the care giver as the two spend a lot of time together and get to know one another on a more personal level. This creates an atmosphere of shared trust which helps to overcome much of the feelings of hopelessness.
Palliative Care In The Last Days
Many times palliative care in the last days of the patient’s life changes focus to that of family members. Often times the patients themselves have come to terms with their condition and are ready to accept the end of life long before family members are ready to let them go. In cases, such as these a trained professional can help families deal with grief and prepare themselves to say good bye to the person they love. Support of the family both by the care giver and friends may be especially critical at this time as it is important to see that the last memories the family has of their loved one is as positive as possible. Many times, simply listening to the families concerns or their stories and memories of their loved one during better times is all that is needed to help them find peace with themselves and this incredibly difficult situation.
While palliative care cannot help to cure the person with Mesothelioma it can and does, make the patient more comfortable and often helps make this difficult time a little easier to bear both for the patient and for his family.