Which would you choose? Surgery or Radiation?
By heatspine
@heatspine (1141)
Philippines
May 9, 2007 9:03pm CST
I just started watching the Grey's Anatomy Series in DVD.
Now, imagine this. You were just informed that your spouse has a brain tumor. The doctors gave you two choices, he/she can be operated upon to remove the tumor. The surgery though is risky and the possible effect is total memory loss ... meaning he/she might not even recognize you after waking up. Your life of course will never be the same as compared before. The operation though will guarantee another 10 years for your spouse.
Another option aside from the surgery is radiation which intends to kill the cancer cells. There would be no memory loss but your spouse life will only have another 6 months of leased life.
This is a very difficult situation. Which would you choose?
1 person likes this
2 responses
@cassidy22 (2974)
• United States
11 May 07
Maybe I would let my SPOUSE choose! I know I would need more info than what you posted here. But I think my spouse would have more input here than me. It's his life. I'd probably already be wanting a second opinion, as well.
1 person likes this
@heatspine (1141)
• Philippines
16 May 07
hi cassidy2. that's a convenient answer. now what if, the doctors determine that due to your spouse's condition, he/she may not be able to have the right frame of mind for a decision. which means it still up to you.
@cassidy22 (2974)
• United States
17 May 07
Convenient? Are you kidding? are YOU married? YOu think you get to make decisions for other people? The only reason I COULD is because I DO HAVE MEDICAL POWER OF ATTORNEY over my husband and vice versa.
No where in your QUESTION did you state the ill was also MENTALLY effected by this condition. So I did not make that assumption. And if he WAS unstable to the point of not understanding his condition to make decisions about it (and that would take a lot, since my husband is an atomic physicist, so he's no idiot) If he couldn't decide for himself, I'd let him die. And I would hope he would do the same for me. Why would he want to go though radiation or risky therapy when his mind was already disabled from his condition. I imagine I would already be preparing him for the end if he was this poorly along. I also suspect that LONG BEFORE his mental functions started to erode, we would have faced these decisions, as he would have been to the doctor LONG BEFORE HE WAS INABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR HIMSELF.
Convenient? None of this is convenient.
