to live or not to live

Australia
June 24, 2008 6:23am CST
if and when you're diagnosed that you're suffering from the deadly "Big C" (cancer), would you try to prolong your life (and suffering) by undergoing various kind of treatments or just accept your fate and just try to live every minute of your remaining time to the fullest? you might think i'm being absurd but i guess i'll opt for the second choice. because we have to face it...practically speaking, the money that will be used in the treatment, well that can be just left to the ill person's family who would definitely benefit more from it. besides, once you got the "Big C", the fact that there's still no way of beating it...you'll still go sooner or later, whether you like it or not, whether you're prepared or not.
8 people like this
32 responses
@patzel88 (3310)
• Philippines
24 Jun 08
i wouldnt wish to prolong my sufferings to undergo the treatment and we never know that our cancer will be cured if ever i surpass all the treatment. Its also a waste of money and time to your family and the people that close to you.
• United States
24 Jun 08
It is never a waste of money and time for your family because that gives them longer moments with there loved ones. A family that cares will not care about the money situation until your gone. Money should not be the issue it should be about the person who is ill.
• Australia
25 Jun 08
sashashimp, money is not the real issue...but rather, its the choice of the sick person him/herself. i can understand where you're coming and if that's how you feel about it, then so be it. thanks for your time and comment.
• Australia
25 Jun 08
yes, that's right patzel88. because when you try to prolong the sick person's life, you're also prolonging his/her agony and pain. i guess this is why there are some cancer-stricken patients are choosing to undergo euthenasia. thank you for your comment.
• United States
25 Jun 08
Thats not true, so many who have the "big c "as you call it. fight it with their many diffrent treatment. and all the money later. and go into remission. were it is gone no more. then you can live your life just as you would before you found out. there no pain no suffering whatever. I would NEVER just give up and die.. im not a quitter.
@gicarlo (131)
• Philippines
30 Jun 08
cure to it? well if there are those cured, maybe because it's stage 1. I think stage 3 means your days are numbered
• Australia
26 Jun 08
me preferring the second option doesn't mean that i'm a quitter....just being realistic and practical. some of the replies i got here are implying that there is a cure for cancer....well, i still need to know of one case, just one case to totally convince me, of somebody who actually has beaten this illness. i've heard of so many who they thought they have beaten it, but not really. i remember the late john wayne said that in an interview..."i've beaten the big C", but look where he is now...six feet under. its ok to maintain a positive attitude and keep up the hope...but its not ok to ignore the fact and hide from reality. that is not bravery but actually, cowardness i would say. thank you for your comment.
@cripfemme (7698)
• United States
3 Jul 08
I'm to stubborn. I would try to treat it. Life is to precious just to throw it away even if hurts quite a bit in my opinion.
• Australia
24 Jul 08
Such a positive spirit...thank you for your comment.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
25 Jun 08
I would try to take advantage of every treatment available, and only stop when the doctors say that it is hopeless. And I also will take advantage if they saw that it is a new procedure and I am the first dying human being they have tried it on. I figure that is the best way to handle things, and I really do not think that I am making a sacrifice if I tell the doctors to not try something that has worked in other cases. And that money does not go to your family, it stays in the hospital and the medical profession. They will not give your family a larger check after you go if you refuse treatment.
• Australia
26 Jun 08
i respect your opinion...thank you for your comment.
@idowrite72 (2213)
• United States
1 Jul 08
I will do whatever they can find to prolong my life since I want to see as much of my grandchildren's lives as I can.
• Australia
2 Jul 08
i sincerely hope we do not get to that point where we will need to make this choice in our lives...thank you for your comment.
• United States
23 Jul 08
Personally I just accept it as part of life if it is my time to go its just that my time I cant do anything about it really I already had cancer myself well bladder cancer anyway at 17 O_o but hey things happen when they are meant to happen.
• Australia
24 Jul 08
Oh my gosh...you already had cancer at 17 yrs of age? How did you cope? Did you had treatments? Is it in remission now? I salute your bravery...you sound very cool on this, despite what you've gone through or probably still going through at the moment. Keep up the good spirit...you'll be included in my prayers from now on. Rest assured that you're not alone in your battle, my dear.
@alokn99 (5717)
• India
25 Jun 08
I think it depends on the stage of cancer that you are in. Not doing anything about it affects the lives of people around us. Our near and dear ones would be trying a lot to find a cure or to make us comfortable. Lead the life at the fullest that you can. Enjoy the moments that you have left. Knowingly we wait for the end, but think about the people who lose their life suddenly.
• Australia
25 Jun 08
there would always be pros and cons in every situation...its just how we make our choice that will matter in the end. thank you for your comment.
@loujac3 (1188)
• United States
25 Jun 08
This has two sides to it. If the cancer has not metastasized and the recovery chances are good then fighting is a good thing. If the opposite is true then I would opt for ending the battle. I believe in quality living and because I have worked with terminal cases I have developed this attitude. I live in Oregon and I agree with the beliefs of the Hemlock Society.
• Australia
25 Jun 08
i still have to hear of someone who have fought and really beat it, totally and completely. coz all the cases that i've known, the cancer just went into remission and still haunted them back in the end...maybe not in the original form it was diagnosed but, still cancer of something else. thank you for your comment.
• Philippines
25 Jun 08
If ever it will happen to me, i think i would choose to die rather than suffering for days or years. Thus, it is painful to my family seeing my agony at the same time it is also painful on my part. It hard to accept the reality if ever, but, i think i would rather.
• Australia
25 Jun 08
yes, i believe so too. thank you for your comment.
@moondancer (7433)
• United States
25 Jun 08
I know we see commercials about people surviving cancer by the treatments. My father had lukemia and opted not to have the chemo and do nothing about his. It went into remition without him doing anything. I'm not saying that if I got any kind of cancer the same thing would happen. I just think the doctors don't nkow as much as they try to led people to believe. And when it's time for us to go we will no matter what is done for us. I opt for the second one. I wouldn't put myself through the h___ of chemo. I have a friend that does and she is so sick after her treatments. My children are grown, my grandchildren have had time with me. I have enough other things wrong that the pain I go through daily is enough. So having cancer would just add to the others. I am not going to put myself through all the treatments and then leave my family with medical bills. I have insurance but it only pays so much and if cancer is involved most times insurance cuts you off. They don't pay anywhere near enough. Leaving us to pay the rest. I'm not going to pay for someone to cause me more sickness and pain. Not anymore than I'll already be going through. If it's my time I will go no matter what. I try to live life to the fullest at any rate even now.
• Australia
26 Jun 08
yes, i believe so too. its not just the medication and/or treatments that will help you when you get stricken with cancer, but more so your lifestyle. for as long as you lead a natural, healthy lifestyle, i guess that would be the best medicine/treatment anybody can get these days, when everything we eat are full of nasty additives. thank you for your comment and god bless...
@pinkista (892)
• Philippines
25 Jun 08
I choose to live, if you have strong faith in God. Only faith can heal your sickness even it's deadly or not. But ofcourse, no matter what happens just accept it, God has purpose giving you that sick. Just prepare yourself.
• Australia
25 Jun 08
i also believe that there's reason for everything that's happening in our daily lives. and whatever the reason might be, i sure will embrace it as i know that it was HIS will and who am I to contest it?
@justry (12)
• China
25 Jun 08
It's a question.I had a aunt.She had treated me very well.But I always misunderstand her,at which I am alway filled with guilt .She had a serious cancer of heart.In fact,before a shock,I never really realized importance of this thing.In common life,I felt she had me felt embarrassed,so I always care about hurting her.But those things which you never hoped finally happened.After this thing,I knew she was always cared me,but I cared her in a wrong way.I took it in my heart.While I was in school,I heard suddenly that she had over sleeping pills,due to standing not wakefulness and in addtion,heart disease.When I heard it ,I felt shocked.I will live with a permanent pity.Sorry,I talked something else.I think however serious cancer you have,you must be faced with it ,and keep a good frame of mind.It is best way to be responsible for you and those who care you.
• Australia
25 Jun 08
the way i take it, your dear aunt have already passed away...too late to feel sorry for all those horrible things you've caused her before when she was still alive. but hey, you can still make amends. maybe not to your aunt, but to someone else. just learn from your mistakes and try not to be too judgemental. coz as the saying goes, you'll never really realize the importance of somebody or something, not until after you've lost it. thank you and god bless.
25 Jun 08
I personally would rather face it and enjoy every second left than prolonging the agony of my family.
• Australia
25 Jun 08
yes...because it is not just the sick person who will be suffering but his/her family and other loved ones as well. nothing can be more devastating than to watch a loved one slowly deteriorating, fighting for his/her dear life. thank you for your comment.
• India
25 Jun 08
Its hard for us to digest the truth that we had Cancer after all these years of our sweet life and we are going to die after some time and before the actual time. Its a fact that there is no cure for Cancer in the further stages so its no choice left for us than to bow for the fate and live the life up to the end with happiness and satisfaction all around us. We like to spend the most of the remaining time of our life with our friends and relatives and we also like to share that life with our enemies because this is the time to do whatever they can as there is no more life after some time. Its hard for us to be happy but we even smile at this situation at the early days we know this fact and at the end of our life we raise our hopes to live.
• Australia
25 Jun 08
we sometimes tend to live in "fantasy land"....not worrying that one day, we will be called upon and how. i guess its better to have an open mind all the time and be ready and prepared for the inevitable. coz when we are prepared, nothing will caught us by surprise anymore. and we don't only live our lives to the fullest just because we have to, but more because we want to. thank you for your comment and god bless.
• Philippines
25 Jun 08
Well, just like the characters in the movie,"The Bucket List" they decided to accept their fate and do things that they never do just to enjoy the remaining days of their life. Life is too short and we have to live everyday as if it's our last but we have to be very cautious in every decisions we make. I'll say " I LOVE YOU" more to all people that I love and I would never ever do things that may hurt their feelings. I want them to feel that they are so special to me.
• Australia
25 Jun 08
i think we should do that, whether we are suffering from cancer or not. i think we should start taking notice of all the little things in our lives that we have been taking for granted, right here, right now....and not just when we're told that our days are already numbered. thank you for your comment.
@ynigz1 (472)
• China
25 Jun 08
If the cancer is not so seriously I will live. Once I still can live decently by myself, and don't suffering a lot from the concer I will choose live. If I really suffers a lot from the cancer, and it's show I will not be recovery anytime under any treatment. I will choose die, live is not a good thing to me then.
@guybrush (4658)
• Australia
25 Jun 08
I wouldn't want the treatment, no. It makes people really ill, their hair falls out and they are in pain all the time. I'd rather be just the way I am and not go through that just to prolong it - it would be better for my family for it to be quick, I feel. In fact, I'd rather not even know I had it - I'm not a fighter.
• Australia
25 Jun 08
i pray that this never happen to you..that you never get to be in that position. but in case you might be, just try to be strong and know in your heart that you're very much loved by people around you. thank you for your comment.
• Philippines
25 Jun 08
For me, i`ll take the alternative medicine,much cheaper and there are people i know who survived. Well of course early detection helps to cure cancer. We must also be aware of what we eat, our lifestyle... it`s a big factor
• Australia
26 Jun 08
if alternative medicine will really works...but unfortunately, it doesn't work with everybody. it will depend if your body will respond to it or will reject it. thank you for your comment.
@esmicha (20)
• United States
25 Jun 08
This is quite interesting to me. Well, for me i would take it. I`ll try all my best to suffer for all the treatments necessary for me but of course i will also pray to God that i can`t overcome the cancer after all the treatments given to me i will thank HIM for HE gave me such wonderful life and now before i die i will enjoy the rest of my life with my family. We dont know when our life ends and only God knows. I do believe that HE is the master of my fate.
• Australia
25 Jun 08
i also believe in HIM...thy will be done. thank you for your comment.
• Philippines
25 Jun 08
pray and have faith. i mean really have faith. ive heard a story before about a girl who has a tumor in her eye. after weeks of treatment there was no sign of the tumor decreasing in size so the girl desperate, because she will be blind from one eye, prayed all night and she just focused on the tumor and prayed to god the next day the doctors were surprised because the tumor was has gone!
• Australia
25 Jun 08
miracle do still happen....just unfortunate not everybody can benefit or expect to have at least one in their lifetime. thank you for your comment.