Shall we tell him the truth?
By lucy67
@lucy67 (819)
China
March 30, 2007 8:51am CST
I have just learned from my good friend that her father is suffering from a fatal disease but he himself doesn't know the truth yet. My friend thinks they should tell him the truth so that he can cooperate with doctors but her mother doesn't agree. She is afraid her husband may give up hope to recover. Do you think the patient should be told the truth or kept in the dark?
2 people like this
5 responses
@charms88 (7538)
• Philippines
30 Mar 07
This is a very difficult question, lucy. I really hated hearing this kind of news. I think it is better for your friend's father to know about his situation. He can use the time to prepare himself as well as concluding all the important things he should do. If I am the father, I will still prefer to know it earlier. Its hard enough to face the fatal disease but it is also hard to leave many things undone when I'm gone. :)
@calvin222 (1606)
• India
30 Mar 07
I think it is his right to know about his illness. the earlier he gets to know the better he will be able to reconcile to it.
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
30 Mar 07
I think he definitely needs to know the truth. He cannot or maybe will not get the treatment he needs to sure whatever is wrong with him if he doesn't know something is going on. I would definitely tell him so he can possibly get cured. I would want to keep him around as long as I could and I sure would feel guilty if I didn't tell him and he passed away from not getting the treatment he needed. I know it may be devastating to him, but it will be more devastating if he doesn't get medically treated for the condition. Please tell him.
@onabreak2 (1161)
• United States
31 Mar 07
This is a hard question. But I am surprised the doctor did not tell him. I worked at a doctors office and they would have told him straight out. They do not hold back the truth from a patient. And for the very reason your friend wants to tell him. So he can get his final things in order. They don't leave it up to the family to tell the patient. So I don't understand why this was not done. But since it was I think that the wife would know her husband best and know that he might give up all hope. It is a sad situation all around. I know that many people do just give up. Especially if it is a hopeless situation. It is a terrible thing for any family to face. I think that the wife is the one that should make the decision. None of us want to hear that we are dying . I think that something is wrong here though when a doctor will not tell his patient the truth.
