I may have talked around this subject in the past, but I don't think that I've dealt with the pharmaceutical phenomenon head on.
Now that I've been going at this "cancer treatment thing" for just over 7 years, I think I qualify to comment on the real-life circumstance that many cancer patients face - treatment fatigue. As the name seems to imply, it describes the moment when a patient, for any number of reasons, feels like they just don't want to do it anymore. It's not necessarily that they are giving up on the process or their lives, but rather the machinations and rigors of the chemotherapy and the side effects become so overwhelming that it's hard to imagine going through another session.
- Perhaps they have endured myriad rounds of mixtures and haven't found the right combination yet to gain the upper hand on their rampant carcinogenic cell growth
- Maybe the onslaught of side effects have compromised so many different aspects of their body and quality of life that it's hard to imagine what "better" feels like
- It's possible that their strain of the disease is more obscure or elusive than most and their Onc team just can't quite get to the heart of the problem/source of the disease yet
- Compliance is always a huge factor with any course of treatment, and many patients: don't take their meds as prescribed, miss an appointment, or simply don't adhere to the "path" that has been laid out for the plan of attack that they need
- Or maybe the repetitive days and weeks of multi-hour sessions spent at the infusion clinic, and the often ensuing days of recovery, are taking a toll - and they just need a break
Fortunately, I haven't come anywhere near that threshold or these obstacles. I've tried a few various cocktails of regimens in order to find the right mix, but I've had embarrassingly few side effects, and thankfully great results, such that my experience is fortunately far from the aforementioned impediments. I can empathize with their exhaustion and comprehend their conundrum (continue the treatment and struggle with the side effects vs. stop the therapy and contend with the consequences). My heart and support go out to you - as you deal with this difficult decision.
