Basically, the story is, a year ago, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease, which is cancer of the lymph system. He under went chemotherapy, and that made him feel better. But now, it’s back. And instead of going through the pain…he’s opting to not take the chemotherapy, and undergo alternative medicine. He’s got his parent’s support.
So my question is…would you refuse chemotherapy if you knew you had cancer…any kind. Would you refuse it if this was the 2nd time it came back? 3rd? 4th?
its a tough thing, i know personally chemo has never done anything good for anyone i've known with cancer, and radiation slowly eats away at you. i think that it is the kids decision if he chooses not to go through with it the seccond time, then i say let him. May allah give him strenght, comfort and peace.
I'd sit down with my child and talk heart-to-heart AND head-to-head about it. You have to look at the complete and hard reality of whether the chemo will help, how much time the chemo will give and how the kid will be feeling due to the chemo, let the kid have at least a good say in treatment. It goes without saying that the parents will want the treatments, will pray for a cure etc., but at age 16 it should be left for the kid to decide...WITH the parents caring guidance. My GOODness I couldnt imagine being in this situation, my heart bleeds for them and may the kid be blessed and cured.
Many Yrs ago (before he embraced Islam) my hubby was diagnosed with cancer and he was told it had totally spread and he had no chance of survival. He refused chemo cos he said he was gonna die anyway and he wasnt going to spend his last few months like that. However he was operated on and they actually got it totally wrong and he survived. IF he wud have had the chemo it wud have made him extremely ill for no reason and he thinks it wud have actually killed him. But that was his choice-he chose not to have it and allah ka shukar hai he's alive and well. Personally i think its a very hard decision to make especially if it is for a child.
I pray Allah gives comfort to those who do have cancer, Chemo in my books is waste of money! and health!
I guess if you have had personal experience then your views are perhaps more valid than others....
But on the whole, chemo wouldn't be an option if it didn't work. I think in certain cases it can have no real good effect, but for the majority it must work...otherwise it wouldnt be around....
the thing is....ok you go for chemo and it buys you 6 months to 1 year....but during the majority of that time, you're sick as a dog. If you skip the chemo, you feel good but only have 4 to 6 months. THATS the type of case where the child/kid/adult....PATIENT needs to decide for him/her self with loving input from family.
am i the only one who has blind faith in allopathic medicine? ok so i don't know a lot of people who have undergone chemo. my uncle had it, and from what i heard, his cancer was in remission.
yea, it's true that there are some cancers that have real low chances of survival. i don't know about hodgkin's disease...but maybe in his case, he might be making the correct decision. i just don't get it.
what...no 16, 17 year olds making comments on this? come on, i know you guys are out there.
mama: ameen. also, that is a good way to look at it. i suppose after what the boy has gone through, he might have a better perspective into it than anything.
amani: how could they make a mistake like that with him? that's just ridiculous. but alhamdullilaha he is well. i hope you don't have to undergo anything like that again.
i've made peace with the creator , and wouldnt mind to meet him.. and thats the attitude i'm gonna teach my kid too.. death's easy.. and soothing... life's the one thats hard and harsh.. :-)
if theres a guy who drinks, smokes and eats junk etc...and has a heart problem......which has gotten to a late stage....
if doctors say he shouldnt drink/smoke/eat junk etc.....and will maybe last another month or 2.....is it worth it? why not let them enjoy the last few moments of their life....?
p.s. drinking and smoking was just used as an example....im in no way saying anyone should do that. my point was "why not let them enjoy the last few moments of their life?" rather than have to put up with the horrible side effects of chemotherapy drugs....and in my opinion chemotherapy actually makes the person feel more unwell than they otherwise would (side effects)
but why have the giving-up attitude? why just spontaneously decide that this is then end...so you dont need to find a cure. for all you know, you have a huge life ahead of you. this is just a bump. and to say no to a cure given by Him...that's just na shukri in my opinion.
impulse: for a guy who smokes and stuf...that was coming! unless he agrees to quit or something...what's the point of a cure?
im a pharmacist but dont have much faith in medicines....which is kinda ironic.
I remember once I heard about some guy who was very ill and doctors said he only has 1 or maximum 2 weeks left....he cant eat certain foods....has to stay in bed etc.etc.....he refused....he said if he has 2 weeks left he might as well travel in the world and enjoy his last 2 weeks.....and thats exactly what he did...ignored all the doctors advice....infact the travelling/chilling out somehow cured him and doctors got it wrong (once again!)
I know one Man who had the same Hodgkins Lymphoma that you mentioned, after removing part of his spleen, The Mayo Clinic told him that it was too late to save since it had spread throughout the body, closed him up and told the guy he can expect to live six months at the most so better to spend it with his Family.
The Man went to Florida to some lady in the Jehova's Witness Church he belonged to, four months under her care where by changing his deit and giving him certain herbal teas etc cured his body complety of the cancer.
That was 20+ years ago.