An Oncology Nurse Talks About Cancer - Esther Mbabazi

One of the most important and “neglected” things in the early stages of a cancer diagnosis is the Living Will.When someone is diagnosed with cancer, their chances of dying before their spouse rise up tremendously.(Not all cancers though). A living will is a legal document that stipulates the medical wishes of someone when they are no longer able to state their wishes themselves. For example, whether they would like a feeding tube inserted; whether they would like to be put on a mechanical ventilator when they can no longer breath on their own, whether they would like intravenous nutrition etc. The absence of this document can put a huge strain on the family because many times family members don’t agree on what to do; causing rifts in families that may never heal