Palliative care, by definition, is health care for seriously ill patients that treats the entire patient, both the major illness troubling them, but also side effects, other ailments, overall health, lifestyle, diet...in short, it is FULL healthcare instead of partial. I was shocked that this was not the approach of every doctor in every facet of healthcare. Complete care should be part of dealing with ANY major illness, and surely Cancer. Cancer treatments are mixtures of radiation, chemotherapy and other medications that doctors really know less about then they will ever admit. Some treatments they will actually tell you, "We are not sure, but it works". Well, that certainly explains all of the unique personal side effects...most of which, are the cause to discomfort with Cancer...shockingly, most of these go untreated. Further more, doctors seem almost resistant to asking about those kind of things...like a person who doesn't look at the scary parts of a movie.
Recently, I contacted some organizations about Palliative Care and how different it was to the care my wife did and still receives. I hope they reply. It is interesting that I find her hospital and doctors on the list of "Palliative Care" facilities in Virginia...it would be nice to hear someone explain.
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