When life becomes suffering
By way of introduction I tell you that my Dutch wife died of cancer some 14 years ago. Most of you will know from experience in family or acquaintances how terrible this disease can be.
Population survey
The disease was discovered in my wife at an early stage in the first best population study for women aged 50+, but now in retrospect you also have to conclude that the discovery was too late. The cancer cells were not just in her breast, but had already spread all over the body, especially around the spine, without manifesting. That only happened after a period of six years or so. Originally it seemed to go well with a mastectomy, but unfortunately that was not enough.
Euthanasia
She has had a more than excellent treatment, which together still gave us a lot of sadness and worries for 6 years, but also intense love. The oncologists and medical staff did their utmost, but the disease was unstoppable and became an agony. In the end, her life ended by means of euthanasia, she died in my arms in a dignified manner. If living becomes suffering, dying is liberation.
Education and Outreach
In general, I dare to say that information about cancer in the Netherlands is well organized. Whatever information is provided, it is important that you and I are open to it and that you also have regular medical examinations. This can be a lung test, or for women a breast test and smear tests and for older men a prostate test. It is clear that personal preventive measures can also be taken.
Thailand
I tell this story about my wife, because last week during a short visit to Isaan I was confronted with a case of illness that touched me deeply. A friend of my wife, in her early 40s, felt some lower abdominal pain about a year ago. Well, you have painkillers for that, don't you? The aches became pains and the amount of painkillers rose to great heights. She didn't talk to anyone about it, because you have to be strong and not complain!?
Incurably ill
More than a month ago, the pains became so severe that she decided to seek medical attention. She was taken to a state hospital for examination. All kinds of tests were carried out and the conclusion was made last week that she is terminally ill. The cancer has spread all over the body and is doing its destructive work. She is not being treated any further and the prognosis is that she will die shortly. She leaves behind a husband and two children.
Euthanasia in Thailand
Morphine has to ease her severe pains, she has now been released from the hospital and has to wait at home for the end. Euthanasia, which would be a solution for her, is not allowed in Thailand. That is, not only legally, but also Buddhist teachings do not allow this form of liberation.
Drama
Of course this is a drama, but what can the medical world do if you do not indicate in time what is going on? My Thai wife invited a dozen women from the neighborhood one evening for food and drink and merrymaking. She pointed out to those women the need for timely medical examination, because Thailand also has many deaths from cancer. I couldn't understand what was being said, but I could see from the frightened eyes that the drama of their friend, who is going to die, had made a big impression. Let's hope they overcome the fear of medical examinations.
Yes Gringo good advice is worth gold. There are good programs available in hospitals for all kinds of physical examinations. The costs for this are very different. I had already been to Bangkok hospital with my wife and she knows several of these programs ranging from 6000 bath- 12.000 bath and more. It is important, especially if you are a bit older, to have this done once a year.
This year my wife had such an examination done at a (state) hospital in Chonburi. They had an extensive survey for 2200 baht there, so we took advantage of it right away. You often hear through the grapevine that there is such an offer somewhere.
I can imagine that those Thai women you write about looked anxious or questionable, whether they (can) do something with it is another matter. Money is and remains a necessary evil. In addition, not everyone has a good partner at his or her side, who supports and motivates to actively think along in order to be able to go through life in a healthy way.
Good information and physical examination are of vital importance. Cancer has hit hard around my friends and family even though they had easy access to medical facilities. Within Buddhism suicide is a difficult subject and is usually not accepted, but in my opinion this is a very individual act. In this context, the Dalai Lama spoke of Buddhism's two equal but opposing priorities “value of life and thus preservation of life” and “compassion”. He concluded that the coexistence of these two priorities presupposes that we have to judge on a case-by-case basis. So in my opinion there is also the possibility when there is unbearable suffering to choose euthanasia but in the Theravada tradition it is significantly more difficult. For more information, for example: boeddhistischdagblad.nl/BACKGROUNDS/66492-boeddhisme-en-zelfgekozen-dood
The fact that suicide is said to be a difficult subject within Buddhism is in stark contrast to reality.
Thailand has the dubious honor of being number 3 in terms of suicide. Japan ranks 1st followed by Sweden.
The main cause would be jealousy, followed by unsolvable debts.
My (Thai) wife passed away on January 22nd, as it turned out later due to a cerebral hemorrhage. Apart from that, research showed that he also had a tumor in the brain. So her sudden death was actually a good thing, as harsh as it sounds
Dying in Thailand from cancer can be horrible with excruciating pain over a sometimes long period. According to the prevailing tradition, in order to die everyone must finish their own way. Euthanasia is not allowed.
Euthanasia is (officially) not allowed, but there are ways to say goodbye painlessly on the internet.
This with very simple commonly available means.
it might be equally interesting to watch on a public holiday
I have been doing a check up in Bangkok hospital for years and with a holiday BV birthday of the king you go to the hospital without an appointment
great service but also often 50% discount on the survey and the last time no discount but a voucher for a free check up that I could spend on my friends
Cancer can be a terribly devastating and painful condition. It's good that Gringo takes a moment to think about this.
Hopefully there will come a time when euthanasia will also be allowed in Thailand.
Screening interests me. I've written about that many times. Screening is much less effective, measured over a large population group, than is generally assumed. An analysis of a number of studies on the outcome of screening in a total of 188.000 people over a period of 10 years showed that neither mortality nor the number of illnesses decreased.
General health checks did not reduce morbidity or mortality, neither overall nor for cardiovascular or cancer causes, although the number of new diagnoses was increased. Important harmful outcomes, such as the number of follow-up diagnostic procedures or short term psychological effects, were often not studied or reported and many trials had methodological problems. With the large number of participants and deaths included, the long follow-up periods used, and considering that cardiovascular and cancer mortality were not reduced, general health checks are unlikely to be beneficial.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD009009.pub2/abstract
That is the reason I do not participate in screening tests of any kind.
A doctor who investigated these matters once said to me: 'Do you know what a healthy patient is? That's someone who hasn't been checked well enough yet.' If you screen enough you will always find something and the question is whether that will always benefit your health.
Hans van Mourik says
First I wish you and your wife's girlfriend the best of luck.
Things done don't take time.
Still, I want to warn people don't wait too long to see a doctor.
I will try to tell my experience.
At the end of 2012 after dinner I got severe pains at night, vomiting, stomach ache, not being able to rectal.
Thought ate wrong in 1st instance.
I am not one of those people who go to a doctor quickly, so first some painkillers (paracetamol)
Please help for a few hours.
But after 3 or 4 days the pains did not go away
So said to my girlfriend at 08.00 am we are going to the ram hospital.and order a Taxi.(don't have a car)
As usual with me, you are not a burden there.
Checked in first to the doctor, he felt my ass with his fingers, and I heard I have a match.
Then referred to the oncologist immediately different course.
He also examined me and again I heard I have a match.
She said then we're going to take a run photo first, then back to her, she looked after it, I'd like to record you.
So after the top 10 floor, formalities and blood were taken there first.
A little later the nurse comes to me and had to drink 2 liters, then down for a scan.
In the meantime it's 16.00 p.m. The sister arrived again and I had to take a very dirty drink
you'll be well off,
Down again after 3 hours for a viewing operation.
At 23.00 p.m. the doctor came to me. We're going to operate on you tomorrow at 10.00 a.m. because you have cancer. OK.
Is it evil or good, they don't know yet.
After 2 days asking the doctor is it evil or good, they don't know the results of the lab in bangkok yet. Located there for 11 days.
She wanted to have a ct pet scan made as soon as possible, but here in Changmai, it is not yet in use, so it will be Bangkok.
I said rule with my insurance, they called in the afternoon it's OK, date agreed
After Bangkok again with her we want to give you a chemo which one do you want, since I am not a doctor I leave it to you. 12 chemos every 2 weeks don't know exactly according to fllu 5.
2 liters of chemo at a time and 3 days in the hospital. After the 12 chemos
Then the necessary control of both CT Scan and viewing operation.
On March 16 a keyhole operation, they removed 2 policemen and sent them to bangkok, got the results after a few days. the doctor wants to check you again in 6 months, we will send you an apartment. No, I said I'm coming to you now and want to see the report from the LAB.
Been there, talked to the doctor, the lab did see cancer, my question was right or wrong, she doesn't know that's why he wants to do an exploratory operation again to see if it will come up again.
So 08-09-2016 another exploratory operation, but 03-06-to 18-08 = 2016 but first to the Netherlands,
I'm feeling good.
I may have told you too much, but in the end I want to warn you
DON'T STAY WITH SOMETHING FOR TOO LONG DO YOU STILL HAVE A LOT OF PAIN OR THAT YOU FEEL AWFUL AFTER A FEW DAYS GO TO THE DOCTOR, IF YOU ARE ON TIME THEY CAN STILL HELP YOU.CANCER IS A SNAP KILLER,
Maybe I talk easy because I have insurance, but healthy HEI is not for sale
Hans va
t
Hans van Mourik Says.
Symptoms of Colon Cancer (at least for me)
Feeling bad, stomach ache or abdominal pain, nausea, difficulty with vomiting, not being able to relieve yourself, not being able to fart, feeling of a swollen stomach or abdomen.
See a doctor after a few days.
If in time, something can be done about it, the medical world is already very far in that area.
Hans van Mourik
Dear Gringo, I agree that one should be aware of pain, swelling or other things that may indicate a (serious) illness, including cancer. Regular checks are partly on luck, hitting something by chance that you hadn't noticed yet, but if you check a day too early, it may be too late at the next check. And of course false positives or treating people for something they would also grow old with. I do understand that people like the idea of those checks, so especially do them if there is a need for them. I'm still young so I'll see what feels right for me in a decade or so.
Hopefully Thailand will not wait too long with some form of euthanasia either. Nobody deserves unbearable suffering and that can be reconciled with a certain interpretation of Buddhism. By the way, most Buddhists (or animists) and other believers/infidels/viewers do anyway. Of some who died with cancer, I know that other organs gave up first, so my grandfather passed away weakened because his heart was no longer pulling, it did save him pain. Others unfortunately depended on a lot of morphine. The end better come painlessly and quickly, no matter how harsh that sounds. The only nice idea about my wife's death is that she died unexpectedly in a moment from a cerebral hemorrhage. Fortunately, she was not ill, but died much too young. My life still stands still, I'm not really happy anymore, but I get some 'satisfaction' from the fact that she passed away herself without pain or any sense that it was over. I just hope that when my day comes, I may die just as painlessly and quickly.
Moderator: no off-topic comments about alternative medicine please.
Hans van Mourik says.
After learning I had malignant colon cancer, I told my oncologist that 4 out of 5 of my family died of colon cancer.
With a respectable age. about 80 years.
She asked if I want to have DNA done, possibly for my children.
Had it done, they took 3 or 4 bottles from me and sent them to Bangkok.
After 4 months I received the report, since I don't understand it, I made printouts and gave them to my family.
My younger sister, now 68 years old, went to her doctor in the Netherlands, with the report, she was then referred to the specialist.
Examined with keyhole surgery and CT scan and must come back in 3 years. (closer control)
I told my 2 daughters to go to the doctor with that report when you are 50 years old.
In the Netherlands, they also have a preference for people over the age of 60 that they have to give their faeces to the GGD for a check.
And women over 60 years old for breast examination.
I think they should do the same here. For the Thai, the GGD reimburses the check
These are diseases that belong to the top 5
Hans van Mourik