One caregiver grapples with the consequences of her sister's terminal cancer diagnosis.
BY Kim Johnson
PUBLISHED December 28, 2017
Kim is a nursing student who is hoping to find her place amongst the phenomenal oncology nurses and doctors who cared for her sister. She loves reading, volunteering and enjoying the outdoors of Colorado.
When one hears the word cancer, it can elicit a variety of reactions. Personally, the only word that struck a deeper chord was hearing the word “terminal.” To be told that even today, with all that modern medicine has to offer and how far we have come, it is the saddest of realities that people still do die from cancer.
It is also a reality that it is 2017, and while people still lose their respective battles to cancer, they are living longer than they previously did. That in large part is due to prolonging life with quality through various medical services such as palliative care.
When it came to my sister, we heard the word “terminal” used multiple times. Each time it was just as jarring as the time before. It did not make me any more prepared for what the actuality of that statement truly meant. As she continued living life despite the looming diagnosis of terminal hanging over her, we discussed that a grieving process was going to occur.
It is also a reality that it is 2017, and while people still lose their respective battles to cancer, they are living longer than they previously did. That in large part is due to prolonging life with quality through various medical services such as palliative care.
When it came to my sister, we heard the word “terminal” used multiple times. Each time it was just as jarring as the time before. It did not make me any more prepared for what the actuality of that statement truly meant. As she continued living life despite the looming diagnosis of terminal hanging over her, we discussed that a grieving process was going to occur.
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