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Terminal Illness-Life expectancy

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  • 25-09-2023 6:19pm
    #1
    STEE
    Registered Users Posts: 480 ✭✭


    Is it common that mistakes are made on what the life expectancy could be for a person who is suffering from a terminal illness like cancer ?



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    #2
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,704 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Its common enough that the estimate is wrong - but I wouldn't go as far as to call it a mistake. Every single case is different.

    I knew someone who died significantly quicker than the estimate they were given, but that was probably due to interruptions in treatment due to hospital acquired infections.



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    #3
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,056 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    No one can, or hopefully, would, give a definite time on length of life. They will generally, if pressed, suggest what the usual expectation is for someone in the patient's condition, but its only an educated guess.



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    #4
    STEE
    Registered Users Posts: 480 ✭✭STEE


    "I knew someone who died significantly quicker than the estimate they were given" What if they were way off like I mean years off the given estimate ?



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    #5
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,704 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121156163#Comment_121156163

    This was years

    Its an estimate. That is all it is. There is nothing to be done if its wrong, either direction.



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    #6
    STEE
    Registered Users Posts: 480 ✭✭STEE


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121156178#Comment_121156178

    What about someone told they have 4 years but, they died in 3 weeks ? Only got two treatments of radiotherapy and had to be put in a wheelchair to leave hospital after the treatment



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    #7
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,056 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    You really need to talk to either medical staff, the consultant or your own GP. It can happen that expectation and reality do not match - my husband was told (or rather it was obliquely suggested) he had 6 months and he lived 4 years. The case you mention is at the extreme end of the scale but there is no way we can tell you anything more about it. It is far from unknown for someone to get a diagnosis and die within weeks.



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    #8
    banie01
    Registered Users Posts: 16,478 ✭✭✭✭banie01


    I don't know that I'd call them mistakes. At best any life expectancy given is an educated guess.

    Multiple factors at play, responsiveness to treatment, different patients have different outcomes despite having similar pathology, effectiveness of available treatments and just as important, how the patient approaches their illness and their treatment. Do they surrender to the diagnosis and the often exhausting treatment? Or do they meet it as a challenge.

    I am sorry for your loss and for its speed. May memories of happier times shared with the person you've lost be a golden light in the darkness of your grief.



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