March 31st, 2009
A commenter left me a link to a short podcast (just over 10 minutes long) that is directly related to the problem I discussed here regarding the person I know who is seeking CAM treatments for an almost-certainly terminal disease. I listened to it and thought it was really thought provoking and interesting. If you are interested, check it out here.
I guess it depends on whether your friend is viewing the alternative therapies as being a cure for his condition, or as a method of pain management. If the former, then yes, you should say something about it.
I think he’s thinking of it as treatment concurrent with medical treatment with the goal of increasing his life span, though a cure is not possible. Not at the stage of pain management currently but that is a good point – it really makes me mad that people suffer in pain unecessarily, and anything that helps them I totally support. When it is time for palliative care, shit, drug them to the gills if that’s what it takes. I watched a woman I know die of cancer in terrible pain and remember there being some discussion of how much pain killers to give… and man, the answer is: as much as it takes.
So currently not at that stage yet. Right now on one hand you can see it as an expensive but harmless and possible hope-engendering activity. Which I suppose is good. So long as he knows what he’s paying for. Which I don’t know if he does.
Can you be specific about the treatments and the cost? Are we talking $400 a week on reiki treatments, or are we talking $50 a month on acupuncture?
I’m thinking now in terms of “proportionate response”. If instead of seeking CAM treatments, he had begun going to an Anglican church and tithed $100 a week, that calls for one kind of response. If he’s shaved his head, joined a cult, and sold his house, that calls for a different one.
Right. No, unfortunately I don’t want to say how much and on what – suffice it to say “a lot” and for things that are definitely questionable. But no cults and head shaving, whew!