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"Today's diagnosis is lung cancer. Li Dongtian listened to the doctor's words, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly, "If you come, you will be safe!"
Li Dongtian, 66 years old, is a typical community librarian with a wide range of hobbies, especially square dancing. In her outlook on life, happiness every day is more important than anything else.
The news of the diagnosis, although heavy, barely spends much time in grief and fear. She decided not to undergo chemotherapy or surgery and instead move on with her daily life and do what she loved.
"It can't be cured anyway, so why make yourself so miserable?" Li Dongtian said to her friend Aunt Wang. Although it sounds a bit subversive of traditional medical concepts, Li Dongtian's decision is actually not unfounded.
For some elderly and advanced cancer patients, conservative treatment or palliative care, focusing on quality of life rather than active treatment, can sometimes prolong life expectations and improve quality of life.
In the following days, Li Dongtian's life did not change much because of this diagnosis. She still goes to the community library every morning to sort out her books, and in the afternoon she dances with her friends in the square. Her attitude is also contagious to those around her.
Li Dongtian's choice has caused extensive discussion within the community. Some believe that she is giving up on treatment, while others believe that she is making a wise choice for the quality of her life.
In fact, her approach is based on a more modern medical philosophy – the supremacy of quality of life. For many patients with advanced cancer, the most important thing is not to prolong the length of life, but to increase the breadth of life.
Medical research supports Li's view. For patients with advanced lung cancer, excessive medical intervention not only does not significantly prolong life, but may cause more pain and discomfort.
Patients who opted for palliative care had a better emotional state and quality of life than those who opted for active treatment, and the final stages of their lives may even be slightly longer than those who received active treatment.
In addition, Li Dongtian's daily exercise and social activities also add points to her quality of life. Some physical activity can help people with cancer relieve pain, improve mood, and enhance a sense of self-control in life.
Square dancing not only keeps Li Dongtian physically active, but also an important part of her social activities, making her social support network stronger.
After more than a year of maintenance, Li Dongtian's health began to show slight changes. She began to feel some fatigue and struggled to breathe. In the face of these changes, she remains optimistic, but she also pays more attention to rest and reduces the frequency of some activities.
Her change in behavior caught the attention of her family and friends, who began to support her more and participate in light-hearted activities with her, such as watching movies and excursions.
Her choices and lifestyle gradually became an inspiring story that was reported in the community's newspapers. The report mentioned that Li Dongtian's story is not only about how to face illness, but also about how to live out his true self in the final stage of life. Her story has inspired many to rethink their approach to life.
However, despite Li Dongtian's strong appearance, her daughter Xiaoling is still full of worry and uneasiness in her heart. After a dinner, Xiaoling couldn't help but ask, "Mom, do you feel that your choice to give up treatment is really right?
Facing her daughter's question, Li Dongtian smiled and said, "Xiaoling, I know you are worried about me, but I live happily and satisfactorily every day.
You see, I can still eat with you every day and talk with you, and that's the life I want. I didn't want to spend my last days in the hospital and endure those painful treatments. That's the best thing for me. ”
After listening from the sidelines, the doctor added: "Xiaoling, your mother's choice is based on her understanding of life and her personal situation. While aggressive treatment can prolong life in some cases, for patients with advanced disease, the focus is often on how to improve the quality of life that remains.
Overtreatment can lead to a significant decrease in the patient's quality of life, which is not something that everyone is willing to accept. Therefore, we need to respect each patient's choice and provide them with the best advice for their situation. ”
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