Blue Faery’s Blog
Cherishing Time with Loved Ones
By a stroke of luck, Bonnie and Warren were able to identify a suitable physician to help with Warren's treatment on the day he was going in for his biopsy. They overheard the GI doctor mention the name of an interventional radiologist (IR) who successfully treated HCC. So, they asked about the IR, who coincidently happened to be there that day.
Optimizing Cancer Support
Initially, Greg was eligible for a transplant, which gave him the best odds of survival. The liver transplant process is very extensive. The healthcare team has to ensure whomever they provide a liver for is not only going to be able to survive the surgery but also the post-treatment care.
Prioritizing Quality of Life
The GI offered to get Jimmy on the transplant list. However, Jimmy did not want to take a liver from somebody who was younger or had kids to raise.
Advocating for Cancer Patients
Although he was in his 70s, the hepatologists recommended liver resection (i.e., surgery) as a treatment option. They told Swapna and her family that he was a good candidate for resection and it was possibly curative.
Destigmatizing Palliative Care
Dr. Patel defines palliative care as a form of care that prioritizes quality of life and adds an additional layer of support for patients. When talking to patients about palliative care, he often describes the palliative care team, including doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and chaplains, who meet the patients' needs outside medical treatment services.
Improving Liver Cancer Education
Sarah is grateful for the palliative care team that took care of her father at the South Carolina trauma center. She also appreciated the honesty of the physician who diagnosed her father with hepatic renal syndrome because he made it clear that her father was near the end of his life and insisted that they switch to palliative care.
Improving Clinician Communication
Dr. Li feels that shared decision-making is a concept that healthcare agencies made up. About a century ago, healthcare was very paternalistic. The doctor made a recommendation, and patients had to follow it.
Delivering Cancer Care With Compassion
Ryne believes healthcare providers should have more formal training to learn how to deliver difficult news to patients and their families.