It is natural to feel sad or worried, and some days will be harder than others, but there is support available. It is especially important to reach out for support if you feel very distressed. Distress might build if you are feeling depressed or have a sense of helplessness, or if you have pain, difficulty breathing (breathlessness) or other symptoms that are not well controlled.
Pain and depression can often be treated, and support is generally available for other symptoms. It is important that you talk to your doctor or nurse about any physical or emotional symptoms that are causing you pain or distress, and find ways to make your final days more comfortable.
Sometimes a person with cancer may become so distressed that they wish that death would come more quickly. This might happen if they are feeling particularly ill, scared, or perhaps worried about the strain that they are putting on others.
If this is how you feel, discuss your concerns with a doctor, nurse, counsellor or social worker. If you urgently need somebody to talk to because you are thinking about ending your life, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 for free, confidential phone counselling at any time.
→ READ MORE: Emotional and spiritual needs
It’s tough for anyone to confront their own mortality, but it’s unavoidable when you get a terminal illness. Suddenly I had to start thinking about practical things like getting a will and a power of attorney. Something else that was tough to talk to my wife about was the funeral plans, but I’m glad I got it out of the way because it’s one less thing to worry about.
Ian
Podcast: Living with Dying
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Fiona Wiseman, Senior Social Worker, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Grace Berwald, Consumer; Peta Brydon, Metastatic McGrath Breast Care Clinical Nurse Consultant, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, NSW; Kate Bunyan, Social Worker, Psychosocial Lead, Cancer and Palliative Supportive Care, Canberra Region Cancer Centre, ACT; Hayden Christie, Medical Oncologist and Clinical Director Cancer Care Service and Clinical Lead of the VAD Service for Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service, QLD; John Clements, Consumer; Claire Davies, Spiritual Care Practitioner, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Joanne Dean, Nurse Practitioner, PEACE Team, Clare Holland House, ACT; A/Prof Michael Franco, Medical Oncologist and Palliative Medicine Physician, Deputy Head – Monash Medical School, Monash University, VIC; Dr Sally Greenaway, WSLHD Director of Supportive and Palliative Care, Senior Staff Specialist Clinical Haematology and Clinical Ethics Service, NSW; Maree Grier, Clinical Psychologist, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, QLD; Dr Catherine Joyce, National Manager, Advance Care Planning Australia; Mattesse Kitchin, Consumer; Penny Neller, Project Manager, End of Life Law for Clinicians, Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology, QLD; Caitriona Nienaber 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council WA; Palliative Care Australia; A/Prof Joel Rhee, Head of Discipline of General Practice, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, NSW.
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