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Resources
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Ask Dr. Twaddle |
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I was diagnosed with a bone marrow problem a few years ago. Recently, the illness has progressed, and new treatments have been recommended. I don’t want hospice; I plan to keep on fighting this disease. Can CareCenter help me?
Yes, we are here to help, whether your goal is cure or care. Our role is to assess your needs and those of your family as you face the challenges of a serious, complex illness. We can work with you to help develop a practical, comprehensive plan for support. Palliative care should routinely be integrated with treatments for the disease, regardless of goal.
We recommend you talk with your personal doctor about requesting a CareCenter palliative care consultation. You also can call us directly and ask to see a palliative care specialist. In either case, we would be in touch with your physician before and after the consultation as well as with follow-up visits. We want to ensure good communication and avoid fragmentation of your medical care.
It is likely that we first would seek to understand what is important in your life—how you define “good quality of life” and what your goals are around medical care. Enhancing physical comfort is an important goal, and we would find out if you have problems with pain or other symptoms. We also would explore with you the issues around advance care planning—what happens when the treatments no longer promote the quality of life you value? These can be tough topics to discuss, but sometimes planning helps patients feel more in control and prepared if things don’t go as well as they had hoped.
We would help you address the practical challenges of living while undergoing treatments for a disease. Extra caregiving help, home-based therapies for rehabilitation and home nursing visits may be beneficial at different times in the treatment. We want you to feel that you are not alone in this journey and that qualified medical professionals are available to help you by integrating palliative care with the treatment option you choose.
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