living longer than 6 months with terrminal lung cancer

airbus

Has any one been told they have less than 6 months to live going into a Home Hospice program and then living more than 10 months past entering Hospice?

wmsavs

Nobody can accurately predict when someone will die. They're only able to make educated estimates. I have heard of people being removed from hospice but that is extremely rare. Generally hospice is used for an end of life comfort of the patient.

2943

My fathers was given two weeks to live and lived 7 1/2 months. As wms said, educated estimates. Hugs!

Teachertina

I know someone who had 6 months and lived 2 more years.

po18guy

We form our own survival curves. No one on earth can tell you and, unless a terminal condition is imminent and obvious, the only reason to even mention it is so that one may prepare for the future. What that future holds, no one can say. The last time that I even had a prognosis was in February, 2009 and it was "extremely poor." That was before the second relapse and two additional systemic cancers. Ah, but there's the rub: prognosis applies to no one, only to groups of patients for statistical purposes. Someone survives every cancer. Someone lives far beyond expectations. Aim to be that person.

cards7up

Each person is unique. You can enter hospice at which time you stop all treatment. Then you can get stronger and decide on more treatment. It depends on your status and if your previous treatment worked at all. I've seen it happen and the person lived another 2 years. Again, each situation is different.

cards7up

What is the status of your cancer? Did you have a recent recurrence? On treatment? As already stated, no one can determine your time of death unless you're on your dying bed already.
Take care, Judy

airbus

dear cards 7 up thank you for your input
last June I entered into home Hospice due to a recurrence of my small cell lung cancer, the oncologist and radiologist and 2 other drs said it was in operable and I had no further treatment options. I have been on Hospice for so long I don't want them to cancel me as I have been pretty stable since I entered into it they would like to keep me in Hospice-l as I do also but I still have the feeling since I show no symptoms of my tumor worsening just exhaustion and ,weakness and that is not enough to keep me on Hospice care so I am a little worried
the Hospice nurses say they will do everything they can to keep me and keep within their rules - my re certification come up next month

legaljen1969

@airbus, thank you for sharing. I am asking my questions ONLY to gain knowledge. I have not ever dealt with hospice care- for myself or anyone else.
So, can you not go off of it and then go back on if you later have a situation that calls for end of life care? Why do you want to stay on hospice care if you don't have symptoms? Do you need them there for something else? Is "home health" an option? Like I think people can have home health but not "hospice." Are they the same and I just don't know better?
I would never tell or encourage you to give up your caregivers if you need them. I guess my understanding of hospice is that which people normally see in movies or what people hear about when death is imminent.
Is it worth exploring going off of hospice and then back on later if you need to? I don't know you so I can't truly know what is going on, but is it possible you are just a little scared or apprehensive but you know you don't really require so much in depth care? (Maybe you do, but if they are having to keep you within certain guidelines then maybe you fall on the outer limits). I can imagine if I had been told I needed hospice care and I had been authorized to get it, I might be a little apprehensive about letting it go.
Maybe write down the pros and cons and discuss with your hospice providers or whoever else may be able to help you make that decision.
I wish you the best. I don't want them to kick you out of hospice, but I hope you thrive and no longer "need" it.

Teachertina

Airbus, I hope your doctors are communicating with Hospice about your care. Sounds like they are doing a good job keeping you comfortable and meeting your needs. Maybe you or a family member can talk to your doctors about your concerns. My mom was in Hospice and they were awesome. I have not heard of being taken out of the program after being in it. I hope this isn’t a new thing! You certainly don’t need to be worrying about this with everything else that you have to deal with! Let us know how you are doing and what you find out. Sending hugs!