1. Treat Symptoms with Pallative Care
During the final stage of lung cancer (stage IV), most treatments options have already been explored and usually did not work or stopped working at some point. You should now consider treating symptoms rather than continuing to try to reduce or eliminate the tumor. Pain management becomes crucial at this stage, making it the focus of most plans. The cancer can cause pain in places of your body you would never expect, with arthritic symptoms being common during the final stage. This requires you to cope with a whole new set of difficulties. Your physician or oncologist should help you set up a palliative care regimen that allows you to spend your time enjoying your family and friends in comfort.
2. Seek Alternative Therapy
Even after a hospital or doctor has discontinued your normal course of treatment, you may find some hope in alternative therapies and clinical studies. These may not "cure" your lung cancer, but they may add a few months or even years to your life. Every person reacts differently to therapy, and it only takes one stint of positive treatment to renew your energy or spirit. Immunotherapy and vitamin plans often provide you with extra energy, which may make dealing with your symptoms easier.
3. Renew Your Spirituality
A whole lifestyle adjustment may be needed. Quitting smoking seems obvious, but enjoying a healthy diet, exercising as much as possible and looking for spirituality often helps. Spirituality comes in many forms outside of the church, so you should find the guidance that motivates you to remain hopeful. Regular trips to church, daily meditation or a support group can help you maintain a positive attitude when lung cancer moves to the final stage. As you deal with the medical necessities, let your spiritual beliefs offer you solace. At no point should you feel that you are being punished in anyway by a higher being. You could not control your cancer or its progression beyond the actions you took during treatment. Instead of placing blame or feeling guilty, use your faith to give you a positive outlook and help you deal with the disease.
4. Include Your Loved Ones in Your Plans
Your friends and family are trying to cope with your cancer along with you. While you may not feel that they understand, try to keep communication open. Let them know if (and possibly when) you want to enter hospice care, what course of treatment you would like should you not be able to make your own decisions and how you want to spend your final days. Remember, your loved ones don't want to give up hope. Let them offer suggestions for treatment, research alternative therapies or simply sit with you as often as possible. They need to express their concern in their own way. The more involved you let them be in the process, the better they will deal with their own grief. And hopefully, some of your stress will be relieved, as your family pulls together.
