116. Terminal cancer

PERSON: man.
DESCRIPTION: lung terminal cancer with metastases (prognosis of no more than 6 months of life), hoarse wheezes in his voice, retinal problems, frightened by the mere idea of death.
APPROACH: my extended and detailed presentation of the scientific literature about the so-called "psycho-social factors" (prayers, miraculous healing, uncertainty of forecasts), about the giant advantages of the multi-disciplinary and holistic approaches against cancer ("in order to put in action every element of the person, which is a multifaceted, unique, and total individual"), and about the impressive prolongation, "even years", of the survival thanks to the love between partners and relatives in the family; spectacular end of the pre-talk, when he screamed in order to ask to his daughter to come into the office; daughter: "what did you [both of you] do? I never heard him to cry with all that voice!"; father: "I got this voice since I started to come here"; daughter: "what are you saying? You have never been here before!"; my comment: "well, maybe he wanted to say that today he has discovered his full voice"; his request of learning hypnosis after each administration of his chemotherapy, in order to exploit at best his ability to relax, reduce tensions, and function economically; gradual and hidden deepening of the trance; very satisfactory general learning.
RESULT: good improvement in many aspects of life (deeper sleep, less obsessive thoughts about cancer, better control of his anal burning and oral inflammation, increase of his bodily weight, better chemotherapy tolerance (shorter and lesser side effects), good control of his cough, and remarkable general satisfaction.
UPDATE (7 months): sudden death (collapse), but after a rather satisfactory quality of life.

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