Palliative Care: Physical Comfort
Palliative Care: Physical ComfortAngela Valerio and her mother, Camelia, are very close. They’ve been living together since Angela wasdiagnosed with a rare and painful condition six years ago.“I am her only daughter and she’ll say, you know, she wishes it was her. And I understand, I’m aparent, myself- I wouldn’t want my kids to go through none of this, at ALL - never.”What Angela is ‘going through’ is treatment for what’s known as a Desmoid Tumor, in her right leg. The pillsshe now takes are one of six types of Chemotherapy she’s been on to prevent the tumor from spreading tonearby areas. Angela says the side effects of the treatment, and the physical symptoms of her tumor, can bedebilitating.“Headaches, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, bone aching, body aching, and - I have to say - thebone aching is the worst.”Three years into her treatment, Angela’s pain got so bad that her Oncologist decided she needed additionalhelp. He referred Angela for Palliative Care.“The best way to think about Palliative Care is as an ‘added layer of support’ for people living with aserious illness, and their family.”Palliative Care is specialized medical treatment, focused on providing relief from the pain, symptoms, andstress of a severe condition and its treatment. A core Palliative Care Team is “Multidisciplinary” - it typicallyincludes a doctor, a nurse, and a social worker.“What’s unique about Palliative Care is its deliberate focus on the whole person. It can mean everythingfrom listening to you tell us what your hopes for the future are and what your fears and worries for thefuture are, all the way to answering the phone at three in the morning, if you wake up in a pain crisis.”“I’m feeling a little lethargic.”A primary goal of Palliative Care is your physical comfort. After an initial assessment of symptoms and sideeffects, the team develops a treatment plan to manage issues such as: Pain; Shortness of breath; Nausea andvomiting; Fatigue; Insomnia; Loss of appetite; and Constipation. The team may also address other issues, likeconfusion or disorientation; depression and anxiety.“I always tell patients that there is no need to suffer, that physical symptoms can be addressed andmanaged, while someone’s receiving treatment.”“We are here to support you.”Palliative Care is “Patient-Centered” care. That means you have a role to play to tell the team about all yoursymptoms and side effects and how they impact your daily life. The more the team knows, the more effectivetheir care can be.“I will always speak up and tell them something isn’t working, or if I don’t like how it feels, you know, I’malways gonna tell them. There’s no problem with that.”As Angela has learned, it’s important to update your team regularly on how you are feeling. They will also do anew assessment of your symptoms each time you visit. It’s important to keep track of how you are feeling inThis program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.PRG54650A EN PalliativeCarePhysicalComfort.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 1 of 2Palliative Care: Physical Comfortbetween appointments and to tell them about new symptoms, as well as changes in the ones they are alreadytreating.“If I’m really sick, I’ll call them, and I’ll tell them like what’s going on, and they’ll call me like every hour.That’s the type of relationship that we have.”“Science shows that people who receive Palliative Care at the same time as their disease treatment feel better, have fewer crises, are much less likely to end up in an emergency or crisis situation. Thereare even some studies showing that people who get Palliative Care live longer, then people with thesame diseases who don’t get it.”For Angela, Palliative Care means less pain and more opportunity to enjoy being with those who matter mostto her.“Working with the team has definitely improved my quality of life, because I’m able to spend more timewith my mom and my kids. It’s wonderful.”This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.PRG54650A EN PalliativeCarePhysicalComfort.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 2 of 2
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