Shahana, a 35-year-old woman, was diagnosed with carcinoma of the tongue. Upon getting the diagnosis, she braced herself to face the challenges of her illness which lay ahead and exhibited sheer quiet courage. She was lucky to have her husband as the primary caregiver as he firmly stood by her side. Despite the poor financial circumstances of the family, the couple managed their daily life with grit and grace.
Shahana was undergoing treatment at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital (LNJP) Hospital but owing to her declining physical health, she was not receiving any active treatment. Her condition had worsened to the extent that she was not able to keep her nutrition level in check which had led to further weakness.
When she paid a visit to our outpatient clinic (OPC) in East Delhi for the first time, a counsellor from our team tried to communicate with her with help from her husband as she was in a feeble state, unable to converse. It was tough but she somehow conveyed how she was feeling and what she was struggling with. With the information we were able to garner, we focused on offering her emotional support, nutritional guidance, and the most crucial – reassurance that CanSupport is there by her side.
A major hindrance for us that lay ahead was to convince her about the Ryles tube. Also called as an NG (nasogastric) tube, it is a flexible tube inserted through the nose into the stomach which is primarily used for feeding, medication administration, and gastric drainage. Her father-in-law and several other family members had put the fear in her mind regarding its use when the hospital had suggested her to get one inserted. She had become skeptical about the procedure and was resistant to the intervention even if it was going to significantly improve her quality of life. We did not insist and stayed in touch with the couple. It took a few sessions and multiple visits to the OPC for her to gradually open up. Through regular follow-ups and empathetic counselling, we managed to get through to her.
We gently brought up the benefits of the Ryles tube and how in her situation, it could provide her vital nutrition, strength, and comfort. We gave her real life examples of our patients who had been thankful to have gotten the tube as it positively impacted their lives. We were excited to hear that she was ready to get it and shared that she trusted our team’s sincerity and honest support she had been getting. The doctor cautiously and expertly inserted the tube keeping in mind to not cause any discomfort lest Shahana backtracked to her earlier stance.
As we fed her through the tube, she could realise that she had been delaying the comfort for no reason and her face of relief reflected that. Our team had been patient and treated her with dignity she deserved. She expressed her gratitude to them and the staff was once again reminded of the power of holistic care. Managing the disease can be tough; but restoring hope and a will to live is harder. Through compassion and mutual trust, Shahana’s journey is not just about survival but also a display of her spirit’s strength.
(Picture in display is representation of CanSupport Home care Services)
To protect the privacy of the patient and the family, the name/s in the story have been changed. There are many people who need palliative care but they don’t know where to go. While CanSupport is doing its best the reach out to people informing them about their services, we request you to spread the word.
Share our Helpline Number +91 11 4101 0539 / +91 98990 11212 (Mon to Sat 9 am to 6 pm) with all the needy people. Though all CanSupport services are free of charge for patients, the cost of reaching out to patients and caring for them cost ₹1,350 per visit per patient.
If you would like to support our cause, please donate at https://cansupport.org/donations/home-based-palliative-care/.
