Disease Trajectory

In class, we covered three different trajectories of death: Cancer, Organs failure, or Dementia. If I had to choose between the three of those trajectories, I would choose the death of cancer. Some of the reasons that I would choose this death path are it will cost less pain to my loved-ones either physically or mentally as organ failure might lead to my family giving me pieces of themselves trying to save me, and dementia will lead me to not recognize who they are and appreciate what they are doing for me. However, in cancer, even though they will go through a lot of mental pain, they will be supporting me as I am fighting the cancer and I will be still recognizing them and be with them as who I am. Finally, once the death come to the way, my family and loved ones would know me as a fighter because as I know myself that I will never give up to a disease and I will be fighting to the end.

On the other hand, I would be mostly afraid of getting organ failure. This is because organ failure will give me and my loved ones the hope that I might survive and live longer, but we all do not realize how fast the reduction in health and another organ will occur. So, this path will give a lot of hope before it breaks everyone by my death in the end. Also, this death trajectory might lead one of my family and loved ones to decide to donate/transplant an organ to me (or a piece of themselves) which will give us a little hope for just a short period before the drop happens again. So, I would rather they keep their organs and do not go through so much pain when in the end I would not benefit much out of it even though I understand they are trying to support and help, and they want me to live. In this case, I would be more than happy to live shorter and know they are healthier and do not have to go through pain. Even if none of my family will be the one who sacrifice or donate and somebody else (unknown), I would rather be happy with those people give their organs to other patients who have higher chance of benefiting of the transplant than me.

In conclusion, for all the reasons mentioned above, if I had to choose, I would choose to die of cancer, and I would be more afraid of passing away of organ failure.