Brain Cancer and Identitiy

[Stravo]

I started watching Grey's Anantomy on DVD and there was an interesting dilema facing a patient. He had a brain tumor in a place that made it absolutely sure he was going to die but there were 2 options that could stall that.

One, you get brain surgery, they cut out 99% of the tumor but because of the nature of the tumor and where its located you will probably lose much of your memory. Your short term memory will be fine but you will probably forget your childhood and your current relationships (if you're married you forget your wife, have children you forget their yours) you also lose much of any learned skills you have. You will most likely be like an Alzheimer's patient who has no memories of family or loved ones. You will gain 10 years of life with little to no side effects.

Two, a chemo treatment regime that shrinks the tumor, you retain your memory and all cognitive skills but you'll be sick most of the time and need a lot of help and assistance from loved ones. Your life span will only be 5 years.

To sum it up, either way you are going to die. Your options are good quality of life but you lose your memory and gain 10 years. You have a poor quality of life but retain all your memories but only gain 5 years.

Which do you chose?

For me, it was a no brainer. I would rather throw up every day and be able to look in my daughter's eyes and know that it is her. And on a more visceral level I firmly believe that if you obliterate my memories you've already killed me. Memories = Identity to me and there's no way around it. I could not conceive of it still being remotely ME if I can't remember anything that is important to me and that makes up who I am.

For the record, the patient chose the surgery.

[Justforfun000]

I think I'd take the surgery too. I'd hope for the best that I'd retain memories, but at least I'd have double the life span with quality life. 5 years of being sick until I die? That's not real living.

It is tough though.

[Singular Intellect]

I pick option #3 which is to end my life on my own terms while I still have basic health and decency to do it.

Both other options are worse then death IMO.

[Molyneux]

I would treat it as if I were dying - goodbye to loved ones, settle my affairs - and then go into surgery, hoping that I would somehow retain my memory.

[Guardsman Bass]

Do I lose my ability to retain any long term memory if I take Option One, or simply lose the memories I have until then? If I can still at least keep down some long-term memory, then I think I'd take Option One. At least you have 10 years to re-learn everything, and if possible, I would leave a lot of notes in my own handwriting for myself (assuming I was still able to read after the surgery.).

[Kanastrous]

Write myself a long, detailed letter, shoot some video, have the surgery.

[Knife]

I work around dimentia and alzhiemers, no thanks. Rather be sick and nausious and eek out what I have left than do that.

[Thunderfire]

Option 2 unless I can live comfortly for a year or two without either treatment.

[Stile]

Am I getting this right; Option 2 is that the chemo shrinks the tumor but it eventually comes back and you die of the tumor anyway?
Definitely option 1 then. One of my Aunts died from an inoperable brain tumor and it wasn't pretty at all. The chemo was the least of it.

[Molyneux]

Write myself a long, detailed letter, shoot some video, have the surgery.

You mean the "50 First Dates" strategy?

[TrailerParkJawa]

I'd take the 5 years and remember who I am. I can't bear the thought that I would look at my friends kids and not know who they are. Or that I would forget all the experiences that have shaped who I am today. Can you imagine not having any memory of funny moments from high school, work, etc?