| Summary: | The purpose of this study was to discover how palliative cancer patients
experience living while they are dying. A naturalistic approach, interpretive
description, was used to identify and interpret themes. Data collection consisted of
unstructured interviews with 6 patients with a prognosis of less than 6 months. Data
was transcribed and analyzed systematically. Emerging findings were validated with
participants and revealed 3 major themes: coping with a terminal illness, making
sense of the situation, and surviving within the perimeter. Participants utilized a
unique combination of coping styles and resources. Some reflected on the
experience, while others ignored the psychological and spiritual aspects of the
situation. All participants had a matter-of-fact acceptance that the situation could not
be changed. They acknowledged their inevitable death but did not dwell on it. They
maintained hope by being open to positive outcomes and using treatments that may
make them feel better. Meaning related to doing what must be done in a bad
situation while never letting go of the hope that the situation could improve. The
participants focused mainly on staying alive (eating to maintain weight and gain
strength) and accomplishing physical activities (by working around fatigue and other
symptoms). Meaning was attached to physical accomplishments. Participants
described themselves as surviving within a smaller perimeter of life. === Applied Science, Faculty of === Nursing, School of === Graduate
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