Which is better, which is worse or are they equally not a good place?

So every day people are learning things that affect their futures. Some times they are life altering and sometimes they are just "ah ha" moments. Not everything we are told is for the good of our future or our families future. Sometimes you have plenty of time to take it all in and other times you have what seems like not enough time at all. Some things you can change and others are out of our hands and into the gods above to watch and do what is right (or is it truly right?).

A family member has been battling cancer for the past few years. Battle is an understatement. She has gone thru chemo in which it would "disappear" and back at the 6 month/12 month checkup for it to be determined the cancer is back. Going thru chemo to again have the same outcome, and again have it return. Again the trips back and forth to the hospital, the decision of what is the right process to go forward with, the side effects (having the energy being stolen from the body, hair loss, weight loss, etc), the ongoing family/friends watching this whole process without being able to do anything to change it. The children having to think what happens now? Having to think about watching their parent pass away or survive this whole ordeal. Family moving back home to be there, because you truly never know what today or tomorrow will bring.

A long time friend of the family was just diagnosed with cancer as his tumor erupted in his body, not even knowing that he had tumor or anything medically wrong with him. Going to the Dr for stomach pains, being sent to the hospital for appendix issues and sent immediately to Boston for what we all think was his appendix bursting. In due time, we are to find out that in reality it wasn't his appendix, it was the tumor. So now where to go from here?

In both cases there sadly is no good ending. Both have been informed there is nothing that can be done at this point. My cousin is given 6 months or so and the friend is given 3-4 months. Chemo isn't an option anymore for one as she has tried all possible avenues and the other has been told that chemo isn't going to help him.

Seriously, this is absolutely ridiculous. How can 1 person's life seem to be so meaningless that the Dr's are willing to just give up? How in this day is there no cure for cancer or no other possible options to fix them? How is this fair to them? Their families? Why is cancer just so horrible? Why do the good always have to get the bad in life, while the bad always seem to get the good in life? This just isn't fair!

My cousin and her 2 children have already had to face cancer and what it can do to a human being. 15 years ago they had to sit and watch my other cousin (the husband) battle cancer. They had to sit there and watch him become weak and lose the battle. Now those 2 same children have had to watch their mother battle this same disease to have it end the same, watch both parents battle this disease and watch aimlessly as it takes their lives. How is this fair to them?

The friend now has a wife and 16 year old to watch helplessly as cancer takes his life. How is this fair to them?

There is no real crystal ball to tell you what the future truly holds so you can change the direction if it isn't what you want in the end. If there were a crystal ball that could tell you your future years in advance, would you want to know? Is having 3+ years of a battle better then having the same ending as those who only have 4 months? Are they both not a good situation? Would you rather know years in advance or just a few months? Does the length of time make a difference in how you are to live those days?