Table 4.
Open Coding.
| Subcategory | Category |
|---|---|
| • The whole family was worried after cancer diagnosis | The entire family suffered from an inner struggle after the cancer diagnosis |
| • Patients underwent surgery due to the recurrent metastasis even after chemotherapy | |
| • Surgery made them regretful | |
| • Patients gave up trying to prolong their lives | |
| • Family’s last trip | |
| • There was nothing the family could do, so we came to the hospice | Dealing with pain rather than treatment |
| • Afraid of hospitalization in the hospice ward | |
| • Hospice is a space to relieve pain rather than cure the illness | |
| • It is inconvenient and burdensome to move to another hospital or unit | |
| • They became accustomed to the hospice services | |
| • They recognized the patient’s symptoms that they did not understand before | Difficulty moving one’s body independently |
| • The patient suffered alone from deteriorated pain | |
| • The patient suffered from ascites | |
| • The patient developed paralysis symptoms | |
| • Eating problems and lethargy | |
| • Delirium | |
| • While suffering, the patient refused others’ assistance | |
| • The patient forgot about the illness due to impaired memory | Forgetting one’s own features |
| • The patient became a completely different person after suffering | |
| • It is difficult for the patient to accept their terminally ill status | Difficulty letting a family member go before death |
| • Guilty feeling | |
| • Suffered from a worrisome heart | |
| • Conversation breakdown among family members | |
| • Regret that patients did not spend time well with their family | |
| • Conflicts within family members | |
| • The family had more hardship than the dying person | |
| • The family had inner struggles due to the patient | Struggling with pre-existing family problems |
| • Cancer in the son and daughter disbanded their family | |
| • The stress of care giving also made family members ill | |
| • The cancer of the patient caused children concern or fear | |
| • They had to endure financial hardship | |
| • The issue of domestic violence | |
| • The stress caused by the death of a family member | |
| • The poor health condition of the family made caregiving more difficult | Caregiving for the sick also needs know-how |
| • Family members had difficulty in their first caregiving experiences, so they tried to learn know-how | |
| • Natural distancing from other people due to caring for a cancer patient | Natural distancing from other people |
| • Forgetting one’s pain and placing one’s mind at ease | Art therapy work with family members is meaningful and makes them feel happy |
| • Reliving previous memories and looking back at one’s life | |
| • Leaving the patient’s last memento and bidding farewell | |
| • Realizing the meaning and happiness of being with family | |
| • The patient was encouraged by the support of surrounding people | Encouragement from the assistance of surrounding people |
| • The patient was empowered by support from fellow patients | |
| • The patient became empowered through the help of the surrounding people | |
| • They became interested in volunteer activities | |
| • The illness made family relationships closer than ever | Closer relationships with family members during illness |
| • Family members gave thanks to the patients who endured suffering for their family | |
| • Family members considered the patients, wishing them comfort for the rest of their life | |
| • Feeling the love of family | |
| • It was hard for family members to accept the death of the patient | Despite not wanting death, hoping for it to be comfortable |
| • I don’t want death, but I want a comfortable death (ambivalence) | |
| • Stabilization of the patient who fears death | |
| • Emptying their minds and making their hearts ready | |
| • They wished death without pain following the previous death of a family member | |
| • They changed their mind as patients had near-death experiences | |
| • They found it difficult, but accepted the laws of nature | Acceptance of the laws of nature |
| • They felt that they had lived good lives due to the consideration of surrounding people |