Donna,
if his prognosis is not good then why not opt for hospice care? They can keep him at home, comfortable and pain free and treatment CAN continue. This can take a lot of the burden off of his sister, provide guidance, some nursing, bathing and respite care. It sounds like Nancy needs help badly - caregiving alone is very difficult (as I am sure that you know).

He should definitely be on something stronger than Vicodin. Waiting 2 weeks sounds barbaric to me. I was on Duragesic for months and got along quite well - I never needed to be assisted in any way.

Most people who die from drinking, die from cirrhosis (hardening) of the liver.

It's ok to be angry about this - it is a righteous anger. Maybe the priest didn't state it well but life is a terminal illness - none of us gets out alive and it also isn't fair. In fact, nothing about life is fair in spite of the myths we have been taught. Biblically, we have to survive by the "sweat on our brow", suffer pain and death so in some sense we do have to pay our entire life.