Patients have a plans of attack and are engaged in the battle, leaving those who care for them feeling helpless on the sidelines. To read this interesting perspective and blog click here.
Two years after undergoing a double mastectomy and chemotherapy so severe she was hospitalized in intensive care for several weeks, breast cancer survivor Denise Hicks should be following what her doctors call “the plan.”
“I should be taking medication, I should be having tests and lab work,” says the 51-year-old Californian. “But my choice is to pay virtually every cent I have to do that or be able to pay for my rent, food and gas.”
Hicks has health insurance but already reached her coverage limits. So the CT scan that her oncologist “strongly advised” months ago to check a possible recurrence remains undone. “It would cost me $4,700 out of pocket—money I just can’t afford.” She’s also skipping recommended medications. “One drug would cost me $167 a month and another is $200 a month,” she says.
“So what am I doing? Well, I may soon be moving in with my 83-year-old mother, who lives in a trailer. But for now, I pray a lot,” Hicks says. Click here to read the full article.
Despite the sadness and shock of having a loved one with cancer, many people find personal satisfaction in caring for that person. You may see it as a meaningful role that allows you to show your love and respect for the person. It may also feel good to be helpful and know that you are needed by a loved one.
You may find that caregiving enriches your life. You may feel a deep sense of satisfaction, confidence, and accomplishment in caring for someone. You may also learn about inner strengths and abilities that you didn’t even know you had, and find a greater sense of purpose for your own life.
The caregiving role can open up doors to new friends and relationships, too. Through a support group, you may get to know people who have faced the same kinds of problems. Caregiving can also draw families together and help people feel closer to the person who needs care.
Caring for someone going through cancer treatment is a demanding role, but being good at it can give you a sense of meaning and pride. These good feelings can give you the strength and endurance to continue in the role for as long as you are needed.
If you have a story about being a caregiver, to someone diagnosed with cancer, please feel free to share it with us in the comments section. For more information about being a caregiver please visit: http://www.cancer.org.
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Also known as RC Cancer Centers.
