I have had several people in my life, recently, who have been through the journey of cancer. Besides friends, my mom has had two cancers in the past couple of years (uterin and skin,) and has come through each of those situations with grace, healthy, and a fast recovery.
I know that many of you do not have such Lifetime Channel happy endings. Perhaps you are a caretaker or have a roll in a cancer patient’s life. I would like to offer a resource for you to check out.
Author Cynthia Siegfried. Cancer Journey: A Caregiver’s View from the Passenger Seat offers practical tips and spiritual guidance to people living with serious diseases. Most importantly, the author shows you how to find hope and even joy in the midst of spirit-crushing illness.
And now, a question for you – If you have been a caretaker when someone was ill, what did you most need support-wise? What could a friend do to take care of you – the caretaker?
Understanding is one of the greatest things a caregiver can get from those around him or her. My late husband was left a prisoner in his own body following a catastrophic stroke at 33. He was unable to return home for care. It was a struggle sometimes to get him the care he deserved. While I battled the healthcare system, family and friends stepped up to provide visits or emotional support during a medical crisis. I was blessed to know that I could call someone when we needed help.
I was the primary caregiver for my father-in-law for 4.5 years as he journeyed through the Alzheimer’s tunnel to glory. The best thing people did for me was offer respite. I had homecare aides come to the house 3 times/week for a few hours each time so I could do things uninterrupted, or go shopping without what felt like a ball and chain attachment. Every three months, my sister-in-law came and stayed for a week with her dad and I went away with my husband (he travels for his work). We always scheduled this respite time so I could renew myself away from the stresses and also reconnect with my husband.
It was a difficult time but I would do it again. For us, it was a calling to care for a family member.
I helped my mom take care of my grandmother. Even though grandma was in a nursing home, it was still exhausting and time consuming. For us, the best way that others could help was just to come along side and encourage us, pray for us, and be there when we needed to vent.
Hey Debbie – Thanks so much for the real look into your life as a caretaker. I pray that God give you the strength that you need and support of those who you need!
I was a caregiver for my grandmother for 12 years. she had Alzheimer’s and arthritis so badly that it even affected her jaw. It was hard, and I don’t think there was anything a friend could do to make it better. My family and friends were the best though, always encouraging. She passed in to the arms of Jesus 7 years ago and now I find myself caring for my Mother in Law with the same disease – Alzheimers. This time around though some of my friends aren’t very supportive. They’re questioning why I’m doing things a certain way and why this and why that. The best thing they can do for me right now is trust that I know what I’m doing and that I’ll get the proper advice from professionals when needed.