Knowing what to say or do during someone's illness can be perplexing. When dealing with a cancer patient you may wonder how you can help in practical ways and provide much needed emotional support. These tips will give you the courage to speak up, the freedom to listen and the comfort of knowing you are helping more than you'll ever know. You may be surprised at how much of a difference the little things make in the life of a cancer patient.
Just Say It
The worst thing a cancer patient has to deal with is people pretending that he or she is "just fine." It is unnerving to be around people who can't even bring themselves to speak the dreaded "C" word. The word is cancer. Most times, when caught early, it's not the death sentence it was 20 years ago. However, there are forms of cancer that are malignant and without a cure. Your acknowledgment of the disease will allow the person battling cancer the freedom to openly discuss the disease with someone other than medical personnel. Your ability to empathize about the highs, lows, plus the ins and outs of the disease will actually help the cancer patient process orally without feeling the need to side step the battle at hand in order to protect your feelings.
Lend a Hand
There are days when cancer patients just don't have the energy to run errands, nor should they for safety reasons. Volunteering to take care of simple day-to-day tasks will take a heavy load off of his or her shoulders. Tidying up the house or cooking dinner can give the cancer patient time to get much needed rest. Ask what needs to be done and do it immediately. The worse thing you can do is inquire about things left undone only to leave them that way as many well wishers tend to do.
Another way you can help is to give your time to any children who may be at home. If mom or dad is too weak to attend parent teacher conferences or ball games it will mean a lot to the child to know that someone is there for them. It will mean even more to the cancer patient who is expending a lot of energy fighting to beat this terrible disease.
Get Involved With the Treatment
Educate yourself about the cancer your friend or family member is fighting. Be on hand to drive the patient to the doctor and pharmacy. Familiarize yourself with the medications the person is taking and make sure they are sticking to a schedule. Fatigue causes many cancer patients to forget certain details the doctor or nurse may relay. By taking an active roll in the treatment process you can fill in the gaps later if necessary while keeping on top of correct dosages and appointments. You can also ask questions of the doctor that the cancer patient may overlook.
Tags: cancer patient, cancer patient, cancer patients, disease will, much needed, will mean
