How to Care for Someone Who's Had Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the name given to treatment of cancer by means of drugs, medications or chemical agents that work systemically in the cancer patient's body to kill malignant cells. Cancer treatments of course take their toll on the patient, and friends and family are hopefully there to ease the post-treatment pain and stress. Read below for tips on caring for a loved one who has undergone cancer treatment.
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Instructions
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Know that you are a special person in the cancer survivor's life, and that being a caregiver comes with its own issues. Read the National Cancer Institute's booklets (see Resources below) on life after cancer treatments to learn about how cancer survivors and their caregivers can cope with post-treatment life.
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Realize that a person who's had chemotherapy may feel emotionally disoriented or lost for awhile as he or she struggles to adjust to post-treatment life. Be willing to allow your loved one to make major life changes as a result of the cancer experience.
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Prepare delicious, healthy meals and encourage your loved one to eat. Chemotherapy regimens can affect taste buds and even the desire to eat.
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Take time to laugh with your loved one. There is evidence that laughter helps healing and relieves stress. Watch a funny movie together, and schedule some time to just enjoy simple pleasures with your loved one.
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Help someone who's had chemotherapy by doing little chores like making phone calls, walking the dog, washing the dishes or organizing short outings.
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Go to follow-up doctor's appointments with your loved one. He or she may be reluctant to go back to the doctor for fear of getting a new cancer diagnosis. Don't make false promises, but assure your friend that he is not alone.
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Tips & Warnings
Ask the patient's health-care provider what you can do to help during the recovery period.
Remember that you have the right to care for yourself as well as the person's who had chemotherapy. Caring for yourself allows you to be a better caregiver.
Don't become overwhelmed with your own emotions and frustrations. Take advantage of free counseling services available for caregivers, online and in person.
Organize emergency contact numbers.
Get plenty of rest and exercise yourself. A fatigued caregiver will only worry the patient.
