Getting a cancer diagnosis is always devastating for the people involved. Hearing the news will always be painful and shocking, whether the person is a friend or family. For most people, it feels like a death sentence and that you will say goodbye to the person soon. Sure, most cancers are curable with the right therapy and medicine, especially if they get diagnosed early, but cancer news is terrible to hear nonetheless.
Not only that, but the journey to getting better is extremely hard. Chemotherapy, the most popular procedure people go through to get their cancer cured, is an extremely invasive method. Chemotherapy can’t distinguish cancer cells, so during the therapy, they will also destroy many of your normal cells, like your bone marrow and hair follicle cells.
That said, everything about cancer is bad. Although chemotherapy or the procedure to get you better from cancer is helpful, it’s tiring, stressful, and unpleasant, to say the least. So how do you make someone’s life comfortable during their chemotherapy? Here are some tips.
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Learn More About Their Condition
The first thing you should do to make your loved one’s life more comfortable is learn more about their condition. There is a lot of information regarding cancer and chemotherapy on the internet.
That said, the more you know about the condition and procedure, the more ideas you can consider to make their lives more comfortable. Not to mention that this is also important so you won’t be insensitive about what they’re going through. Knowledge is key here.
Setup a Communication Team
Many people undergoing therapy find it hard to keep people updated about their health status. They’re mostly weak and bedridden, and even looking at the phone for a few minutes can be too taxing for them.
That said, what you can do is set up a phone team. This is so that only one of their loved ones will be updated, and it will be that person’s responsibility to reach out to people and keep them in the loop. That person could also be the one to talk to the patient for permission and needs outside of hospital care like helping them save money through discounts and a Ondansetron HCL Coupon or medical equipment for accessibility.
Offer to Help with Daily Tasks
Some people can support themselves during chemotherapy as they can still move around and do some chores, even during extreme physical and mental stress. But even so, it will be hard for them even if these are daily tasks they’ve done a million times before.
That said, what you can do is help them with daily tasks like everyday chores, shopping, and even babysitting if they have kids. But of course, always ask permission to do so. Don’t just barge in there and say you’re there to help.
Visit Often
It can be a bit isolating for people undergoing chemotherapy, especially since they can’t go out and socialize anymore due to their condition. Visiting can do wonders for their mental health and eliminate that pesky feeling of isolation. However, there are some things that you should know before you go around visiting them.
For example, you should always ask for permission first. Be understanding if they don’t allow you to visit at times since they usually can’t see people due to their condition. Another thing you can do is to create a schedule around visiting hours. You can even do this to the caregiver to give them time for themselves while taking care of the friend personally.
And most of all, learn how to listen. It can be hard not to talk about their condition, but you should remember that your visit should be a moment of normalcy for them. They are already dealing with their condition daily, and talking with you should allow them to think about something else rather than what they’re going through physically and emotionally. Only talk about their condition when prompted.
Learn How to Offer Support
Some people don’t like getting any support. It’s not that they don’t need help; they just feel pathetic and a failure when they’re at the mercy of another person. It’s an awful feeling for them, so you should learn how to support them even without them knowing. The first thing that you should do is not get hurt or surprised if they reject your help. It’s their pride talking, or someone is probably doing that for them.
It would help if you remembered that not all help should come in monetary form. You can do many things other than just supporting them with money. For example, you can do small projects for them, like raising money for medical equipment, giving out recommendations for therapists and the like, etc.
Final Words
Cancer will always be an enigmatic condition that most of us are afraid to discuss. Luckily for us, even though it’s a very devastating condition to have, there are ways for us to help someone going through cancer and chemotherapy. It’s all about support and we should always give it out to them, even when they think they don’t need it.