Coping with Cancer, Part 6 - Cancer and Self-Image

 

Installment 6 of this 9 part series dealing with the dreaded cancer diagnosis discusses the effects of the disease on the patient's self-image and feelings of self-esteem.

Cancer treatment can extend over weeks or months; side effects may come and go. Side effects can make you feel rotten, even make you think the cancer has returned. 

If you cannot seem to regain good feelings about yourself, seek professional counseling or therapy. If your relationship is endangered by the stress of cancer, get professional help. You need each other at this time. 

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Coping with Cancer, Part 5 - The Health Care Team

 

Installment 5 of this 9 part series dealing with cancer discusses the various components of the health care team in place to provide care and support for the cancer patient and his / her family. We researched the resources at the National Institute of Health to uncover how individuals and families respond to living with the diagnosis, treatment, and the possibility of the ultimate end. They complement each point with their advice - not from the clinical perspective but with practical suggestions. Each person and case are different, so hopefully this lengthy discussion will benefit you and / or your loved ones.

Your health care team are there to help you, so utilize them. Physicians or nurses are good sources of answers to medical questions. It's helpful to write down on a sheet of paper all questions you have about cancer, its treatment, any side effects from it, or any limitations treatment may place on your activities. (Incidentally, there may be surprisingly few limitations other than those caused by changes in physical capability.) Other members of your treatment team, such as physical therapists, nutritionists, or radiation therapists, can explain the "whys" of these aspects of your therapy.

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Coping with Cancer, Part 4 - Cancer and the Family Unit

This is part 4 of a 9 part series dealing with the dreaded cancer diagnosis. We researched the resources at the National Institute of Health to uncover how individuals and families respond to living with the diagnosis, treatment, and the possibility of the ultimate end. They follow each point with their advice - not from the clinical perspective but with practical suggestions. Each person and case are different, so hopefully this lengthy discussion will benefit you and / or your loved ones.  

While the subject matter of this series may be viewed as morbid, that is not our intention. Rather, the purpose of all SeniorS-SuperStoreS.com resources is to provide insight into the many issues that our visitors probably will face at some time in their lives. If you can't handle the cancer subject matter, then substitute other serious illnesses that we as humans will likely endure.  

Cancer is a blow to every family it touches. How it is handled is determined to a great extent by how the family has functioned as a unit in the past. 

http://seniors-superstores.com/cancer-within-the-family-unit.html

Coping with Cancer, Part 3 - Emotional Timetables

 

This is the 3rd of a 9 part series researched by the National Institutes of Health dealing with responses to the dreaded cancer diagnosis.

 

None of us operate on the same emotional timetable. One of the family might feel the need to talk about the cancer before the others come to grips with it. Each of us has to decide when we are ready to talk; none should feel forced to do so. 

It is important to let the person who has cancer call the signals for when it's time to talk. But, it is always helpful to look for clues to determine when might be a good time to discuss the cancer and how to live with it. 

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Coping with Cancer, Part 2 - Should You Tell?

 

 

Who and when do you share the news of your illness? The diagnosis of cancer hits most of us with a wave of shock, of fright, of denial. Each person needs a different amount of time to pull himself or herself together and to deal with the reality of cancer. Only you really know your emotional timetable. Think about sharing at a time when you are ready to do so. 

Usually, family and close friends learn sooner or later that you have cancer. Most people with cancer have found the best choice is to share the diagnosis and to give those closest to them the opportunity to offer their support. They have found it easier, in the long run, to confide their fears and hopes rather than trying to hide them. Of course, you must comfortably time your words in telling family and friends that you have cancer.

 

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Coping with Cancer - Support for Seniors and Others with Cancer Part 1

Reference Source: http://www.nih.gov/

This is the first of a 9 part series dealing with the dreaded cancer diagnosis. We researched the resources at the National Institute of Health to uncover how individuals and families respond to living with the diagnosis, treatment, and the possibility of the ultimate end. They follow each point with their advice - not from the clinical perspective but with practical suggestions. Each person and case are different, so hopefully this lengthy discussion will benefit you and / or your loved ones.  

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Coping with Arthritis

 

The word "arthritis" makes many people think of painful, stiff joints. But, there are many kinds of arthritis, each with different symptoms and treatments. This resource discusses the differences between them and suggestions about how to treat them - as recommended by the National Institute of Health.

 

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