I have someone dear to me who's undergoing radiation and chemotherapy to treat their cancer now. They're now feeling the side effects such as dizziness and vomiting. What suggestions do you have to help cope with it? Needless to say it's taking its toll on the family.
Thank you all so much for these wonderful suggestions. I'm limited in what I can offer since we live apart and it's really hard that I can't afford the trip. But some of these things I can do. I'll try and send gifts and deliveries their way. And yes, when we talk on the phone, I make sure it's not all about her condition. She is in her 60s now and last I heard, she's been very, very sick from therapy. My best wishes and prayers go to those of you who also have a loved one going through the same thing!
Just be there for support and offer to do anything they (the patient and the family) need help with.
My business partner is also going through the same exact thing. Acupuncture has helped tremendously. (Her doctors suggested this) Her Insurance has covered this.
See if your friend can look into this.
She is mostly weak, tired and tummy upset.
To help with the nausea, she can place a wet wash cloth behind her neck.
The dizziness, she just needs to lay down on her sides.
My friend now has neuropathy and cannot grip onto things and has trouble walking and standing. It is also making her legs and feet painful. She has moved onto a walker.
I also, set my friend up on the website www.lotsahelpinghands.com
It has helped us organize volunteers and donated services.
She now cannot be left alone. There is always someone with her. We have people volunteer to take her to her appointments.People bring her food. People spend the day or nights with her.
One person is even paying for a housekeeper to go once a week and do her laundry, mop her floors and change her linens.
She was given an ipad that she takes everywhere with her. It has all of her info. All of her contacts, She can read books, watch videos, play games.
One client gave her a prayer shawl that she takes with her to chemo . This shawl was made be a women and a group of people prayed over it..
I gave her a rolling suitcase to roll her lunch, and items with her to her appointments.
Well Ginger is good for the tummy to help the nausea. Just being yourself and offering your friendship as usual will help through the process.
Just help out as much as you can. Running simple errands, bringing food, doing laundry and dishes, cleaning the house, caring for kids etc can all be a huge help. The day to day maintenance of a household is so hard to do when you're feeling terrible. If she doesn't have to worry about that stuff, it might help relieve stress and give her the time to relax and help her body heal.
Does the hospital, have a Counselor, to help with this process and explain it to you all?
Hospitals often have social workers or people/Counselors to help, or may know of resources or community support groups locally, to help people undergoing this process.
Ask, the Hospital.
Yes, illness is very hard... and for the caregivers or others witnessing it.
And they need coping skills for it too, to know how to deal with it.
It is stressful.
For the person undergoing it, it is mind boggling emotionally and mentally.
Hospitals often have social workers or resources to help the family. ASK the Hospital for any information they may have regarding community support groups or respite groups etc. AND ask them, if someone can explain to you all, about it... so that they all understand the process.
Caregivers and those witnessing things like this, can undergo much stress and anxiety over it as well. That is normal. But... they also need help with coping skills. To deal with it. And you need to ask for resources on learning how to.
For each person, what they can or cannot eat or handle, varies.
But their Doctor, should be a resource of information. And per their medical needs and requirements, they need to follow doctor's orders.
Support groups, can help immensely.
When my Dad was ill.... my Mom attended one and it helped her a ton.
Without that, a person does not have automatic skills for "coping" and they feel all alone.
And yes, it affects everyone. Because, it is a very difficult situation.
As a friend (which I assume you are) do what you can. Help with errands/cooking/keeping company/chores etc.
Whatever they feel like eating & drinking. Chemo often causes mouth sores so painful even drinking is tough. My friend is going through this right now. Her most frequent request? Milkshakes.
Just a thought. I used www.lotsahelpinghands.com to set up a care page with a meal delivery schedule for my friend and her family. It has been a real blessing for them. So many people ask "What can I do?" and now we can tell them....join the site, pick a date & provide a meal!
The site can also be used for other tasks that they may need help with as well...laundry, cleaning, rides for the kids, the patient, etc. It's very easy to set up an account & get it going. Now I know that O. thing my friend doesn't need to worry about is cooking meals for her family when she's tired and nauseous.
RJ:
I'm truly sorry for this! I hope the chemotherapy is successful and eradicates the cancer.
I am sure there are natural remedy's for nausea. Can you call or to to GNC Health stores and ask them?
If you are able to be there during the day - be there - dump the bucket of vomit to give the family a break. Read books or play a game that they like to help distract them.
My Godmother liked to be distracted when she was going through her treatments - she wanted audio books and movies to help distract her from the "stuff"...what helped everyone was someone coming in to give the family a break...it's not fun cleaning up after them - but if they are dear to you - you can do it.
Again - I'm sorry. I hope the chemo works!
When my family was going through this the following were helpful (will depend on the families situation and age of their children):
1. Meals
2. Gift cards--gas, food, resturants
3. Take their children out for a playdate
4. Prayers
5. Conversations that did NOT have to do with the chemo
6. Pay for a cleaning lady to come over
For nausea, small frequent meals of bland, room temperature foods is best. Try peppermint lozenges or teas, ginger chews, suckers, lozenges, or teas as a natural method. Sea bands are a great way to naturally fight nausea, it uses a pressure point to help alleviate nausea. Cool washcloths to the forehead or back of neck. No strong perfumes or odors for lotions or toiletries. Medications prescribed by the MD taken on a regular interval usually are very effective. If your friend is throwing up a lot and not taking much in, she needs to get in for some IV fluids.
The best supporting role would be diversion for your friend and her family. Play dates for the kids, movies, books, magazines, suduko, cards, etc. Offer to pick up groceries, bring over a meal, help with cleaning/laundry if permission is given, help drive kids to school or activities, library trips for books on CD, the gift of a cozy soft blanket, socks or a new hat. Enc your friend to check out the American Cancer Society program, Look Good Feel Better.
Call your friend. Pray for your friend if you are religious. Be present.
Is medical cannabis use an option? There is an abundance of anecdotal evidence that it may help with the side effects of the chemo.
A good way to help is to take some responsibility off that person's shoulders so they can rest more. Meals, childcare, laundry, house cleaning: all these things are hard to do when the floor is pitching underneath you.
You are a dear friend to want to help. Unfortunately, there is nothing that you can do to help with her/his symptoms. When I went through chemo, the things that were helpful were people who brought meals or giftcards to take-out places, people who would go grocery shopping or do other errands for me, people who would drive the kids (3 and 7) to places they needed to be or who would come and take them out for a special outing. Even gifting them with an hour of your time to do some small chores around the house or offering to drive this person to his/her medical appointments if they are not feeling up to it would be lovely. It's also nice to have a little pampering. I don't know if this person is male or female, or what their age is but I was gifted with all new pillows which were awesome for rest time, and I bought myself a new nail polish for every chemo and gave myself a mani before I went, so even if I felt yucky, something about me looked good.
Sending healing wishes for your dear friend or family member.
You have gotten lots of helpful suggestions...some really GREAT ones as a matter of fact...I will be filing them away in my memory to pull out and make use of the next time someone I love is dealing with this sort of thing.
I know that when my Mother was undergoing Chemo...her taste for food REALLY changed...things that she had loved...suddenly made her ill...and vice versa. So tell her to be open to eating whatever sounds good to her. For the vomiting...my mother found that peppermint hard candies really helped calm her tummy...and of course there is medicine that can be prescribed for the more intense problems.
You just need to do whatever feels right to your loved one...sometimes they want to be wrapped up warmly...sometimes they want a fan because they are overheated. My Mom always wanted lots of pillows to prop herself with...she was so tired all of the time.
Think of what you would want if you weren't feeling well...
books to read
a special cup to hold that hot tea or cold soda
a soft afghan to cuddle under
clean soft sheets on their bed
help with laundry and household chores
Just let your heart be your guide!
