Wesley_HornbeckLife is all fun and games until it hits you hard in the face and brings you back to reality. Being privileged and favored doesn’t mean to you when you know that a family member has been diagnosed with cancer. The ‘C’ Word itself is very traumatizing. As much as its hurting you from the inside, it is important for you to make sure that you are providing the patient with the needed care and supervision.
Cancer doctors in Lahore suggest that it is essential that the fundamental needs of the patient must be fulfilled. Different types of support can be provided to the patient including,
- Medical care
- Emotional Support
- Communication between the doctor and the patient
The tips that you need to keep in mind while taking care of someone are listed below. Don’t just read the tips, try and implement them too.
It is Always a Team Effort
A caregiver can be a person from the family, friends, or the healthcare team. Make sure that every member of the team is playing the roles that they are best at. Otherwise, burdening one person can not only disrupt the health of the patient but the mental health of the caretaker is also compromised.
While discussing the method of the treatment, make sure that the discussion is taken place within the presence of the patient. Be open in discussing your concerns with the patient. In this way, you will keep them the center of the attention which a person needs to be when they are sick.
Accept the Bad Days of Your Loved One
There will be a lot of days when the cancer patient or someone that you love suffering from cancer will be very down and depressed. It is very unrealistic of a person to say “chill out” or “it’s no big deal” person who is dealing with an immortal disease like cancer. Make sure to avoid such slang and sentences as these might cause the patient to get even more depressed. It is very important for you to not discuss the topic or talk about it unless the patient doesn’t want to.
Bringing up the topic, again and again, will only cause pain and chaos. It is needed that you give them the space when they need it, but to leave them alone at all times is not something very wise that you will do.
Make Sure the Patient Doesn’t Lose Appetite
It is very likely to see the patient not eating anything during the time of the treatment. It is your duty to make sure that the patient is eating enough in order to keep a bigger appetite. Food is the only thing that can keep a cancer patient on track, the needed ingredients in the recovery phase should be fed to them along with all the medication.
It is essential to feed them with a liquid diet if they refuse not to take solid food. Clear soups and fresh juices can save their energy from dropping. Add proteins and vegetables. It is best if they consume all the natural sources of food and not any processed food.
Monitor Your Own Health
It is very important to take care of yourself when you are busy taking care of a cancer patient. Most of the time we forget and ignore the physical symptoms that show how deteriorating is our mental health. Make sure that you are taking care of your mental and physical health. You should at right, exercise and sleep on time.
It is essential to keep a closer look at your mental health and the ways to improve it. Do try relaxation techniques, deep breathing methods, and even stress-reducing games.
Conclusion
It is no doubt a very difficult job to handle a cancer patient. But it is very important to take care of their needs if you want them to get better or at least manage the symptoms that their body shows. It is important to keep a check on their energy levels as they drop quite fast when a person is dealing with cancer just try and be there for your loved ones as they pass through this phase and help them in any way you can
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