Our lives have been out of control since my partner was diagnosed with cancer. How can we regain some control? Loss of control is a common feeling for people with cancer. Most aspects of their...
Getting her to eat more isn’t necessarily the only solution to her weight loss. Check with her doctor to make sure you understand the possible physical reasons your mother is losing weight. If she seems...
In general, a healthy diet is a balanced diet, one that includes a number of servings from the different food groups: fruits and vegetables, protein, grains, and dairy foods. Of these, fruits and vegetables contain...
Should I tell the doctor? Doctors and the medical establishment have been wary of complementary and alternative medicine for a number of reasons. Although some treatments, like traditional Chinese medicine, may represent a centuries-old body...
Alternative medicines and complementary medicines recently have been described as all treatments that traditionally have not been offered to patients in hospital-based oncology practices, including dietary modification and supplementation, herbal products, acupuncture, massage, exercise, and...
I sometimes feel that I am doing too much for my father. The doctors and the physical therapist say he needs to do more for himself, including walking, preparing meals, and other things. How can...
My adult daughter always seems to be complaining of being in pain or fatigue and generally not feeling well. I don’t think she is trying hard enough. Are her “unseen” symptoms real? If so, what...
My Husband Says He Would Rather Die Than Live With The Surgery The Doctors Suggest. Can’t He Just Let His Disease Take Its Natural Course Without Subjecting Himself To This Treatment? Being diagnosed with cancer...
After the initial diagnosis, people with cancer and their families have to make medical decisions and sometimes are uncertain about what the “right” decisions may be. As the patient and family are making important decisions,...
It is a good idea to contact the insurance company directly to determine whether the patient’s insurance policy will cover therapy involved in clinical trials. Some insurance companies will pay for all treatment expenses, including...
This is a hard question to answer, since clinical trials entail different potential benefits and risks depending on the individual, the cancer diagnosis and stage, and the treatment proposed. People often believe that they will...
Advances in treating cancer often start in a scientific laboratory where potential therapies are first developed and tested. When one of these potential therapies shows promise in treating cancer, it is tested in many ways,...
It Seems The More We Find Out, The More Questions We Have. Can Too Much Information Be A Problem? Some family members cope well by learning every-thing possible about the cancer and its treatment. However,...
We recommend many Internet sites, not only for information about the medical aspects of cancer, but also for information about coping with cancer, including the family, emotional, financial, and work-related issues that often accompany the...
There are a number of sources for reliable information as noted here: a. Your doctor(s), including your primary care physician, medical oncologist, surgeon, and other physician specialists should be your primary source of information. b....
Playing the “hurry up and wait” game— why does it take so long to do a workup or to see the doctor? One of the most common complaints we hear from patients and their caregivers...
what Can We Do To Make Sure This Doesn’t Become A Problem? Linguistic, ethnic, and cultural differences may exist between you and the medical team; these differences may make communication difficult and add to any...
Between Appointments, My Wife And I Think Of Many Important Questions To Ask The Doctor, But When We Finally Get Into The Exam Room, I Get Intimidated And Distracted. How Can I Be More Relaxed...
Mark’s comment: When my mother was diagnosed with colon cancer twenty years ago, we knew that there was a really good clinic (hospital) to go to for treatment in our area, so we went there....
People use different criteria when choosing a physician. Many factors will influence people’s decisions, including the physician’s experience treating cancer and his or her technical skills, the hospital’s location, insurance coverage, and personal factors, such...
Who are all these people, and what do they do? The healthcare team is composed of different professionals who are specially trained to deal with the medical and emotional issues you are confronting. Become familiar...
Mark’s comment: I became the primary caregiver for my mother because I was the only relative who lived nearby, and I was also the one who was emotionally closest to her. After I reached adulthood,...
A caregiver is someone who helps another person to do things that ordinarily he would be able to do by himself. There are professional caregivers such as nurses and nursing attendants who provide this care...
Mark’s comment: When I was caring for my mother, and now that I have two friends with cancer, I have made a habit of offering whatever seemed to make sense in the situation. I’ve bought...
You can say the same things you said to them before they had cancer. Don’t be afraid to mention the disease, but attend closely to their responses. This means to listen not only to the...