As much as we love the holidays, they can be extra stressful when you’re a caregiver for a loved one with mesothelioma. In fact, for all caregivers the joy of the holidays comes packaged with the stress of all the things that you need to get done because the people who you care about expect you to. The expectations of making the holidays memorable can get you down if you’re not feeling up to the task. We at Mesothelioma Circle sometimes cringe when we hear the popular Christmas song, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” The lyrics go, “There'll be parties for hosting, marshmallows … [Read more...]
mesothelioma caregiver
Are You Cut Out to be a Mesothelioma Caregiver?
Being a mesothelioma caregiver can be one of the greatest gifts you can give to someone you love – even though it is a gift you wish you never had to give. At Mesothelioma Circle, we are here for you. We will continue to work to provide you with information to help you through this difficult time. There are no rules about who can become a mesothelioma caregiver or what a mesothelioma caregiver is expected to do. That can make being a mesothelioma caregiver confusing, exhausting and frightening. Here adapted for mesothelioma caregivers are some basic pointers about being a home caregiver … [Read more...]
A Safety Checklist for Mesothelioma Home Care
Home is where the heart is and this is especially true for mesothelioma home care. But providing care at home for a loved one with mesothelioma requires making some adjustments. Safety is a top priority. Comfort and convenience are also important both for the mesothelioma patient and the caregiver. Making a few changes in the home for mesothelioma home care can make things easier for everyone and improve the overall environment for care. Here adapted for mesothelioma home care are some suggestions from the book The Comfort of Home An Illustrated Step-by-Step Guide for Caregivers: (For a list … [Read more...]
A Caregiver’s List of At Home Medical Equipment
At home medical equipment probably wasn’t ever on your shopping list before now. Why would it be? Providing mesothelioma home care is something no one ever foresaw having to do. Mesothelioma is a sneaky disease; it lies dormant for years following the asbestos exposure that caused it. But when mesothelioma emerges, it does so with swift merciless force. As mesothelioma progresses, you may find yourself and your loved one in need of at home medical equipment to make home care easier for you as a caregiver and for your mesothelioma patient. According to the caregiver resource book The Comfort … [Read more...]
4 Online Sites that Enable Mesothelioma Families to Organize Help
“What can I do to help?” is a question mesothelioma families often hear but don’t know how to answer. It is hard to say, “How about going to the grocery store for me?” or “Well, you can come over and clean my house?” You don’t have to. You can get a little help from your friends and neighbors in a coordinated non-embarrassing way with a little help from the internet. A handful of online sites provide ways to give people the opportunity to sign on to do as much or as little as they can. All it takes is one person – a friend, relative or neighbor – to create a virtual sign-up sheet and email a … [Read more...]
Mesothelioma Caregiver Tips: How to Cope in the Waiting Room
As a responsible mesothelioma caregiver, you are committed to being there for the mesothelioma patient in your life and seeing to it that they get all the medical care they need. So you show up for all medical appointments on time with your loved one who is suffering from mesothelioma. You rush to get there and soon you’re sitting alone in the waiting room. It’s a case of “hurry up and wait” again and again. Because of the importance of your role as a mesothelioma caregiver, you want to try to stay positive. But it’s hard when you’re staring at the wall in the waiting room of the doctor’s … [Read more...]
Mesothelioma Caregiver, Don’t Forget to Care For You, Too
As a mesothelioma caregiver, it is easy to forget to take care of yourself. Your loved one is ill and your time with them is limited. But as rewarding and important as the role of mesothelioma caregiver can be, is also tough and in many ways relentless. And often physically and emotionally draining. Know that you are not alone. According to a recent article in USA Weekend, more than 65 million Americans are serving as caregivers for loved ones by: Preparing meals Taking over household duties Managing doctor appointments and medications Providing full-time assistance in many … [Read more...]
For Mesothelioma Patient Caregivers, Tap into the Spiritual Side of your Holiday Spirit
When a close family member is suffering from mesothelioma and you are the mesothelioma patient’s caregiver, life changes. And holidays are bound to change along with it. They will still be the holidays but they will be different. Accept that and along with your family’s cherished holiday traditions, you can perhaps find new meaning and comfort in the spiritual side of the holiday spirit. For at their very essence the holidays are not about how many batches of fudge you can make or whether you find every high tech toy on the kids’ lists. The holidays – whether Christmas, Channukah, Diwali, … [Read more...]
Mesothelioma Diagnosis – 3 Tips for Caregivers
A mesothelioma diagnosis doesn't just impact the person diagnosed, it affects his or her entire family and circle of friends. As a family member of the individual diagnosed with mesothelioma, this time can seem scary, unreal and overwhelming. However, coming together as a family to lend support and comfort to the person in need is a vital step, and you can bet that you'll be called on time and again as a caregiver. We here at Mesothelioma Circle are here to help you during this process, and that's why we've compiled these three tips for coming to terms with your new role as a caregiver in the … [Read more...]
Woman Who Lost Brother to Mesothelioma Raises Money for Hospice
When someone close to you receives a mesothelioma diagnosis, it affects more than just that individual. Remember that it can affect you, too. Much like the patient, you may experience feelings of frustration, anger, sadness, confusion or fear. These emotions are perfectly normal. However, you must not forget that you also have an opportunity to channel these emotions into positive action. In Scotland, Isabelle Nicol decided that next month, she will travel to Australia in order to climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge, which is the tallest steel arch bridge in the world, as reported by Barrhead … [Read more...]