Resilence

The last of the scans are completed and we have been blessed, the cancer is only in my father’s bladder.  There is a certain irony to feel such a sense of relief in the statement: “the cancer is only…”  We are well aware that the road ahead remains long with many curves to maneuver and hills to climb but at this moment we feel a sense of relief.

The primary caregiver shoulders many emotional tensions in addition to providing for the physical needs of their loved one.  Caregivers are concerned about the well-being of their loved one, the risks of complications and the potential outcomes that can drastically alter lifestyles.  The diagnosis of cancer or any other life-threatening disease does not make other life stressors disappear; sometimes unrelated worries can take a back seat during the acute phase of the diagnosis and sometimes these other concerns are the burdens that break a caregiver’s strength.  It is very important that the caregiver  is able to recognize their own symptoms of stress before it becomes overwhelming and to learn to develop or strengthen coping mechanisms.