Have you just found out that someone you know has cancer and you want to help but don’t know how?
Below are some suggestions on what you can do to help make their life a little bit easier:. Offer to make some home cooked meals that can be stored in their freezer. There were so many days, especially in the beginning where we were spending all day and night at the hospital. The last thing we wanted to do was come home and cook because we were either too exhausted or mentally drained. It was too easy to resort to unhealthy eating choices and takeaway because it was simple and convenient. Already prepared meals made by friends was heaven-sent! * Make sure you find out what foods they can and can’t eat first before preparing meals as they may have restrictions e.g: No soft cheeses, processed meat, mayonnaise etc Surprise them by mowing their yard, weeding their garden etc This was another one of those chores that unfortunately got put on the back burner because we didn’t have time. Thankfully we have a small yard! The beauty about this job is that you don’t even need them to be home to do it. If you’ve got access to their yard, you could mow it and surprise them before they get back from the hospital. Offer to babysit During this whole journey my husband and I have been so consumed by what is happening with our son and making sure that his brother also gets attention that we sometimes forget to take time out just for ourselves. We don’t feel comfortable leaving our children home alone at night and there may be others who feel the same. Offering to babysit the kids will help take that worry away so that the parents can have some time out and go on that long overdue date night. Walk their dogs/play with their animals Unfortunately because a lot of time is spent at the hospital, animals may feel neglected. Especially if they are used to having a lot of attention and daily walks. Offering to take the animals for a walk or a play at the park will make the furry members of the family happy, as well as the non-furry ones ;) Offer to clean the house. It’s all about helping to make life simpler. As we all know, cleaning the house takes time and energy and it’s really difficult to do when you don’t have the time or energy to do it. Cleanliness is really important to someone who has cancer. Immune systems are virtually non-existent to someone undergoing treatment and they are susceptible to picking up germs and bacteria. Put together a care package My son received one of these and we thought it was amazing. Some of the things you could include so they can take to the hospital could be:
Other thoughtful gift ideas:
Be there- Finding out that you have cancer or someone you love has cancer is a scary experience. I remember when I was waiting to find out about my son’s cancer diagnosis (and then when we found out) my head was all over the place. I just wanted to talk to someone. Fortunately I had some terrific friends who were a great network of support. They continuously sent me messages or called me to see how we were all doing. I never felt like we were doing this alone and I knew that I’d always have help if I needed it. You may feel like you don’t know what to say. Just let them know that you are there for them and that if there is anything you can do for them to let you know. Just knowing that they are not alone is enough x and lastly.. Try to avoid saying- ‘There is always someone worse off than you’. I know that it probably comes from a well-intentioned place but I’m pretty sure they already know that. Most people are aware that there is always going to be someone else who is going through a lot worse. What they are experiencing is important too. By saying those eight words it can sound like you are trivialising what they are going through. (Even if you don’t mean it that way) Their problems, feelings, thoughts, experiences and emotions are justified and valid too regardless of what it is they are going through. Comparing someone else’s problems is not helpful. *I have to admit that I have said this on occasion when talking to other people about my own experiences but only because I don't want people to think that I am complaining or whinging about my situation.
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AuthorHi, I'm Tj's Mum; Zoie All Blog Entries
August 2018
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