Contents:
- Medical Video: Cancer Treatment: Chemotherapy
- Steps to encourage cancer sufferers
- 1. Know how serious the disease is
- 2. Help him feel more comfortable and happy
- 3. Don't let him feel lonely
- 4. Spend time with him
- Do & don’s while talking to cancer sufferers
- You may say:
- You must not say:
Medical Video: Cancer Treatment: Chemotherapy
Energizing cancer sufferers can be done in many ways. When someone is first diagnosed, many people will pay attention and support to them. However, this assistance often disappears from time to time. Treatment and recovery for cancer takes months, so do your best to support people you know in the face of the entire cancer journey. So you can encourage people with cancer well, consider the following ways!
Steps to encourage cancer sufferers
1. Know how serious the disease is
Be aware of the seriousness of the cancer in patients. Know whether the sufferer can recover or whether the disease is deadly. Stay focused on giving full attention and considering the patient's prognosis (life expectancy). However, the prognosis does not apply to helping deadly cancer sufferers. Because it can give sufferers false hope to be able to improve, even though in reality the cancer that he suffered continues to deteriorate and cannot be cured.
2. Help him feel more comfortable and happy
Always bring a gift to encourage cancer sufferers, regardless of the prognosis of this disease. Prizes can be books or magazines, music, DVDs, books puzzle, and others. Even if the patient is dying and cannot be helped anymore, he must be treated the same as those who will still live long. Buy a warm blanket for the sufferer if he is hospitalized. Bring a sleep jacket or nightgown if you are prohibited from carrying extra blankets. Don't forget to bring socks and sandals to help regulate the temperature. According to the University of Texas Health Center, cancer patients can shiver with cold due to several chemotherapy drugs. Buy a hat or hat to cover the head that has lost its hair due to chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
3. Don't let him feel lonely
Take the patient to a religious service place, if medically possible. If he is not a religious person, spend time with sufferers to read inspirational stories or poetry. Make sure whatever activities you do are in accordance with the wishes of the sufferer. Give all of his favorite books so he stays entertained when he has time alone.
4. Spend time with him
Spend your time with cancer sufferers regardless of the prognosis. Time is the most valuable thing a cancer patient has. Bring the patient's family member to visit him if permitted by the care facility regulations. Do not stick to the diagnosis received by the sufferer, but enjoy time with him by talking about things that are normal.
Be careful when saying something related to the future to cancer patients who are deadly, because they will not be there and participate in it. Talk about how you will look after your family, friends, or anyone he loves when he leaves this world. If he is comfortable sharing his memories, you can spend time looking at photos of family and friends with him.
Do & don’s while talking to cancer sufferers
Many people are afraid to misunderstand cancer patients. Actually it's not a problem to show your attention and encouragement to sufferers.
You may say:
- I don't know what to say, but I want you to know that I care.
- I am very concerned that you have to go through this.
- If you want to talk about anything, I will always listen.
- What do you feel? (This will make the patient speak more than the question, "How are you?")
- I am always thinking of you.
- You are always in every prayer.
You must not say:
- I understand your feelings. (If you have never had cancer, then you don't know).
- You're great, huh I don't know how you can handle it.
- Do not worry.
- If you need anything, tell me, yes. (It's better to say specifically about what you can do).
- How much more time do you have left?
- I know someone who has the same cancer as you, and it's terrible.
- I'm so sad. Sometimes I cry at night thinking about you.
Don't feel that you have to keep talking all the time. Silence can help sufferers draw their thoughts together. Wait a moment and then ask what he is thinking. Don't be hasty, even if silence lasts a long time. Hold the patient's hand if it feels right to do so while you wait for him to speak. If he pulls away, you just have to pull your arm back and give it some space.
If the sufferer cries, don't try to stop it. Make sure that it's okay to cry. Even though you can't bear to see it, but tears are a natural response to distress and may be an important release of emotions for sufferers.
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