Archive for Advice for Friends
The Oversensitive Nose
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the strange, and temporary, effects of chemotherapy is the over sensitivity to smells. Many things that normally smell good may not at this stage of treatment.
I made the mistake of spritzing my pillow once with a eucalyptus linen spray, you know like you get a bath store? Oh my goodness, I could not stand to go into my room. Even walking down the hall I could smell it coming.
I had no energy to change the sheets either. And although most people could not smell it, I could for weeks.
So friends and family, be careful about cooking, perfumes, and other nice smells like making coffee as it has an unusual effect on your patient at this time.
Barb Gordon from Iowa, Survivor May 2006 Portraits & Stories founder and photographer
www.PortraitsAndStories.com a photo essay project to bless breast cancer survivors, their family, and friends. Find inspiration and encouragement here through photographs and stories.
Communicate
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{My advice for others is to} Ask questions about any fears [your family] might have, listen closely, and try to assist them by talking through issues. Remind them that they are loved, you are there for them. And this time will pass. They will come out a much stronger and more confident person. Let them know there’s a silver lining in every cloud. Don’t pity them, be proud of their strength.
–Stacey from Texas, Survivor January 2009
www.PortraitsAndStories.com a photo essay project to bless breast cancer survivors, their family, and friends. Find inspiration and encouragement here through photographs and stories.
They Won’t Call You
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I learned that telling someone ill to “call if they need anything” was not the right thing to to. Although saying so made me feel like I was available to them, in reality a sick person needs you to call them, offer to help, and volunteer more than once to assist them. All personality types are different, but I noticed not only did I not want to ask for help, sometimes I just couldn’t.
It is hard to explain to someone who has not experienced all the chemical changes a chemo patient experiences, but some people get too sick to think rationally at all sometimes. I didn’t feel like even changing the channel on the TV, pray for myself, or ask someone to read to me because I couldn’t read either. So even the type of people that may normally be able to ask for help and comforting may not be able to so well during this time of treatment.
This lesson I have found applies to sick people, disabled and the elderly as well. I would not have understood this at all if it were not for going through chemo myself.
Barb Gordon from Iowa, Survivor May 2006 (Portraits & Stories photographer)
www.PortraitsAndStories.com a photo essay project to bless breast cancer survivors, their family, and friends. Find inspiration and encouragement here through photographs and stories.