The diagnosis has been given. Dealing with it begins now. You are not alone.
There is no blueprint for caregiving. You’ll find yourself immediately researching neuro-oncology, house management and medications. You'll learn about the needs of the patient and the importance of patience. As caregivers, you'll endure the disappointments, the losses and the confusion of those in your care, even as you struggle with your own anger, fatigue and emotional pains.
Photos from Left to Right: Allen Hill andFrankie, Jennifer Brusstar and Tug McGraw, Mark, Tim, Tug and Cari McGraw,
Jim and Jimmy McKeon, Jeff Waters and Kristen Hallock-Watters, and Lisa-Anne and Hannah Uhrmacher
The top two questions we are always asked are:
(1) How did we take care of Tug?
(2) What advice can we give?
There are no simple answers to these questions. In our case, the goal was to keep ourselves functional and maintain a sense of balance in order to give Tug the best care we could. At first, we fumbled, but empowering ourselves with information and understanding helped us begin to find our way. As caregivers, you will also experience pitfalls and triumphs, butthere is strength found in others’ experiences and the knowledge they can provide. We hope this information is helpful as you begin your journey in caregiving.
Caregiver Resources
Caregivers of Brain Cancer Patients Play A Key Role
Avoiding Brain Tumor Caregiver Burnout
Eleven Steps to Take When Caring for a Loved One
ABTA's Assessing Your Needs As A Care Partner
National Brain Tumor Society's Caregiver Resources
The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center's Caregiver Bill of Rights
Source:
The Orientation to Caregiving handbook is a product of the Caregivers Project, a collaboration between the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine and the UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery, funded by generous gifts from the langeloth Foundation, the Mental insight Foundation, and the arthur vining Davis Foundation.