#16: Chapter 10: What to do for someone who has cancer

Kaiulani Facciani

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Dec 10, 2020

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Things you can do for them:

• Accompany them to doctor appointments and treatments. A second set of ears is invaluable. Take notes for them. Let them know they’re not alone. Distract them from unpleasant or frightening treatments. Massage their feet with love.
• Cook up big pots of delicious, easy-to-reheat-and-digest organic soups They may not feel like cooking and digestion and appetite may be a challenge. At some points in their treatments, they may need them pureed.
• Pre-make organic juices and teas. Cut up fruit and steam and season veggies.
• Help them organize their test results into a binder. Go over them with them.
• Encourage them to do whatever light exercise they can. Make a game out of it.
• Help with kids, pets, spouses, and home care.
• Help set up a communications system so they can post updates once and not have to field lots of the same exhausting questions. See www.caringbridge.org
• Look straight into their eyes and let them tell you the uncomfortable stuff.
• Hear what they are saying without putting your own spin on it.
• Realize that at this particular point in life, it’s about them, not you.
• Don’t say that if only they had done this or that, they wouldn’t have cancer.
• Don’t joke that Hey, we’re ALL terminal.