A cancer diagnosis can be nerve-wracking and heart-breaking. A single prescription can destroy your entire aspirations. But this does not happen to the patient alone. The truth of cancer’s co-existence in life is equally brutal to the relatives of the patients too.
A Caregiver is one who receives the news of a cancer diagnosis along with the patient from the front end. The immediate relative of the patient is caregivers. It can be parents, spouses, siblings, or children.
We had a golden opportunity to interact with Mr. Pukhraj Singh, a caregiver and a cancer survivor.
Through his closest encounter with cancer, he has learned some valuable lessons worth knowing. From being a caregiver to his son to extending emotional help and psychological support to 400-plus children suffering from cancer, his journey has inspired cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers.
The setback from cancer could not stop him from serving society, especially children suffering from cancer. He has motivated and strengthened the spirits of many young children fighting cancer. Here are some challenges he has seen caregivers experience.
The journey of a caregiver is as difficult as the patient’s journey. The only difference is that the caregiver does not have cancer growing in their body, but somewhere, it is affecting a caregiver’s mental well-being equally.
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Coping with the sudden change. For a caregiver, cancer diagnosis of their loved ones can be shocking and disturbing.
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Being a spectator. Caregiver experiences tremendous stress while witnessing their family member undergoing treatment. It is painful for them, too, especially knowing that they cannot do much to reduce the physical pain.
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Handling the disturbance. It is one of the greatest challenges that a caregiver encounters. With a cancer diagnosis, the aspirations of the entire family are devastated. Resuming a normal life becomes challenging.
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Managing negativity. Another big challenge for the caregiver is to act and stay normal and positive despite the life-threatening diagnosis.
What should a caregiver do?
Mr. Pukhraj Singh, through his experience, suggests five ways a caregiver can stay strong during the cancer journey.
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Hug it out! In Mr. Pukraj’s words giving a big hug to the patient can be a great medicine. It can bring about good healing to both the patient and the caregiver. With a hug, a caregiver can share positivity with the patient and brighten his or her day.
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Self-Healing: While caring for one’s family, a caregiver must ensure they also take good care of themselves. Focusing on relieving stress is important. One must continue to grow in belief, hope, and faith; through this, one can keep negativity at bay.
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Accept Destiny: For a caregiver, seeing things beyond the spectrum is important. Certain things cannot be changed. There is nothing much a caregiver can do in case of the patient’s physical suffering. But accepting destiny and taking each day with gratitude can help.
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Share your Feelings: A caregiver also experiences a lot of emotional and mental stress, so he or she needs to talk it out and not suppress it. One must try things that can help to reduce and control stress and make one feel relieved. In addition to connecting with friends and relatives, one must join a support group, which can help the caregiver and the patient constructively.
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Right Attitude & Gratitude: As per Mr. Pukhraj, taking the entire situation of cancer positively can work wonders for both the caregiver and the patient. He suggests that along with accepting the disease, it is important to take it as an inspiration and start giving it back to the universe by helping others and spreading positivity and gratitude.
To summarize, Mr. Pukhraj urges a caregiver and patient to try to stay sane and focused. Some things that can be helpful in addition to the medical treatment are visualizing recovery each day and generating positive thoughts every moment so that one’s brain gets positive signals.
Further, Battling Cancer can become easy when a cancer patient has someone to talk and to share. We invite cancer patients, survivors, and their relatives to join our vibrant Onco Conqueror – Cancer Care Community on Facebook. Let us join and make this journey great for each other.
