.jpg "November is awareness for Lung Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Family Caregivers")
My Dad
became my Mom’s caregiver spouse in 1987 when she suffered a massive stroke in
ICU following carotid artery surgery. … I became Patti’s spouse caregiver when
she awoke Thanksgiving morning 1989 unable to walk and barely able to see or
talk and by afternoon was hospitalized with her first major Multiple Sclerosis
exacerbation.
Thanksgiving
was about ‘caregiver awareness’ for us before it was ever designated. In 1994, the
National Family Caregivers Association began promoting the week of Thanksgiving
to acknowledge family caregivers. Eventually the entire month of November would
become National Family Caregiver’s Month.
November
is also designated Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. My Dad died of Pancreatic
Cancer 15 years ago. I spent the longest night of my life holding him, talking
with him and sharing “the time of angels” ... I have been there for the closing
chapter of cancer. That’s the kind of awareness that just does not pigeonhole into
a month.
My own lung
cancer odyssey began with a 9 mm vague nodular density on a chest x-ray 10
months and 2 weeks ago. This will be my First Lung Cancer Awareness Month as
someone surviving lung cancer. To me every day is Lung Cancer Awareness Day not
just November.
It’s difficult
not to notice the common denominators of long term spouse caregiving and cancer.
Cause and effect? I seriously doubt it but then I’m left to pause and wonder if
‘the deadliest cancers я us’ isn’t becoming some macabre family
tradition. More likely, spouse caregiving equals long term stress which does take
a huge toll on the immune system.
To
paraphrase Shakespeare from the Twelfth Night, ‘Be not afraid of awareness,
some are born aware, some achieve awareness, and some have awareness thrust
upon them.’
Patrick Leer
Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/
health
lung cancer
pancreatic cancer
caregiving
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