| Cancer & Caregivers; Part of a series of | | | | and going through cancer treatment is a job that |
| Positive Attitudes for Cancer. | | | | requires everything you can muster to handle |
| Battling Cancer is an individual journey that takes | | | | your work and all of your coping skills. |
| all of heaven and earth to combat. | | | | Advice for the Cancer Caregiver: |
| Choose your caregivers well: | | | | 1. Treat your Cancer client as if they are going to |
| Your Caregiver walks a fine line between reality, | | | | live. DO NOT treat them as if it's just a matter of |
| support cheerleader, hand holder, master "hugger" | | | | time. Always speak of their "experience" NEVER a |
| and "inspiration machine", and friend, who must | | | | disease. |
| give that medicine, drives you to treatment, and | | | | 2. You will most likely be caught up in the |
| fusses at you to keep you on track for your | | | | overwhelming environment of caregiving, and |
| healing journey. | | | | handling every life and medical detail and decision. |
| Your Cancer caregiver is your primary filter and | | | | Try to look at the patient and all of their |
| monitor of your visitors, both family and friends. | | | | circumstances as if they are in a healing situation, |
| They should only allow POSITIVE PEOPLE!!! and | | | | and in a positive manner. Don't be a Pollyanna, but |
| ONLY people who are emotionally nourishing for | | | | try to put a positive spin on everything that you |
| you. | | | | can. |
| YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT! | | | | 3. Although your patient has "determination to |
| They should encourage you to be surrounded by | | | | live", that determination needs to be rooted in |
| individuals who treat as if you are living and | | | | positive. Positive energy raises their body's |
| expect you to have a future. No "what if'ers,' no | | | | physical energy frequency which fights their |
| "maybe that won't work", or "oh you poor dear", | | | | disease. |
| or any others who say negative things. | | | | 4. Creating a positive uplifting environment:a. Dress |
| If ANYONE ever says to you "before you were | | | | in happy colors.b. Help create a environmentally |
| living with cancer, now you're dying with cancer." | | | | pleasant and visually happy care area. Little |
| Remove them from your life until they can be | | | | touches mean a lot!c. Only allow positive people |
| respectful and empathetic! Not only are they | | | | around your patient. EXPLAIN why the negative |
| unable to determine your death, they are also | | | | folks need to stay away, and help keep them |
| unkind to make a remark like this. | | | | away.d. Be very conscious of how YOUR energy |
| If they say to you, "I was just making a realistic | | | | can effect the "patient." |
| statement so you won't be in denial and we can | | | | If you view the patient in a "sick" condition, you |
| address your will, funeral plans, and future | | | | are sending negative energy their way! |
| provisions." FORGET THAT justification!!!!! NO ONE | | | | If you have a negative attitude, or irritable |
| who truly cares about your heart and soul, would | | | | responses, you generate negative energy which |
| ever say anything like that. | | | | lowers your patient's physical body frequency and |
| Do not be so needy for attention, that you allow | | | | DOES NOT help heal the disease. Your energy |
| yourself to be the "victim" of comments that are | | | | field will affect your patient.e. Keep your energy |
| TOTALLY inappropriate!! no matter how sick you | | | | field clean. Your patient is like a sponge and |
| are. As long as there is breath in your body, you | | | | absorbs and interacts with all the energy |
| have the right to be treated with respect and | | | | surrounding them and that they are exposed to. |
| dignity, and as if you are going to live!!! | | | | 5. Contributing Life force energy thru Love: |
| Family members as Caregivers: | | | | On numerous occasions, family and friends have |
| If you have spent your life helping others, and | | | | asked how they can contribute positive energy to |
| enabling them, it's time to stop that energy drain. | | | | the "patient." [An educational note: The hand that |
| This does NOT mean that you do not love them | | | | you write with is your energy sending hand. The |
| anymore. It means that you care enough about | | | | other hand is your energy input receiving hand.] |
| yourself to take care of you FIRST, so that you | | | | So follow the directions below according to |
| can be around in the future to help them. | | | | whether you are right or left handed. |
| Non-healing: 1. "But he's my brother and he just | | | | Take your left receiving hand and place it on your |
| drinks a little too much, and he wants to come | | | | heart, and take your right sending hand to hold |
| visit"..... His energy will drain you!!! Visit with him | | | | the patient's left hand (receiving hand). Then say |
| when you are healed! | | | | to the patient, "I send you the love from my |
| 2. At this time, YOU do NOT need to hear their | | | | Heart and it's healing life force energy to use as |
| problems. They need to support you! | | | | you so choose." |
| Friends as Caregivers: | | | | You then become an "energizer" bunny for the |
| There are several kinds of friends during this time | | | | patient thru your love for them. |
| in your life. | | | | You are invited to download our free pamphlet |
| The talkers: | | | | with excerpts from this book. We hope this will |
| They call to see how you are, listen for a short | | | | help you with your healing journey. |
| period of time and then spend hours telling you | | | | "Positive Attitudes, Affirmations & Actions to |
| about their life. They ask if they can do anything | | | | Help Survive Your Cancer Experience" ISBN#: |
| for you. When you mention that you need a ride | | | | 978-0-9766370-0-4. |
| to chemo on Thursdays, their answer is, "I'd love | | | | You may reprint this article only in it's original |
| to take you, but I have book club." Do not be | | | | format and with the disclaimer. |
| discouraged. This person is interested enough to | | | | CONTACT INFORMATION: |
| call, but NOT authentic about truly helping you or | | | | Brent Atwater |
| they would have taken you to chemo........ There | | | | Atlanta, GA 1.404.242.9022 USA |
| will be more book clubs, this is your battle with a | | | | NC Office: 1.910.692.5206 USAemail: Disclaimer: |
| disease! Thank them for calling, and get off the | | | | There are no guarantees about the healing |
| phone. | | | | properties of these suggestions. We can only |
| You are not THAT needy to have to talk with | | | | state that positive results have been documented |
| someone who won't really be there for you! | | | | for individual clients and research in this area |
| The Doers: | | | | continues. Ms Atwater is not a medical doctor or |
| These are the friends that pick you up, sit | | | | associated with any branch of medicine. Ms |
| through, and bring you home after chemo, and | | | | Atwater works in Alternative, Integrative and |
| probably add fresh flowers to your home. Be | | | | Complementary Medicine. She offers her opinions |
| thankful. They encourage you to live with every | | | | based on her intuition, which is not a substitute for |
| dinner invitation, movie, or "let's go to" invitation. | | | | medical procedures or treatments. Always consult |
| GO! Do not feel like you are "putting them out", | | | | a physician or health care provider concerning any |
| "being a bother", or whatever. When you are well, | | | | medical problem or condition before undertaking |
| YOU can DO for them!!!!! They are your Earth | | | | any diet, health related or lifestyle change |
| Angels. | | | | program. |
| Being the Caregiver for someone battling cancer, | | | | |