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When there is an emergency that is of an unknown type in a family, one wishes for someone who can explain the situation clearly for all. When my mother-in-law was hospitalized a few weeks ago, we encountered such a situation. Among the diagnosed conditions was cancer. Cancer ó a veritable heart-stopping word when used in reference to a loved one. I was blessed by having a book on my coffee table waiting to be reviewed. The title alone made me reach for it as soon as we arrived home. If ever I needed to educate myself on a subject, this was the time. Cancer was the subject. Dahm, a nurse, wrote a book about living and dying with cancer. She has helped hundreds of people through this tough hurdle in life. Some to live and some to die. Some to go on and others to need help understanding what was going on and what was to happen next. The book is not written by a doctor, and the information is set down as a base for those who must deal with this life-threatening illness. The author stresses that one always follow the advice of your local medical staff. The book begins with the patient/family being told that cancer is now in their working vocabulary. She discusses the role of stress in your life as you and your family wage the battle with this disease. Family members and friends need to understand the emotional standing of the patient in order to help alleviate stress and depression. Those two words are words used for the patient as well as the family. One of the primary means of assisting your family member is strong communication. Communication among the family, with the patient, and also with the medical caregivers in your community. Never assume that you know what the patient is trying to say or how they feel. A number of guides are given to help the family track the patient from day to day and hour by hour when a crisis occurs. A Chapter is given to insurance plans and your family. She advises one to check with the insurance company to know for certain what will be paid for and what will not. This will vary from company to company and plan to plan. This, too, will alleviate stress. Will the patient have to undergo chemo or radiation therapy? Who will take care of the patient at this time? Will the person be at home or in a nursing/rehabilitation facility? Will you need to have further care upon completing the therapy? These are all questions that will need to be answered. An entire chapter is given to understanding the pain needs of the sick one. When the sick one is too sick to eat or drink, what do you do? When do you need to call the doctor? If the cancer is not cured and death is now in the wings, what do you do? Do you keep the patient at home? Do you do the care yourself with the assistance from visiting nurses and others? Do you have the patientís final medical wishes signed by the patient and their doctor? So many questions and so little time to respond. As the disease progresses, your loved one will need more and more care. The author made the final chapter a guide for the layperson to recognize the steps toward death that their loved one will pass through. I have discussed the information in this book with others who have gone through this with a loved one. They have told me that the information was just as they experienced it. As I said in the beginning, if ever I needed a book to educate me in a clear, concise manner, this one did. I am certainly grateful that I had this book to help our family through this time in our lives. I would strongly recommend this book as a primer for any who must familiarize themselves with cancer and patient care. Click Here
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