![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/hands-holding.jpg\" "\\"coping")
No one can prepare us for the experience of providing care for a seriously ill family member or friend. When sickness strikes someone close to us, there may be a sense of chaos, urgency, and confusion. Details must be agreed upon, phone calls made, and appointments kept.\u00a0 You\u2019d like to sit and catch your breath, but chances are there is a list of tasks and you\u2019re already running behind.<\/p>\n
Illness has a way of sweeping the rug right out from under us.\u00a0 Some illnesses are chronic, part of our loved one\u2019s day-to-day existence \u2013 and ours as well. Others may first appear in the form of a suspicious lump, a questionable lab result, or an accident.\u00a0 Whether chronic or acute, you\u2019ve got a lot on your mind, heart, and plate. This article is written for you \u2013 a few ideas to help you so that you can better help your loved one.<\/p>\n
Get centered<\/strong> \u2013 Stop, for just a moment, and look at your daily routine. Are you getting enough nutritious food? Enough sleep? Are you able to go for a walk, even around the grounds of the hospital? You can\u2019t drive a car on an empty gas tank. Take a minute to make sure you include some element of self-care.\u00a0 If this feels overwhelming, keep reading.<\/p>\n Get connected<\/strong> \u2013 Meet the doctors and caregivers involved in your loved one\u2019s treatment. Explore resources for support in your community. \u00a0Hospitals usually have a Social Services office, oftentimes with social workers and others who can talk with you, offer ideas and resources, and help you navigate this experience.<\/p>\n Get answers<\/strong> \u2013 Got a question about your loved one\u2019s treatment? Ask.\u00a0 Noticing a new symptom or a side effect of medication? Tell someone. Clinicians are often bound by confidentiality, which may or may not apply depending on your circumstances. It doesn\u2019t hurt to ask or to speak up. Knowledge is power. While we are on the topic of answers, is this the time to become aware of your loved one\u2019s treatment wishes, legal matters, preferences about his or her personal paperwork? These can be some of the most difficult decisions we ever have to make, but they are important to consider in the case of serious illness.<\/p>\n Get support<\/strong> \u2013 It can be easy to isolate and lose touch with your friends and family, however, having concerned others who can be there for you is vital. Allow others in. If you can, remain involved in school, work, and activities you enjoy. Some days you may need to share how you are feeling with a friend. Other days you may not be able to give one more status report and just want someone to go to a movie with you. Friends and family can be a vital part of your wellness team.<\/p>\n Get control<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cControl?? You\u2019ve got to be kidding!\u201d\u00a0 It may feel right now like nothing<\/em> is within your control. Serious illness or injury can sweep through your life like a force of nature. But hear me out. What can you control right now? Making decisions about mundane tasks like what to wear or what to have for dinner can add a tiny spot of normalcy. You can prioritize your day in any way available to you: \u201cI will spend an hour at the hospital this morning, then when Mom goes down for x-rays, I will go down to the coffee shop and call a friend.\u201d Getting control may also mean knowing your limitations and saying \u201cNo\u201d when you need to.<\/p>\n Finally, get hope<\/strong>. When someone is diagnosed with serious illness, it may be hard to know what the future holds. There is a fine line between facing a significant medical diagnosis realistically, and holding onto hope for recovery. You may find yourself wavering between hoping for the best and yet fearing the worst. You are not alone in this state of confusion. Finding peace and balance can come as you work through the barrage of feelings, thoughts, and fears that are an inherent part of serious medical crises. Reach out to your support system, and allow others to help. If you have a spiritual path, this is a good time to spend some time connecting with your faith. Most of all, take the best care of yourself that you can during this stressful time.<\/p>\n Life holds no guarantees, but knowing this doesn\u2019t make it any easier when we face a medical crisis. You are not alone. Allow others to help, find quiet moments for reflection alone as well as connection with your loved one who is ill, and if you begin to feel your level of distress is overwhelming, reach out and talk to someone you trust.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" No one can prepare us for the experience of providing care for a seriously ill family member or friend. When sickness strikes someone close to us, there may be a sense of chaos, urgency, and confusion. Details must be agreed upon, phone calls made, and appointments kept.? You?d like to sit and catch your breath, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2413,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[389,431,423,25,47],"class_list":["post-9586","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","tag-adjusting-to-change","tag-emotional-overwhelm","tag-health-iillness-medical-issues","tag-psychotherapy-issues","tag-self-care"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9586","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2413"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9586"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9586\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9586"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9586"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9586"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}