Questions About Managing Care

1. How can I overcome my father's refusal to ask for help with his cancer care?

   Question - My 64-year-old father has been diagnosed with colon cancer and doesn't want to tell anyone. The doctor recommended surgery and radiation therapy, and Dad's going to need a lot of care, but keeping his illness a secret makes it impossible to get other people involved in helping out. How do I handle this...
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2. How can I persuade my mother, who has stomach cancer, to quit smoking?

   Question - My 78-year-old mother is being treated for stomach cancer, and her doctor keeps telling her she needs to stop smoking. She's tried unsuccessfully to quit many times over the years, so now she's very resistant and says she can't stop. How do I get her to listen to her doctor and try again?
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3. Since her cancer diagnosis, my mother has seemed very depressed. Does she need professional help?

   Question - My 64-year-old mother has seemed depressed and completely overwhelmed since her cancer diagnosis. How can I tell if she's distressed enough to need professional help?
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4. My mother has been depressed since her cancer diagnosis; how can I persuade her to see a therapist?

   Question - My 64-year-old mother has been depressed since her diagnosis with breast cancer, and her doctor has recommended that I take her to see one of the hospital's therapists, but she refuses to go. How do I persuade her that she needs help?
   1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

5. How do I get my father, who has prostate cancer, to accept help from others?

   Question - I've created a wonderful network of people to help care for my 75-year-old father, who is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. The problem is, he's started saying he doesn't want those who have volunteered to cook for him or drive him to appointments -- he wants me to do everything...
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6. If I'm the primary caregiver for my parent with cancer, should I join a caregivers' support group?

   Question - Guidance on the benefits of cancer caregiver support groups and what its like to be part of one.
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7. How can I get my anxiety under control while caring for my mother with lung cancer?

   Question - How do you manage the anxiety of caring for someone with a disease like cancer? Here's expert advice on easing the anxiety and stress of caregiving.
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8. Why doesn't my mother's doctor want to perform a red blood cell transfusion, just because she's never had one before?

   Question - My mother is undergoing chemotherapy for metastatic lung cancer, and her red blood count is low. Her doctor doesn?t want to perform a transfusion unless absolutely necessary, because he says it?s riskier the first time. Why would the first time be riskier?
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9. How can I convince my dying mother to write a "goodbye" letter to her grandchildren?

   Question - How can I convince my dying mother to write a goodbye letter to her grandchildren? A goodbye letter would create sustaining memories for the children.
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10. How do I get my parent's doctor to give us complete and honest information?

    Question - My 82-year-old mother's oncologist seems to be soft-pedaling the information she's giving us, but we want accurate information so we can make wise decisions. How can I get her to level with us and tell us what's really going on?
    1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

11. How can I help my parent control nausea while he's on chemotherapy?

    Question - My parent has nausea from chemo. How can I him control this chemo-related nausea? Is there a way to help him deal with the nausea besides medication?
    1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

12. My father has colon cancer. What's the best way to deal with his angry outbursts?

    Question - My 82-year-old father, who is battling lymphoma, has become very irritable and frustrated and often lashes out at me. It's very upsetting, and it's making me question whether I can continue to help care for him. How do I deal with this?
    1 Expert Answer