Caring for a Loved One With Liver Cancer

A caregiver is someone who most often assists a person with a health condition (like cancer) and is usually a partner, family member, or close friend. Caregivers are essentially gatekeepers, serving as the liaison between a person and their healthcare team.

While the caregiver role is a special, often treasured position, it can also be overwhelming and exhausting, both physically and mentally. The good news, though, is that with self-care, communication, flexibility, and support, caregivers can feel empowered and self-assured to embrace and make the best of this healing, compassionate journey with their loved one.

Whether you are a parent, partner, friend, or relative caring for a person with liver cancer, it's important to consider your own physical and emotional needs. This means engaging in everyday, healthy habits that will nourish your body and rejuvenate your soul.

Breaks

One important aspect of caring for yourself is to take breaks. This means taking time away from your loved one to attend to yourself, whether that's to go for a morning walk, to see your own doctor for a check-up, or to simply grab a coffee or a movie with a friend.

Exercise

Exercise has so many health benefits including reducing stress and improving well-being. With that, be sure you find time to incorporate a daily exercise routine into your caregiving schedule.

Eat Nutritiously

Caring for someone with liver cancer often means more than handling the "cancer" part of the care. It also means helping your loved one with an array of everyday tasks like assistance with bathing, feeding, dressing, getting in and out of the car, driving, and performing household chores like cleaning, laundry, and grocery shopping.

With this exhaustive list, you may neglect cooking your own meals, opting instead to order in food or microwave a tv dinner. If possible, though, you should try to prepare homemade, healthy meals for you and your loved one. Like exercise, eating fresh, nutritious-packed meals will help you feel better.

If you are strapped for time or energy, consider setting up an online meal train where other friends and family members can delivery a homemade meal a few times a week. You may also consider scheduling an appointment with a nutritionist who has experience working with people with liver cancer.

A caregiver is a critical part of the cancer care team, often navigating not only the physical aspects of caring for a loved one with liver cancer (for example, giving medications and managing side effects) but the logistical ones as well, including:

• Calling insurance companies
• Coordinating hospital stays
• Scheduling appointments
• Picking up medications from the pharmacy
• Calling the cancer care team with updates on how an infection is doing or how a symptom is evolving

All of these tasks take time and mental stamina, so do not be afraid to ask for help from your cancer care team. For instance, if an insurance issue is bogging you down, ask your social worker if there is another way to approach the insurance company.

A caregiver of someone with liver cancer wears many hats, and these hats (or roles, so to speak) change as the person with liver cancer moves forward with their diagnosis and treatment plan.

For example, just when you think you have adopted a treatment regimen to help your loved one manage his or her cancer or post-surgical pain, another problem, like nausea or vomiting, or a therapy side effects, like diarrhea or a blistering rash, may arise.

While it may seem like you are always putting out fires, try to take each day as it comes, adopt an easygoing mindset, and find joy in the small "wins."

Being a caregiver may be lonely at times. To combat isolation, it's a good idea to reach out to others for support.

In addition to seeking out support, it's important to be aware of symptoms of depression, like sleep difficulties, a sad mood, and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. Be sure to see your doctor if such symptoms arise.

While navigating the physical and mental highs and lows of your caregiving journey, remember to be kind to yourself. While you are doing the best you can to care for your loved one, know that cancer has a mind of its own. Even with the best treatments and care, bad things like infection or cancer progression do happen. During these difficult times, taking a deep breath of fresh air, holding the hand of your loved one, and savoring the present moment can go a long way.