November 4, 2014 My Daughter as Caregiver

When a family begins to understand that one of their own has cancer, the news comes to each and every one in a process.   I know this, because the news that I, in fact had lung cancer has been a process.    As I read the stories of others who have been given the diagnosis of cancer it seems that we go through the five stages of grief.

My favorite stage is denial.    Family members have their own ways of dealing with the news.   Some will not talk about it.  One of my family members immediately begins to talk about someone else with cancer when I bring up my diagnosis.  Another starts to talk about someone she knows who has another type of serious illness.  Both of them are practicing a type of avoidance or denial, if you will.

My daughter probably works in all of the stages as well.  But, she has helped me go to treatment, sat with me during the infusions, and just been there at some pretty tough times.

I am grateful for her- I know it is not easy.