“I can’t live without my husband.” I hear this a lot from clients whose spouses have cancer. The fear of losing your spouse is completely normal, even rational, after a terminal diagnosis. When I first met with Cindy, her husband had been diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer. They had been together since she wasContinue reading “What to Do When the Fear of Losing Your Spouse Paralyzes You”
Tag Archives: Husband with Cancer
“My Husband Has Cancer, and I Want to Leave”
Fighting cancer can be such a long road. Being a caregiver for a spouse with cancer requires stamina we are rarely prepared for. There are so many ups and downs. One week your husband is doing fine and feeling better. The next week, something comes up, and you’re back in the hospital getting more testsContinue reading ““My Husband Has Cancer, and I Want to Leave””
How to Encourage Someone with Cancer & Believe in Their Strength Regardless
Knowing what to say to a cancer patient is one thing. Knowing what to say to a cancer patient who is also your partner can be even more challenging. You love them and want nothing more than to see them better. But if you’re also your partner’s caregiver, you have to take on that roleContinue reading “How to Encourage Someone with Cancer & Believe in Their Strength Regardless”
“My Spouse Has Cancer and is Pushing Me Away”
“My spouse has cancer and is pushing me away.” This comes up frequently during coaching. Being pushed away by someone with cancer is a common occurrence, and you might feel like your spouse has become withdrawn when they are coping with a cancer diagnosis. Each person’s experience will be a little different. As my husband’sContinue reading ““My Spouse Has Cancer and is Pushing Me Away””
What to Do for Someone Going through Chemo: Helping Your Spouse During Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy, or “chemo,” as most people call it, is a common treatment for many types of cancer. One of the side effects of some chemo treatments is that it takes a significant toll on the recipient, both physically and emotionally. It can be hard to watch your spouse go through chemo and feel like thereContinue reading “What to Do for Someone Going through Chemo: Helping Your Spouse During Chemotherapy”
6 Tips for Finding Balance When Your Partner Has Cancer and Life Feels Out of Control
Your partner has cancer, and now your life feels totally out of control. Gone are all the plans you had for the future. Now, it’s hard to know what to expect from one day to the next. It can feel like riding a roller coaster you never wanted to get on in the first place! Continue reading “6 Tips for Finding Balance When Your Partner Has Cancer and Life Feels Out of Control”
How to Avoid Spousal Caregiver Burnout When Your Partner is Sick
Spousal caregiver burnout. We hear the term all the time, but what does it mean exactly? Burnout is “a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress.” If any part of that definition strikes home, you may be close to or already experiencing caregiver spouse burnout. My husband battled cancerContinue reading “How to Avoid Spousal Caregiver Burnout When Your Partner is Sick”
How to Support Yourself as a Caregiver for a Spouse with Cancer
When you become a caregiver for a spouse with cancer, you automatically take on a new role–probably one you were not prepared for. In this role, you wear many hats, and you may feel like you don’t know what you’re doing much of the time. It’s easy to lose yourself and become completely consumed byContinue reading “How to Support Yourself as a Caregiver for a Spouse with Cancer”
Your Spouse was Just Diagnosed with Cancer, Now What?
You just received news that has completely changed your life. Your spouse was just diagnosed with cancer, now what? I remember the day vividly when I learned of my husband’s diagnosis. I had just returned home from a business trip, and as we drove back from the airport, he said, “Marika, there is something IContinue reading “Your Spouse was Just Diagnosed with Cancer, Now What?”