Wellness for Caregivers

If I could have, I would have ripped the malignancy from him with my own bare hand.

Sentry Wife

by Gloria Schramm

My vacationing husband and I were swept up in the snowcapped magic of Alaska’s Mount McKinley and the blue-streaked chunks of ice breaking off a looming glacier, meeting the sea in a thunderous roar. After celebrating our 36th wedding anniversary, we returned home to another kind of roar. My husband was told he had colon cancer, discovered during a routine colonoscopy. In an instant, our lives were turned upside down.

Taking Care of You

by Joanne Corbo Cruz, MSW, LMSW, ACT

When my mom was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer in 1999, my life and my family’s lives changed. Each day after that was different, not taken for granted and very precious. It truly brought my family closer. But with all the focus on taking care of my mom and the rest of my family, it was easy for me to forget about myself and my needs.

Meeting the Challenges of Long-Distance Caregiving

by Lazelle E. Benefield, PhD, RN, FAAN

“My mother lives 400 miles away, and I miss opportunities to visit with her. This means I also miss opportunities to accompany her to doctors’ visits and be with her as she receives chemotherapy treatment.”