When you’re a caregiver, it’s OK to need a helping hand
“You are very strong.” People say this as if it’s a compliment. Sometimes when I hear it, I smile back at them and mutter, “Thank…
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Feeling stuck in the repetitive routine of caregiving
When I wake up in the morning, I do the same things in the same order: Examine the pillbox. Send a text to my mum…
What do we do with the taboo topic of caregiver anger?
I have quite a lot of friends who are caregivers like me. Every day and night, they provide care, attention, and company to their patients,…
The art of distraction: Why sometimes we avoid ‘cancer talk’
There is an unspoken rule that seems to apply to all cancer caregivers. It goes something like this: You should always be serious, present, and…
Recognizing the invisible labor we perform as caregivers
I have 27 browser tabs open on my laptop and 33 on my phone. They range from grocery lists with foods low in sodium to…
As a caregiver, I’m always on the lookout for myeloma research news
The word “caregiver” usually conjures up images of hands-on support: providing comfort, helping out with everyday tasks, and managing medications. However, for those of us…
When words fail: The silence that falls after a myeloma diagnosis
I still remember what happened in 2022 after my mother received her myeloma diagnosis. I was sitting by her side in the hospital room.
Why I continue to write about my experience as a caregiver
“Nobody is reading any of those essays you caregivers write,” a healthcare provider once told me. The following week, a stranger emailed me: “Your…
Turning our darkness into someone else’s light
When I recently read that former U.S. President Joe Biden had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and it had spread to his bones, my heart…
How I’m dealing with caregiver guilt while caring for my mum
I wanted to scream at my mother last Tuesday when she insisted on skipping her medication because she didn’t feel like taking it. While she…
