Preparing to take care of my mum

[kindLlama]

I have to travel overseas to support my mother in chemotherapy as she has relapsed. She had a surgery followed by chemo and radiation in 2021 for endometrial cancer and now she was only 6 months short of being cancer free when it came back. This time the doctor has proposed 12 chemos with lower dosage but we are not sure how much will she be able to take. It is so frightening to think of her going through so much pain once again. I am struggling a lot. It is hard to imagine a world without her but it is also hard to imagine her going through the painful treatment. 

In every call i put up a brave face in front of her and act very optimistic about her treatment plan but inside i am horrified. I have taken some time off to be there for her chemos and I would like to prepare myself for that mentally and physically. 

If anyone has been in a similar situation or if you have watched someone doing it, can you please share if there are any over the counter items that i can take with me from Australia (like healing balms, gels, heating pads, etc) that can help her deal with the after effects of chemo? How can i prepare myself for what is about to come? How do i deal with this uncertainty? 

[Felicity_CCNSW]

Hi @kindLlama 

I am very sorry to hear about your mother's cancer returning. It is a really significant role to support a loved one through treatment, and very challenging to look after both yourself and them through it all. 

It is really good to hear that you are taking some time for yourself to prepare yourself both mentally and physically. 

Here is a useful booklet about Understanding Chemotherapy by Cancer Council. This may be helpful in navigating her treatment. 

Please feel free to call our support line on 13 11 20 to speak to a health professional for information and support. 

If others have some helpful information about what supported them or their loved ones, this is a great space to share that here. 

Take care,

Felicity