Hi Mark Many thanks for your post. I thought I had most of the bases covered but your comments have hit home. I will give more thought to respite as I realise I will not be able to maintain the level of care I have been giving to my wife. I'm talking to her aged care provider today about extra cover, and I am in contact with a number of residential respite providers (nursing homes) that have said they will be ready to step in where possible. Kind regards Jim ... View more

I'm starting radiotherapy for neck cancer (post parotidectomy) next week. I found the above posts on this topic very informative. I am 72 and a full time carer for my wife, who suffers from dementia and poor mobility through osteoarthritis. I've always given her care top priority, so it's a bit of a turnaround to have to put me first, with daily medical procedures for 5 weeks. However this is my second round with cancer, I had a prostatectomy in 2010, and also an acoustic neuroma (benign) excised in 1995. I'm glad to have found the forums and will check in from time to time. Jim ... View more