Radiation therapy for Cancer - can one lead a normal life?

My MIL had breast cancer and had an operation recently. She has to undergo radiation, chemotherapy and what-not for the next few months. She stays all alone. My husband is her only child. She wants to come over and stay with us during her treatment. Now my husband travels very frequently, so I guess looking after my MIL will be completely my responsibility. I am a bit apprehensive about this. What are the side-effects of radiation? Will she be able to look after herself during her treatment? She is doing fine now, but I dont want her to become bed-ridden one she starts her radiation, that too when my husband is away. So please tell me the facts. Doctors and people who have undergone treatment for cancer, please let me know.

My mother and my sig other are my care givers during my treatment. From my experience, generally I am just very tired, sick to my stomach and sun burned and miserable. For the most part during my treatments I mainly need help with things like doing chores an errand or two, grocery shopping, sometimes making food, and listen about how miserable I am and am so sick of being sick. I am able to be myself if people need to go out and do their own thing for a while. I am fully able to get up and move around on my own, go to the bathroom and get dressed on my on.

If the same is true for her, she will probably just be spending a lot of time in the bathroom and in bed. You would be doing things like bringing her something if she needed it, making sure she is taking her meds, and a lil help getting chores done like laundry, ect. This is probably something you could do around a work schedule or your other activities.

HOWEVER, every person is different. She could react worse than I did. Or she could get sick. For example, during my last treatment I got an infection and was in ICU for 2 weeks. I began running a fever and needed to go to the doc immediatly. Afterwards when I was better, I was very weak and sick and needed help with all activities including getting dressed and bathing. It got better over a couple weeks, but..

If you find yourself overwhelmed you may be able to ask for a home health nurse to come by and help out. If you do this you should have someone else that can step in for a couple hours or a day or two so you can have a break. Even if she is not needing that much help, it can still be frustrating and difficult. I drive both my mom and my sig other insane sometimes and I know that they are just dieing for a chance to go have some alone time.

If you do this, don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. If she is doing something that absolutly drives you mad, try talking to her about it when she is in good spirits.

If you feel like you can't do this, don't be afraid to say no. Being a caregiver is a hard job, even when there is not much you have to do. It is very emotionally draining. As much as you love your mil, you have to do whats right for you. If you absolutly feel you cannot do this, ask if there is anyone else she can stay with, or see if the hosp can send home health nurses to her to check in. Some hosps may have step down houses or whatever that she may be able to stay in while she is getting treatment. If the money is available she could probably trade free room and board for someone to stay with her and take care of some of her needs (preferably someone she knows, but if not, make sure you do back ground checks and get references.) If she is involved in a church or something of that nature there may be people there who could check in on her or even stay with her.

normally there are no effects from radiation to speak of. the chemo may make her tired and have an upset stomach.

Radiaton is not as bad as chemotherapy, both physically and mentally. The doctors will prescribe a special cream for treating burns as well as pain killers. She'll be able to lead a normal life, except that she will get sleepy sometimes (side effects from her medicine) and she'll have to wear loose clothing. my mom wore a lot of silk through radiotheraphy.

Chemotherapy is a lot worse. This is when things will get really tough and when supporting her will mean everything. For more information go here:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/treat...

The hospital should also have free pamphlets to help explain all this a lot better... remeber that nutrition is very important for cancer treatment, so ask her doctor about this kind of stuff.

As a nurse, I must say that everyone reacts to radiation treatment differently and it is nearly impossible to say what reacts or to what extent your MIL may respond to radiation and chemo therapy. Cancer treatment really should encompass a full range of treatment and support.
good nutrition, adequate rest and above all a good attitude and determination to live life to the fullest for as long as possible will all play an important part in your MIL fight against cancer. Support is a very important part of the health care concept! You will find additional information that may be of help here under the 4 part series of articles Titled:
Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment & Life Expectations the full 4 part series can be found here:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/67...