To ease the stress of caregiving, it helps to have a system to organize the information you need. Develop a system that works for you. Here’s what I organized to have access at my fingertips and to keep my sanity:
A big 3-ring binder that I carried to medical visits included:
Doctors’ and nurses’ contact information (I put their business cards in a plastic binder with slots made for 20 cards per page.)
A huge responsibility as caregiver has just landed in your lap. Your loved one's life rests in your hands. Below are some tips to help you manage this new role.
Make sure doctors/hospitals are in your insurance plan and treatments are covered. Cancer treatments are very expensive and can continue for a long time, depending on the type of cancer. You don’t want to pay out-of-network charges.
Take a list of questions to every appointment. Write down the answers or ask if you may record the appointment. Ask the doctor to explain things in terms you understand. If you don’t know what questions to ask in the beginning, search the internet for “Questions to ask about ________ cancer” or the medical condition you are dealing with.
