“One person caring about another represents life’s greatest value.” – Jim Rohn
Lou writes a column called Birds in Spring for The Myeloma Beacon. He has such wonderful insights in many areas and its always a pleasure to read his latest musings. Caregivers are such an integral part of a Myeloma patient’s journey. His acknowledgement is very touching. Click Here
I learned so much from other Myeloma caregivers, but interestingly, I learned a lot from Myeloma patients. I discovered that sometimes a patient could talk to me about things that they couldn’t talk to their caregiver about and similarly, other caregivers would share fears that they couldn’t talk to their loved one about. It afforded me the opportunity to listen and learn, and sometimes share my own insights in an effort to bring understanding for them about the other. But mostly, I learned so much about what Dave was going through from them, what I had been able to conquer, and what I had left to tackle. That understanding empowered me to be a better partner and caregiver. Not everyone with Myeloma receives their treatment in a big Myeloma facility like we did, where meeting others is as common as the air we share. In lieu of that, I urge you to utilize the internet to have those conversations with others or join a local cancer support group. It is amazing how uplifting a shared reality can be. It can truly bring you out of the dark corners and into the light of hope and understanding.
