| My husband has glioblastoma multiforme, an incurable | | | | this to be a major sign of stress. Also my breathing |
| form of brain cancer. Ted Kennedy died from it. The | | | | is shallow. I must tell myself to breathe. |
| early challenges I am experiencing as a caregiver are | | | | Caregiver Role. I'm abruptly being thrust into the role |
| disbelief, feeling overwhelmed, trying to define my | | | | of caregiver, and I'm trying to figure out what this |
| role as caregiver, maneuvering a change in my marital | | | | means practically. My husband's expressive language |
| relationship, recognizing the need for financial and legal | | | | limitations cause major problems in communication |
| planning, and caring for myself. | | | | and in joint decision making. I need help in defining my |
| Disbelief. It is difficult for me to stay focused. It is | | | | role. Hopefully, when we go to the Cancer Center, |
| hard to grasp what is going on. There are a few | | | | the social worker will help educate me. |
| facts that I hold onto. My husbands' symptoms | | | | Marital Relationship. I'm having to take over decision |
| developed rapidly during a four week interval. From | | | | making and financial management. My husband needs |
| being able to speak normally, he started searching for | | | | reminders and direction. We are both distressed. Both |
| words, and then progressing to not remembering the | | | | of us become frustrated and irritable with each other. |
| names of objects, substituting words and phrases | | | | He says things to push my buttons, and I react. I'm |
| which didn't make sense, to not being able to spell. | | | | on a sharp learning curve. I need a support group and |
| He had an emergency MRI, which showed a large | | | | will go to a meeting this coming week. I also need |
| mass over his left temporal lobe. A rushed | | | | personal counseling, and my appointment is made. |
| appointment for brain surgery was made in the next | | | | Financial and Legal Planning. I need to make sure that |
| state. I was told that he would not be expected to | | | | our affairs are in order. My husband had this role |
| live more than one or two years even with the | | | | before his surgery. I'm discovering that our papers |
| tumor removed and aggressive treatment | | | | are in disorder. He may have allowed his life insurance, |
| undertaken. | | | | naming me as beneficiary, to lapse. I will go to a |
| Overwhelmed. Initially I felt completely overwhelmed, | | | | lawyer even though my husband does not want me |
| like I didn't know whether I was coming or going. | | | | to, nor does he want me to spend our money on |
| Ten days after surgery, I am going in and out of | | | | legal fees. I feel conflicted in going ahead without our |
| feeling overwhelmed. I realize that I'm not attentive | | | | discussing and agreeing to a plan, but this is the new |
| to my surroundings, as though I'm zoned out | | | | reality of our relationship and my role as caregiver. |
| somewhere. My center of my chest hurts. I know | | | | |