Cancer Journey. A Caregiver`s View from the Passenger Seat

On the day my husband, Jim, was diagnosed with cancer, we began a journey that changed us forever. I was just a passenger, along for the ride, but I was profoundly affected by the illness. Jim frequently said he believed cancer is harder on the caregiver than the patient; I don& 39;t believe that for a minute. One thing, though, is certain: the view from the passenger seat is....different. During our trip, I learned that being caregiver to a seriously ill person has problems different from, but equally as serious as, those of the patient. Like many thrust into this position, I was ill-equipped to handle the job. For help I turned to God, who& 34;showed me great and mighty things, which I had not known before& 34; (Jeremiah 33:3). After recovering from the initial shock of the diagnosis, I determined to help my husband fight the disease. I hoped that through diligent research we could learn which treatments, tools, and tricks might put him in the ten percent who survived this kind of cancer for five years. I became a woman with a mission. But I soon realized this missionary needed help. My real burden as a caregiver was the emotional stress not the physical. A cancer diagnosis is followed by a psychological and spiritual crisis as we move through the stages of grief toward acceptance. Before I could accept the possibility of my husband& 39;s death,I had to answer the basic question& 34;Why are we here and where are we going?& 34; Once I had done that I was able to rest on Go...