Back

CANCER - The Brain - Rehabilitation and Recovery

It is vital that your discharge home is planned properly. This should be discussed with the main nurse involved with your care. Your general practitioner, who has overall responsibility for your care at home, should be given good notice of your discharge and updated on what treatment you have received.

When you are back at home after your treatment, sometimes you may experience mood swings or personality changes. This can be very distressing both for you and your family. If this happens, it is important to seek help and support from other family members, friends and health care professionals.

What you can do
Many people feel helpless when they are first told they have cancer. They think there is nothing they can do, other than hand themselves over to doctors and hospitals. This is not so. There are many things you and your family can do at this time.

Understanding your illness
If you and your family understand your illness and its treatment, you will be better prepared to cope with the situation. In this way you at least have some idea of what you are facing.

For information to be of value it must come from a reliable source to prevent it causing unecessary fears. Personal medical information should come from your own doctor who is familiar with your medical background. As mentioned earlier, it can be useful to make a list of questions before your visit or take a friend or relative with you to remind you of things you want to know but can forget so easily.

Practical and positive tasks
At times you may not be able to do things you used to take for granted. But as you begin to feel better you can set yourself some simple goals and gradually build up your confidence. Take things slowly and one step at a time.

Many people talk about `fighting their illness'. This can help some people and you can do it by becoming involved in your illness. One easy way of doing this is by planning a healthy, well-balanced diet. Another way is to learn relaxation techniques which you can practise at home with audiotapes.

Some people find that their experience of cancer has taught them to prioritise their time and use their energy more constructively than they did before their illness.

You may find it helpful to take some regular exercise. The type of exercise you take, and how strenuous, depends on what you are used to and how well you feel. Set yourself realistic aims and build up slowly.

If the idea of changing your diet or taking exercise does not appeal to you, then do not feel you have to do these things; just do whatever suits you. Some people may find pleasure in keeping to their normal routine as much as possible. Others prefer to take a holiday or spend more time on a hobby.

Who can help?
The most important thing to remember is that there are people available to help you and your family. Often it is easier to talk to someone who is not directly involved with your illness. You may find it helpful to talk to a counsellor, who is specially trained to listen.

There are several other people who can offer support in the community. District nurses work closely with GPs and make regular visits to some patients and their families at home. In many areas of the country there are also Macmillan and Marie Curie nurses, who are specially trained to look after people with cancer in their own homes. Let your GP know if you are having any problems so that proper home care can be arranged.

Some hospitals have their own emotional support services with specially trained staff and some of the nurses on the ward will have been given training in counselling as well as being able to give advice about practical problems.

You may qualify for benefits
The hospital social worker is also often able to help in many ways such as giving information about social services and other benefits you may be able to claim while you are ill. For example, you may be entitled to meals on wheels, a home help or hospital fares. The social worker may also be able to help arrange childcare during and after treatment and, if necessary, help with the cost of childminders.

But there are people who require more than advice and support. They may find that the impact of cancer leads to depression, feelings of helplessness and anxiety. Specialist help in coping with these emotions is available in some hospitals. Ask your hospital consultant or GP to refer you to a doctor or counsellor who is an expert in the special emotional problems of cancer patients and their relatives.

If you are ill and not at work, do remember to ask your family doctor for a medical certificate to cover the period of your illness. If you are in hospital, ask the doctor or nurse for a certificate, which you will need to claim benefit. You may also be required to take a medical test to assess whether or not you are eligible for benefit.