| After colorectal and lung cancer, prostate cancer | | | | emotional decline. If you stay strong and express |
| is the third killer cancer in the U.S. Current | | | | a positive attitude when with the patient, it can |
| statistics reveal 1 out of 6 American men being | | | | make both of you feel better. Acknowledge to |
| diagnosed with prostate cancer in their life. | | | | him that you care and understand how difficult |
| Prostate cancer typically causes a lot of | | | | things are. Reassure him you will always be there |
| discomfort, with symptoms including blood in the | | | | no matter what. |
| urine, weakness and numbness in legs and feet, | | | | It can be emotionally and physically draining to |
| pain in the spine, ribs and other bones, and loss of | | | | deal with a prostate cancer patient, particularly if |
| bladder or bowel control. In the majority of cases, | | | | you are close to the person. The ones most |
| patients are irritable and emotional. | | | | affected besides the patient is the wife, and they |
| When diagnosed with any type of cancer, even | | | | are the person who is most looked to for |
| the most even-tempered of men experience | | | | reassurance. |
| emotional and psychological change. Symptoms | | | | Men with prostate cancer frequently make difficult |
| and their treatments bring fear and discomfort. | | | | demands of family or caregivers. A chain smoking |
| Any support from family and friends is so | | | | patient, for example, might ask for a cigarette |
| essential to those with cancer, but even the | | | | and then threaten to not take his medication |
| family can become affected when a member is | | | | when not given a cigarette. |
| diagnosed with cancer. People close to the victim | | | | Some employ emotional manipulation, saying he is |
| will find it tough to admit the fact a loved one has | | | | going to die anyway, so why not let him have |
| cancer and could possibly die. | | | | one last pleasure. Use your gut feeling on when or |
| Family members and friends should try to keep in | | | | when not to give in, listening with your heart. Most |
| mind that the biggest weight of suffering is placed | | | | often, they only want a little reassurance from |
| on the patient himself. He is thinking about the | | | | you. |
| possibility of dying, suffering from pain and loss of | | | | Above all, try to keep seeing them as the person |
| autonomy. The focus should be not on you own | | | | they are, not as a cancer patient. Without denying |
| stresses and troubles, but on the patient's. | | | | the reality of what they are going through, |
| Family members' anxieties will communicate itself | | | | connect to the man you knew before they were |
| to the patient and probably provoke further | | | | diagnosed. |