Living With Lung Cancer

With all the office visits, appointments, doctors, and paperwork you now have, it is important to stay organized. Taking a few minutes to make a system to organize all of the information may help you feel more in control. Here are a few tips that may help:

• If organizing is not your strength, ask a loved one or care partner for help
• Set aside a special place in your house for only this information
• Use a planner to track appointments and hold papers that are just for cancer information

To the right are examples of organizations and resources you may find helpful. Click on the links to visit those websites and learn more.

Many cancer treatments are expensive and may not be covered by insurance. But there are resources and organizations that can help keep financial issues from getting in the way of your treatment. Ask your healthcare team for information about reimbursement services, patient assistance programs, and programs offered by the companies that make cancer treatments.

To the right are examples of organizations and resources you may find helpful. Click on the links to visit those websites and learn more.

Some cancer treatments may cause changes to the way you look. It may help to find a support group of people who have also had these changes. They have may be able to offer tips on ways to cope with these changes. Members of your healthcare team may also be able to help.

To the right are examples of organizations and resources you may find helpful. Click on the links to visit those websites and learn more.

A healthy lifestyle is important. So is staying in touch with your healthcare team. But what about stress? How can you reduce stress? Below are some tips that may help. Your healthcare team and other people who have gone through treatment may have some other tips.

• Imagery. Close your eyes and think of a scene, picture, or memory where you are relaxed and happy
• Meditation. Check your local telephone listings for a group who can teach you meditation. You can also purchase a meditation CD or download one from the Web
• Support from others. Loved ones, a care partner, your healthcare team, a counselor or social worker, other people who have survived lung cancer. These people can help you through hard times

To the right are examples of organizations and resources you may find helpful. Click on the links to visit those websites and learn more.

Palliative care is care given to someone with cancer to help comfort him or her. It is often given by a specialist on the care team. This type of care starts at diagnosis and continues throughout treatment. It can help treat the cancer and the symptoms and side effects of the cancer and its treatment. Palliative care can also help give emotional, spiritual, and social support. Hospice care is a type of palliative care that is given when the person with cancer is near the end of his or her life. Talk with a member of your and your loved one's healthcare team for more information.

To the right are examples of organizations and resources you may find helpful. Click on the links to visit those websites and learn more.

As a care partner, you should know that staying strong can help your loved one with cancer stay strong. When supporting someone with cancer, remember that it is okay to:

• Consider taking a break; you need rest too
• Let others help; you don't have to do it all
• Reach out to other care partners or loved ones of those with cancer for support and strength

To the right are examples of organizations and resources you may find helpful. Click on the links to visit those websites and learn more.