Offering Thanks for Caregivers

In this article, the author shows gratitude for the receptionists, nurses, and nurse practitioners who help cancer patients survive the unendurable.

Written by: Susan Gubar 
Article re-posted from: nytimes.com 


“I want to write a hymn to caretakers,” I inform my dear husband.

“They can be resented,” he responds. “They’re seen as takers — they take away your privacy, your independence, your responsibilities, not just infringing on your body, but also on your space. To add insult to injury, they’re healthy!”

Astounded by the volubility of this quiet and gentle man, I have to ask: “Is this a gendered issue? A fear of loss of control — just a tad?” I pick up my knitting.

“Think of your mother,” he instantly replies. “She thought the nurses were stealing the stuff in her room. And how did Mary-Alice feel seeing a stranger in her own house, telling her where to sit, when and what to eat, putting everything away in the wrong places?” He is mourning the losses incurred by his first wife during her untimely dying.

In the pause that ensues while I honor his grief, I untangle the wool around the circular needle, start pushing the stitches toward the tips, and Sally comes to my mind.

“You are a hard stick,” Sally said when she managed to push the needle into a vein that she called “tiny and a roller.” The only name large enough to read on her tag was Sally. Though I have miserably small veins, Sally never “blew” one. With extraordinary patience, she warmed my left arm, strapped on a tourniquet, and tapped her fingertips over the narrow blue channels. I was so relieved that there wouldn’t have to be a second or a third stick and many black-and-blue bruises. People like her make cancer patients as comfortable as we could possibly be under frightful circumstances.

For me, it started with a nurse named Eunju, at least I think that is her name. I was coming out of a major abdominal operation and not quite “with it.” Eunju did not merely give me ice chips in a plastic foam cup. She also sat with me through many hours of that long night, sharing her concerns about her family. I could feel myself becoming not just a wounded thing, but also a human spirit with curiosity and compassion for someone else, a stranger who was so kind and caring.

How indebted I am to the tact and dexterity of countless other caretakers. Their names will mean nothing to you. They became lifelines for me.

What would I have done without Annetta, who phoned back when the surgeon was too busy so she could explain where to park beforehand and afterward how to circumvent the answering service in case of an emergency. How would I have survived without Yvonne, faxing instructions to a hospital on the upkeep of a PICC line (a catheter on my arm)? At our first meeting, she sighed, “Oh, my dear, you have really been through it!” Where would I have been without Alesha, giving me a hug with a schedule of the anti-nausea pills that had to be taken in decreasing amounts after the chemotherapy? Alesha is the only person in the world who I do not correct when she calls me “Sue.”

These receptionists, nurses and nurse practitioners are actually caregivers, not caretakers, I silently rebuke my husband (though I know he would agree with me). They come into our lives without second names, but their dedication helps innumerable cancer patients endure the unendurable. I salute Sally Jordan, Enju Campbell, Annetta Jenkins, Yvonne Kiefer and Alesha Arnold, wanting to say, quite simply, thank you. And though you are legion, I will keep on trying to learn your full names.

Amid this unspoken rumination, I drop a stitch. Then it dawns on me as I fish for it. My husband was thinking about people entering into one’s private space. Even if they do an excellent job, such aides are a constant reminder to the sick of their own incapacity, their inability to care for themselves. But I had brought up the subject out of illimitable appreciation for him!

Though my husband has flushed every drain implanted in my body, though he has injected me with countless medicines, though he has filled multiple prescriptions, though he has driven me to and from each operation, infusion and test, he does not think of himself as a caretaker or a caregiver. Because of him, I don’t need to learn the name of a stranger taking care of me in my house. And speaking of the house: while I am too fatigued to do more than recline on a blue couch, he takes care of the busted water pipes, the electrical outages, the broken washing machine and all the other home ills.

My heart clinches at my own stupidity, clenches with adoration of him. I’ve recovered the dropped stitch. He doesn’t imagine being thanked. I tighten the yarn around my fingers and cherish his name.

How to heal: BrightStar Care and the long road to wellness

BrightStar Care Image Credit:wellness.nifs.org

BrightStar Care is an expert in providing homecare for the elderly and persons with debilitating diseases, and this puts the company in a position to affirm that the road to healing is not a simple one.


It is true that medical attention is particularly important—medication, treatment, and therapy are among the processes that could promote better health. But beyond prescriptions and treatments, the healing process requires a more important type of support -- emotional support. The motivation to get better can only come from the unwavering support of one’s family during the entire process of treatment.

BrightStar Care Image Credit: mbfseniorcare.files.wordpress.com

Professional caregivers, including those at BrightStar Care, find it best for families to look out for specific areas where emphasis is needed.


Acceptance of the condition is of the essence. Patients must not feel that they are making life difficult for the people in their family or within their circle of friends. Helping family members through the difficult times by doing things without being asked also adds to the drive to make things better.

BrightStar Care Image Credit: referenceforbusiness.com

Keeping the home safe is equally important. For the elderly, in particular, there are some home improvements that could help in ensuring their health and safety. Keeping the house bright is one of these, and making sure they do not trip on rugs and electrical cords is also imperative.


Through these little adjustments that suit their needs as much as any other person in the house, ailing family members will feel that they part of the household.


More details about the services offered by BrightStar Care can be found at www.brightstarcare.com.

BrightStar Care shares tips on how to make babysitting a breeze

BrightStar Care understands how overwhelming the responsibility of caring for a family member can be. The company was established in 2002 after its founders, JD and Shelly Sun, failed to find quality care giving services for a loved one. Starting out as a family business, the company now operates in more than 250 locations nationwide, providing the full continuum of home care, medical staffing, and child care for anyone who might need it.

Child care can be very stressful if you’re a parent who worries about leaving your children with “strangers.” It is also demanding on the part of the care givers who have to make sure that the children they’re entrusted with are cared for properly. BrightStar Care shares tips for an easy, jitter-free babysitting experience:

BrightStar Care Image Credit: thetechbite.com

*Make sure that you leave a phone number where the baby sitter can reach you anytime.

BrightStar Care Image Credit: blog.etoncorp.com

*Make sure that the sitter knows all emergency numbers, like the local police, fire department, and poison control.

BrightStar Care Image Credit: vgot.info

*Leave specific instructions regarding your child’s snacks, activities, and bedtime and remind the sitter to make sure that your child still follows the family rules for watching TV and playtime, even if you’re away.

BrightStar Care Image Credit: social.rollins.edu

*Suggest activities that your child most likely will enjoy – watching their favorite movies on DVD, playing board games, or doing arts and crafts projects. This way, both sitter and your child won’t be bored.

With BrightStar Care, you know your children are in good hands. More information can be found at BrightStarCare.com.

Brightstar offers compassionate care for the elderly

Older people need special care. BrightStar is an industry leader in providing quality care to adults and the elderly.


The company opened its doors to the public in 2002, after the realization of its founders, JD and Shelly Sun, that there is a need for quality care for every family, children and adults alike. BrightStar only gives its clients the best kind of care, medical or non-medical, offering “more dependability, more peace of mind, more joy – to make life easier and allow families to live it to the very fullest.”

From BrightStar Care Photos

From BrightStar Care Photos

Among BrightStar’s services is Lifecare, an area in which the company’s highly trained care providers focus on caring for the elderly.


BrightStar recognizes the difficulties encountered by a family in providing quality care for an older loved one due to lack of time or the existence of other priorities. BrightStar aims to answer this need by providing different services for the elderly including:


Companion Care - Elders whose loved ones live miles away are given care service, from peer-level companionship up to assisting in letter-writing.


Personal Care - BrightStar offers assistance in terms of maintaining an elderly person’s hygiene and helping in other personal issues. Some of the services included in Personal Care are ambulation, bath visits, dressing and grooming, feeding, personal safety home evaluation, and sharing expertise in memory loss, confusion, and forgetfulness.


Home Support - BrightStar lends a helping hand in doing simple tasks and chores that elders can longer do on their own such as light housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation and cooking, and feeding and caring for pets.


Outside Support - At times when an elder has to go out, for example, to visit the hospital, BrightStar has a specific service dedicated in giving transportation assistance and guidance.


Skilled Care - Also known as clinical care, this service offers help in conducting simple medical tests at home such as blood sugar testing, blood draws, and injections.

From BrightStar Care Photos

For more information on BrightStar’s services, visit www.brightstarcare.com.

BrightStar Care for Devoted Homecare: Professional Elder Care, Childcare, and Medical Staffing with a Heart

BrightStar Care was founded in 2002 with an understanding of how difficult and overwhelming it is to take care of a family member. Offering its clients and their loved ones with complete care that is more dependable and more supportive compared to others, BrightStar has since built a reputation of being among the best homecare providers in the country, with nine out of ten of its clients referring the company to family and friends.

From BrightStar Care Photos

Its wide range of services including adult and elder care, childcare (care for newborns, babysitting, and nanny services), and medical staffing services for individuals, families, and healthcare facilities, are not only delivered in a professional manner but also with a heart. BrightStar Care only employs caregivers who are willing to give more of themselves to their work and don’t simply care for families but become a part of them. In addition, the company also makes sure that the person assigned to a client perfectly matches the client’s needs and personality. Its team is also available 24/7 to provide service whenever it is needed. There are also registered nurses to supervise every case and develop the most effective medical plan, as well as serve as liaison between the caregiver and client. At BrightStar, only the best experience possible is given to create better and positive outcomes.

From BrightStar Care Photos

From childcare and elder care to medical staffing, the company treats each and every client as a family member who is given the care and companionship that he deserves. Here, caring is more than just a job – it’s a way of life.

From BrightStar Care Photos

Learn more about BrightStar at www.brightstarcare.com.