Creating a Budget After Cancer Diagnosis

While medical concerns are usually the first thing on someone’s mind when they’re diagnosed with cancer, another issue may quickly arise: finances. Just like with any major life disruption, it’s important to assess your entire financial picture, consider all of the factors that may impact your finances because of the diagnosis and come up with a detailed budget. Creating your budget after cancer comes into your life can be a scary prospect, but it’s one that is necessary to stay financially healthy so you can instead focus on your physical health. Here are a few things to consider during your budget-planning process: Healthcare: This is often where the most expenses are incurred by cancer patients. Even with insurance, medical care can be extremely expensive. Contact your insurance company and try to get a handle on what the treatments, medications, and other care will cost, factoring in co-pays and other smaller expenses that can add up. Routine changes: Creating your budget after cancer should include forward-thinking about how your daily routine could change. For instance, patients may experience a job loss or cut hours because of treatment as well as added childcare costs. Travel: Patients often need transportation assistance to and from appointments and treatments, which can become costly. Look into transportation services, including those offered by your healthcare facility, to plan for expenses. Unnecessary spending: As you’re creating a budget, explore all of your current expenses to see where you can cut costs. Consider how much you spend on non-essential things, such as going out to dinner, seeing a movie, and clothes shopping. Look into your regular expenses like...

Managing the Side Effects of Cancer Treatment with a Better Diet

The side effects of cancer are wide-ranging and can vary depending on the patient, treatment, and prognosis. While certain medications and holistic remedies can ease some symptoms, a special diet for cancer patients is another way that many choose to alleviate the discomfort. Below are a few common side effects, along with recommendations that should be included in a diet for cancer patients experiencing those symptoms. Nausea This is one of the most commonly reported side effects of both chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Smaller meals eaten slowly can provide some relief, as can plenty of liquids, especially clear beverages. If you’re putting together a diet for cancer patients with nausea, it should focus on low-fat, bland foods. The following foods have all been shown to help reduce nausea: Cold cereal Crackers Baked chicken Mouth tenderness Many cancer patients experience mouth sores and general tenderness that can make eating comfortably a challenge. However, keeping up energy and stamina to help the body fight off the disease is incredibly important, so patients must continue to take in nourishing foods. For patients with painful mouth side effects, experts recommend cool, soft foods, such as: Applesauce Soup Pudding Constipation Any diet for cancer patients should take into account the effect of the cancer and the treatment on the digestive system. Many patients report constipation, especially after chemo or when using certain medications. To reduce that risk, they should incorporate plenty of high-fiber foods: Beans Fresh fruits and vegetables Chickpeas Vomiting Cancer patients may develop a hypersensitive reaction to smells, which can prompt nausea and vomiting, which are also sometimes caused by certain treatments....

What Is An Orphan Drug? And More Cancer Terminology You Should Know

Anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer likely realized that they needed a crash course in cancer terminology right away. Oncologists, social workers, insurance representatives, and more all commonly throw around unfamiliar words—related to medications, treatments, side effects, and more—and patients often have to struggle to educate themselves about the meaning of all of these new words. In fact, the National Cancer Institute’s dictionary of cancer terminology includes more than 8,700 words. Cancer Terminology You Should Be Familiar With Avoid some of that legwork and review these 10 common terms you should know if you’ve been diagnosed:  Orphan drug: This is a medication that aims to treat or prevent an orphan disease, or a rare condition experienced by fewer than 200,000 Americans annually. Drug companies are eligible for certain financial bonuses if they develop a safe orphan drug, particularly because such diseases are often life-threatening.  Malignant: If you have been diagnosed with malignant cells, they are cancerous and potentially dangerous, as they have the ability to destroy tissue and spread throughout your body.  Metastasis: This is the life-threatening process by which cancerous cells break away from a primary tumor and spread to other parts of the body. Immunotherapy: A type of therapy designed to stimulate or suppress the immune system as a way to kill cancer cells. Ablation: This is cancer terminology related to treatment, as it involves the removal or destruction of tissue. It can be performed through a variety of means, including drugs and surgery. Biopsy: Pathologists use a biopsy to remove cells from the body so they can study them more closely. This is often the...