bonnie, i can't speak directly cause every cancer patient is different. i went thru ups and downs that have begun to level out but am much lower in stamina overall. time is what is necessary. please be patient, even with your desire to see her improve for her own well-being. i can't tell you how pissed i would get when i felt like my condition and situation was being painted to look better for other people's comfort (xwife)... even the gentle yet insistent encouragment from anne-marie would irk me cause i was irksome occasionally cause i already knew i was trying to heal as fast as i could. i ended up jumping back into work sooner than i would like but the drive to earn money for rent so i don't have to move again gives me some focus that lets me not obsess over my other symptoms that are still with me.

the most important thing i can tell you as a caregiver to give her as a patient is time. give her time to be tired, and time to rest and time build strength.

i know everyone means well here, but has any of us stopped to consider how grating on a patient's nerves it can be to have someone assume that instead of being tired, or a little down today, that we have malffed thyroids and a severe case of depression?

don't minimize the issue, but don't turn it into a disease at first glance. time, patience, and some more time.

fyi everyone, i'm not into the code thing, so i'm just going to put that i'm the guy anne-marie is talking about, the good things anyway. the bad things must be referring to some other dude.