As I mentioned in my previous column, your disease and the unpredictability that comes with it not only affects you, the patient, but also the people around you, especially your caretaker.

I was finding the unpredictability of being ill particularly difficult when I was having chemo. One of my friends reminded me of the old saying “Men plan, God laughs,” and I realized that I could make things easier for everyone if I developed some better planning strategies, some “what if” scenarios.

For example, I wanted to go grocery …

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) can represent a period of transition for a caregiver, but especially for the patient. As caregiver, you may be going through many of the same emotions as your loved one. This parallel experience can help you to understand, appreciate, and respond to your loved one’s emotions.

Changing Roles

As you become a caregiver, your family or relationship roles may be shifting. You may be assuming control of more responsibilities, and at the same time, your loved one may be feeling a certain loss of control.

There may …

When caring for a loved one with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), feelings of loss and grief are natural. Although grief is often associated with the death of a loved one, grief can also be caused by loss of your loved one’s health as well as loss of freedom, control, finances, and plans for the future.

You may feel reluctant to examine or talk about your emotions associated with grief and loss through MDS. It may feel like acknowledging the loss as a permanent reality. Emotions may also be too complicated to …

For many caregivers, visiting the doctor’s office can be one of the most daunting aspects of caring for a loved one with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). However, it is also one of the most important jobs you can do as a caregiver. With MDS, two heads are better than one when it comes to asking questions, making sure all possible treatment options are being pursued, and remembering what the doctor said after the appointment.

In some cases, the physical fight with MDS can leave a loved one too exhausted to fully …

Caregivers are often a very important part of a person’s fight against myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Patients need to focus on their health and may not be well enough to drive themselves to doctor appointments or to keep up with house chores. They also need someone that they can talk to about treatment options and about the emotional roller coaster they may be experiencing.

Patients lean or even depend on their caregiver, and yet as a caregiver, you are also going through an emotionally and physically difficult time as you watch …