Basic Items to Have on Hand for Home Mesothelioma Care

My job takes me to a lot of different environments, including homes, hospitals and assisted living facilities. As I care for mesothelioma patients, I pay close attention to their "setup" and obstacles and look for ways to offer suggestions to help improve their lives. I know that dealing with mesothelioma is challenging, so I hope that anything I can do to make things easier for them will be well received.Patients often have difficulty swallowing, whether it is from sores in their mouths from chemotherapy or difficulty due to the disease itself. This makes it hard to take the many pills that are typically prescribed. An ideal way to deal with this issue is to use a pill crusher. Crushing the meds and placing them in applesauce or ice cream helps them go down much easier.

The first issue that raises a red flag for me is when someone tells me they sleep in a chair or recliner. Typically, they'll say that it is easier for them to breathe when they don't lie completely flat. That is true, however, making adjustments with the bed may lead to a better night's sleep.  Elevating the upper body is important. One way to do that is to use extra pillows until you are sufficiently elevated. If pillows don't work, use foam wedges, they can be found at medical supply stores or some department stores. You can use the wedges as additional cushioning for elevation or you can place them under the top part of the mattress to raise it up.  The same can be done by placing a small drawer between the mattress and boxspring.Along with the pill crusher, a pill box is important for keeping track of medications.