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FIRST-HAND ADVICE AND INSIGHT TO HELP CAREGIVERS COPE
A DISCUSSION WITH
DICKIE BLONDHEIM Dickie Blondheim, co-founder of the Joy to Life Foundation, shared how he handled his wife Joy’s breast cancer and how other spouses, partners, parents or friends can do right by their loved one and themselves.
WHAT WERE YOUR FIRST THOUGHTS WHEN YOU HEARD THE DIAGNOSIS? What were your first thought when you heard the diagnosis? Standing at Baptist Hospital, almost 22 years ago, I can’t remember my exact thoughts, but I remember my feelings. For two days prior, we had to sit around and wait to find out what was going on, and while waiting, I was making all these assumptions about how bad it could be. To finally have the doctor tell us exactly what we were dealing with—breast cancer in both breast and two different kinds of cancer—was really difficult. But to be honest, because of all the apprehension before knowing, it was almost a relief. It was like, “Now that is over, and now we have to sit down and make a plan to fight this and find a successful treatment.” We went and sat in a room in the hospital by ourselves for a bit and I told Joy, “We’re going to create a plan to take care of you.” And that is what we did.
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