Julia Hallisy wrote a chapter for a textbook from the American Academy of Pain Medicine entitled “Empowerment: A Pain Caregiver’s Perspective.”
From the introduction: Managing a loved one’s pain is one of the most difficult and anxiety-provoking responsibilities facing caregivers. Pain management by caregivers requires information, skills, support, and compassion. Too often, caregivers find that they are overwhelmed by this formidable responsibility and unsure of where to turn for help.
In my own case, my late daughter Katherine Hallisy was diagnosed at five months of age with bilateral retinoblastoma and faced five recurrences of her cancer before her death in February, 2000 at the age of ten. Kate’s cancer was aggressive and accompanied by episodes of chronic pain. An above-the-knee amputation led to both physical and unrelenting “phantom” pain. Radiation years earlier to Kate’s right orbital area eventually led to a non-operable tumor in her skull and proved to be one of our most formidable pain management challenges. I learned that while each pain experience is personal and subjective, in many ways it is shared by the entire family and each caregiver.
View the book on Amazon
