Nursing a parent, spouse, other relative, or friend through the painful progress of a terminal disease is not a road best traveled alone. The Complete Bedside Companion offers warmth, encouragement, and the medical, legal, financial, and emotional advice you need when caring for an ailing loved one. Drawing on the experiences of dozens of ordinary people who have cared for relatives and friends ill or dying from cancer, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, stroke, emphysema, diabetes, AIDS, and other serious conditions -- along with the practical wisdom of distinguished medical, legal, financial, and psychological experts -- this sound, compassionate guide provides field-tested advice on every aspect of caring for the sick including: Doing battle with insurance companies - Managing symptoms such as nausea or pain - Exploring experimental and alternative therapies - Maintaining cash flow and coping with bills Mike Maza The Dallas Morning News This is the best all-around guide we've seen about helping others cope with serious illness while still taking care of yourself. Diane Blum Executive Director, Cancer Care, Inc. This is an outstanding book, full of practical advice, warmth, and guidance. It is an essential guide for anyone who is striving to provide physical care and emotional support to a loved one. Dick Scanlan Poz magazine This "how-to" with heart is a must-buy for any potential caregiver or any care receiver. Nursing a parent, spouse, other relative, or friend through the painful progress of a terminal disease is not a road best traveled alone. The Complete Bedside Companion offers warmth, encouragement, and the medical, legal, financial, and emotional advice you need when caring for an ailing loved one. Drawing on the experiences of dozens of ordinary people who have cared for relatives and friends ill or dying from cancer, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, stroke, emphysema, diabetes, AIDS, and other serious conditions -- along with the practical wisdom of distinguished medical, legal, financial, and psychological experts -- this sound, compassionate guide provides field-tested advice on every aspect of caring for the sick, including: -- Doing battle with insurance companies -- Managing symptoms such as nausea or pain -- Exploring experimental and alternative therapies -- Maintaining cash flow and coping with bills Rodger McFarlane, one of America's most respected consumer advocates for the sick, currently directs collaborative research between the American Association of Health Plans and Lotus (IBM), evaluating experimental medical treatments on behalf of customers of the managed care industry. He is the former Executive Director of the Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The Complete Bedside Companion A No-Nonsense Guide to Caring for the Seriously Ill By Rodger Mcfarlane Fireside Copyright © 1999 Rodger Mcfarlane All right reserved. ISBN: 0684843196 From Chapter 1 -- The Hospital and the Medical Team, Who's Who and What's What When It Is Most Important to Be at an Ailing Loved One's Side Aunt Kitty immediately got on the phone to my younger brother David, who was relaxing on the beach in California after having completed his peak business season. David runs his own firm, designing seasonal showrooms and corporate displays for large companies. He works like a madman from September to mid-January, then divides the rest of the year between traveling and freelance design assignments. Since my brother was on downtime, he was able to fly to Mobile the next morning. "I got there the day before Daddy's surgery," David remembers, "and stayed for the two weeks that he was in the hospital." Meanwhile, I set about delegating my work duties among my staff at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, so I could spend all of May caring for my father. A smooth recovery from bypass surgery can range from a couple of weeks to several months. Between David and me, we had Dad's hospitalization and surgical recuperation covered. Even if subsequent medical problems developed, we could at least get him home and on his feet, and arrange for his future care before I left town. It also gave us a chance -- as a family -- to tend to the bills, the bank, the house, and the lawyer, something we would later come to appreciate. For Bob, Mary, and Kitty, our timing was perfect. It was also the best use of the limited time Dave and I had. We both kept our trips short, because the two of us quietly suspected that Dad might be needing us more in the months ahead. Admittedly, my brother and I enjoyed an extraordinary degree of flexibility personally and professionally. What if your life more resembles that of my other brothers'? Bobby, the eldest, lived eight hours away in Shreveport, Louisiana, with his wife, Karen, and their children, Aaron and Lorna. He visited Dad in the hospital but wasn't in a position to take extended time off from work right then. Joh