Any advice on caring for my wife? Metastatic colorectal cancer

My 52 year old wife was just diagnosed 4 weeks ago with stage 4 metastatic colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver and lungs. We finally are able to start chemo Tuesday after surgeries. As a caregiver away from home what are some tips you might have dealing with this?

Take care of yourself. She will obviously be your main focus, but set aside some time for self-care every day (eating, exercise, and relaxation).

It's easy to neglect your physical or mental health in a situation like this, but you can support her better if you don't burn out.

Beyond that, bring a paper notebook and pen or pencil, and take notes during every medical appointment. Those will prove valuable.

Oh yes, and warm socks for her with non-slip rubber on the bottom. I found those very useful during my months in hospital.

This is a tough time. Best of luck to both of you.

Six hours is a long way and a long drive. My wife had ovarian cancer, and we live 45 minutes away from where she got treatment. We were only a little late once for her infusion because of a traffic jam. We have been lucky. I would consider getting closer to the treatment site. If you have to go to the emergency room, it would sure help to be closer. We went to the ER three times during the first few treatments, because the chemo caused blood pressure problems. Until she saw our PCP, a cardiologist and got on two different meds for that, things were unstable. You never know what side effects will arise of the many possible side effects that you get informed about by the oncology staff. There will probably be radiation therapy wilth colorectal cancer, and I don't know all the different things that can happen with it. My niece's husband had that with both radiation and chemotherapy, but they were close by the treatment site. He pulled through good so far. We'll all pray for the best for you.

@papashagz07 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! I’m glad you found us even at this very difficult time. Do you know if the hospital had rooms or small apartments to rent for their patients. Something like Ronald McDonald House? A six—hour drive can be very difficult especially with the weather changing frequently. What does your wife think about the drive?

My chemo drive is only 2.5 hours each way, but we've been doing it every 2 weeks for 2 years. I'm finally switching back to a local provider, but now that I'm "in the system" (deeply!) at a center of excellence, I can send portal messages to my medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists or their PA/NP staff, and get prompt referrals to other specialists. It's a bit far for an emergency, but I've done it twice this year to ensure I'm seen by expert staff familiar with my history.

If you have to travel that far, see if your insurance will help with any travel expense benefits.

If you have a credit card that accumulates hotel points, those can add up to a couple free nights over the course of chemo.

A social worker at your treatment center might be able to help you find affordable lodging, like an American Cancer Society Hope Lodge.

If you have to (or choose to) relocate for the short-term (typically longer than 30 days), Joe's House ( https://www.joeshouse.org/ ) keeps track of a LOT of lodging options for cancer patients. My wife and I got a nice apartment two blocks from the hospital for my clinical trial in Texas, with no long-term lease issues.

Wishing you both the best!