{"id":27654,"date":"2025-03-24T16:12:22","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T20:12:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/?p=27654"},"modified":"2025-04-09T17:59:59","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T21:59:59","slug":"challenges-mesothelioma-caregiving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/blog\/challenges-mesothelioma-caregiving\/","title":{"rendered":"The Challenges of Mesothelioma Caregiving"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Christian Kidd never doubted he would fight alongside his wife Alexis after she was diagnosed with mesothelioma, but he wasn\u2019t fully prepared for the financial and emotional struggles to come.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>The Dual Role of Caregiver and Advocate<\/h2>\n<p>Christian Kidd fell in love with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/blog\/alexis-kidd-surviving-mesothelioma\/\">Alexis Kidd<\/a> before she was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma \u2014 and was determined to be by her side through everything that came next.<\/p>\n<p>He drew from earlier life experiences caring for his mother during her health challenges to support Alexis throughout her diagnosis and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/treatment\/\">treatment<\/a>.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cYou have to <strong>take care of yourself<\/strong> by prioritizing what you feel comfortable with.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote><style type=\"text\/css\">blockquote{margin:40px 0;padding:0px 15px 0px 60px;position:relative;background-color:#fff}blockquote:before{content:\"\\e99d\";color:#fff;background-color:#0FAEBF;font-size:30px;font-family:\"mesohope\" !important;position:absolute;left:0;top:0;width:50px;height:50px;line-height:50px;text-align:center;border-radius:50%}blockquote p{margin:0}blockquote footer cite{font-size:inherit;line-height:26px;font-style:normal}@media screen and (min-width: 1024px){blockquote{padding:0px 90px 0px 85px}blockquote:before{font-size:35px;width:60px;height:60px;line-height:60px;left:0}}<\/style>\n<p>Below, Christian shares insights into his experience as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/resources\/caregivers\/\">mesothelioma caregiver<\/a> and how he focused on advocating for Alexis to ensure she received the best care possible.<\/p>\n<p>Get our <strong>Free Survivors Guide<\/strong> to learn how others navigated life post-diagnosis and the steps they took to fight for a better future.<\/p>\n<h2>No Stranger to Caregiving<\/h2>\n<p>In order to talk about the hardest moments of caregiving, I have to start by sharing some information about my mother, Leocadia (nicknamed Yaya).<\/p>\n<p>Born on a farm in Panama, my mother moved to Panama City to attend college. She then married my father and later had me. I had a strict upbringing, but I feel <strong>it made me a stronger person<\/strong> and prepared me for what happened next.<\/p>\n<p>My mother had a stroke at work and ended up paralyzed on her left side. It was very difficult for me, working all day and spending evenings by her side in the hospital. The stress was a lot, but my mother was a very optimistic person, and that rubbed off on me.<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, we were able to request support from Social Security. They paid for someone to spend three hours a day at my apartment on weekdays while I was working. Then I came home to care for her. It was exhausting.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe hospital contacted me when they heard of my mother\u2019s condition and informed me they offered free therapy sessions to deal with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/caregivers-guide\/\">the stress of being a caregiver<\/a>. <strong>That was very helpful<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Years later, when Alexis was diagnosed with peritoneal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/mesothelioma\/\">mesothelioma<\/a>, I felt I had some preparation for what she was about to go through. But nothing could have equipped me for the realities of caring for someone with mesothelioma. <strong>It was tough emotionally and financially<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>The Financial Challenges of a Mesothelioma Diagnosis<\/h2>\n<p>At the time Alexis was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/mesothelioma\/diagnosis\/\">diagnosed with mesothelioma<\/a>, she was working at a business supply company in Houston. She had to take time off for doctor\u2019s appointments, and I went to visit one of her supervisors. All I could think about was making sure she kept her job so she didn\u2019t lose her health insurance.<\/p>\n<p>When I asked her supervisor if they were planning on keeping her on board, they were adamant that they would. \u201cWe all love Alexis,\u201d they promised. But still, she was terminated from her position \u2014 a worst-case scenario. Money quickly became tight.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201c<strong>Alexis lost her health insurance<\/strong>, and all I could think about was that she wouldn\u2019t be able to get coverage. She would be refused on the grounds of having a pre-existing condition.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Alexis was in and out of the hospital for various procedures. Since she wasn\u2019t working, she tried to cut any expenses she could. She canceled her storage unit and gave away everything in it.<\/p>\n<p>We struggled to pay our bills on one income, with medical debt mounting and creditors contacting us by phone and mail.<\/p>\n<div class=\"callout-shortcode\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.callout-shortcode{background:#EDF8F9;border-radius:0 10px 10px 0;padding:20px 20px 20px 24px;margin:40px 0;max-width:860px;position:relative}.callout-shortcode:before{content:\" \";position:absolute;top:0;bottom:0;width:4px;height:100%;left:0;background:linear-gradient(180deg, #0FAEBF 0%, #EDF8F9 100%)}.callout-shortcode .callout-shortcode-heading{color:#100134;font-size:22px;display:block;margin:0 0 15px}.callout-shortcode:first-child{margin-top:0}.callout-shortcode:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.callout-shortcode .img-wrap{margin-bottom:20px}.callout-shortcode.hope>strong{padding-top:17px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:74px}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap{left:22px;position:absolute;top:20px;width:59px}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap:before{background:#fff url(\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/mh-icon-65.png);background-position:center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:70%;border-radius:30px;bottom:-10px;content:\"\";display:block;height:30px;position:absolute;right:-10px;width:30px}@media screen and (min-width: 768px){.callout-shortcode{padding:25px 25px 25px 34px}.callout-shortcode .callout-shortcode-heading{font-size:24px}.callout-shortcode .img-wrap{margin-bottom:0}.callout-shortcode.has-img{min-height:170px;padding-left:175px}.callout-shortcode.has-img .img-wrap{position:absolute;left:29px;top:25px;width:119px}.callout-shortcode.hope.has-img{padding-left:170px}.callout-shortcode.hope>strong{padding:0}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap{width:109px}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap:before{background-size:66%;bottom:-15px;height:42px;width:42px}}<\/style><div class=\"content\"><p>No one deserves to face financial stress from a mesothelioma diagnosis alone. Call our team at <a href=\"tel:+18666088933\" title=\"Click to call (866) 608-8933\" class=\"in-content-tel-link\" data-ce-category=\"Click to Call\" data-ce-label=\"(866) 608-8933\">(866) 608-8933<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/about\/contact\/\">contact us<\/a> to learn about pursuing compensation to help pay for your medical care and daily living expenses.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<h2>The Pain of Watching a Loved One Struggle<\/h2>\n<p>Mirroring my earlier life experience, I was overwhelmed working and leaving afterward to be by Alexis\u2019s side at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/cancer-centers\/\">mesothelioma hospital<\/a> on weeknights and weekends.<\/p>\n<p>Fatigue started to hit me, but it was more stressful to see her crying and not wanting to be in the hospital.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe best thing to do is <strong>stay calm, pace yourself, and try to be optimistic<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>I found solitude in the consistency of going back and forth between work and the hospital. I never got burnt out and focused on gratitude. When I wasn\u2019t with Alexis, I focused on music \u2014 practicing my guitar and working on my band.<\/p>\n<h2>The Power of Persistence<\/h2>\n<p>Alexis was initially turned down by a hospital to be treated for her mesothelioma. We went online and did as much research as we could. It is really amazing what you might find.<\/p>\n<p>We found <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/treatment\/doctors\/\">oncologists and surgeons<\/a> as far away as New York who were willing to see her, but they were so booked up that we were placed on a year-long waiting list. After a year, they still couldn\u2019t see us.<\/p>\n<p>We sought care from the Houston Medical Center and even an army hospital. Finally, a lecturer at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/cancer-centers\/md-anderson-cancer-center\/\">MD Anderson Cancer Center<\/a> found a team to take on Alexis\u2019s case.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cBe persistent. Get in touch with mesothelioma organizations. Contact other hospitals, search the internet, and talk to your doctors. <strong>But persistence is key<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2>Get Support for Caregiving Challenges<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re caring for someone you love as they battle mesothelioma, you don\u2019t have to go it alone. Mesothelioma Hope is here to advocate on your behalf with connections, resources, and information for your fight.<\/p>\n<p><strong>We can help you:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find a doctor near you (and avoid long waiting lists)<\/li>\n<li>Connect with emotional support resources like therapists and peer mentors<\/li>\n<li>Determine how to pay for treatment, even if you don\u2019t have insurance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Contact our team anytime by calling <strong><a href=\"tel:+18666088933\" title=\"Click to call (866) 608-8933\" class=\"in-content-tel-link\" data-ce-category=\"Click to Call\" data-ce-label=\"(866) 608-8933\">(866) 608-8933<\/a><\/strong> or filling out our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/about\/contact\/\">contact form<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Christian Kidd never doubted he would fight alongside his wife Alexis after she was diagnosed with mesothelioma, but he wasn\u2019t fully prepared for the financial and emotional struggles to come. The Dual Role of Caregiver and Advocate Christian Kidd fell in love with Alexis Kidd before she was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma \u2014 and was&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":54,"featured_media":27653,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[257],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27654","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-survivor-stories"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27654","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/54"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27654"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27654\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27653"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27654"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27654"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27654"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}