IPad Solutions for Managing Cancer Treatment Information

[Asharp]

My husband was diagnosed a month ago with Stage IV esophageal cancer. I am his primary caregiver, and my iPad is indispensable for keeping on top of things. In addition to dealing with the emotional aspects, my husband and I have received a blizzard of paper, appointments, names, numbers, and locations we need to have at our fingertips.

Initially, I turned to Medocity's iCancerHealth, a cancer treatment management app. It was a very educational experience to learn what kinds of information I can and should have readily available at all times. However, I experienced some glitches with keeping track of appointments and after a week of not hearing from the developers, I've set it aside for now. The problem is either with the app or my previously corrupted system software problem.

I've found Evernote to be my top app for archiving and tagging the 65 documents we've received in the past three weeks. I use Evernote's Camera function to quickly scan and file one-page documents right before I leave a waiting room.

I installed Evernote on my husband's iPad and keep both synced so that we have a common database of not only the same information but also the results of any research we've been doing.

I use Web Clipper HD to save information from our hospital's website and research about his disease and treatment options, and I archive it in Evernote as well.

I use Notability's handwriting function to take notes of what the oncologist and other medical professionals say during appointments, and I type the most important information using Notability's typing function.

The drug and medical names, and terms can be a challenge to pronounce, so I've activated Speak Selection in Accessibility.

If I can't find a digital version of a booklet we've been given on the hospital's website, I use color-coded bookmarks in iAnnotate PDF to turn a scanned booklet into a searchable database.

After experimenting with the default calendar app and Calendars 5 by Readdle, I'm currently trying out Fantastical 2 for keeping track of the increasing number of appointments.

Yelp has been very helpful for finding comforting and affordable places to eat after tests and treatment that are within a short distance of the different hospital locations. I haven't discovered if I can save our favorite places within the app, so I've been saving screenshots along with Evernote-scanned copies of restaurant business cards in a restaurant "notebook" (folder).

I don't know of any alternatives to the default Contacts app. While that app has been serviceable, I think I might like to keep all medical contact information in a dedicated and searchable database—a feature I really liked about iCancerHealth.

Supporting someone with cancer is a completely new experience for me. If anyone is using specific iPad functions and apps as part of managing treatment information, I'd appreciate your posts so I can learn from you and we can continue sharing our strategies with each other.

 

[leelai]

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's illness, it must be a very trying and arduous time for you both.

Thank you for writing this post of all that you are doing with your iPad.....it's such valuable information for anyone going through a difficult situation like you are now to keep so much information at hand. I'm glad you can utilise the iPad in this way to make things that much easier for you both.

I always go to the Doctor with my own mother, who as soon as she leaves can never remember anything which has been said, I think the iPad is a great tool for this and I too will take mine next time also and do what you are doing.

All the best to you and your husband! I'm sure I speak for others here also when I say our thoughts are with you...

Take good care of yourself as well as your husband....

 

[Asharp]

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's illness, it must be a very trying and arduous time for you both. Thank you for writing this post of all that you are doing with your iPad.....it's such valuable information for anyone going through a difficult situation like you are now to keep so much information at hand. I'm glad you can utilise the iPad in this way to make things that much easier for you both. I always go to the Doctor with my own mother, who as soon as she leaves can never remember anything which has been said, I think the iPad is a great tool for this and I too will take mine next time also and do what you are doing. All the best to you and your husband! I'm sure I speak for others here also when I say our thoughts are with you... Take good care of yourself as well as your husband....

Thank you, Leelai.

We are certainly having ups and downs, and it was an exhausting day.

I'm glad I scanned and transferred all of the documents we got today related to chemotherapy into Evernote immediately after coming home. My husband got his Mediport for the first time today, and he was getting really concerned about determing the level of the chemotherapy drug in the canister.
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However, I checked his device and remembered seeing the name of it in one of the 12 documents we were given and was able quickly locate the document that explains it before he might have given information to the after hours physician that would have resulted in an unnecessary trip to the hospital tonight.

 

[leelai]

Thank you, Leelai. We are certainly having ups and downs, and it was an exhausting day. I'm glad I scanned and transferred all of the documents we got today related to chemotherapy into Evernote immediately after coming home. My husband got his Mediport for the first time today, and he was getting really concerned about determing the level of the chemotherapy drug in the canister. . However, I checked his device and remembered seeing the name of it in one of the 12 documents we were given and was able quickly locate the document that explains it before he might have given information to the after hours physician that would have resulted in an unnecessary trip to the hospital tonight.

It would be so exhausting for you.....entering the world of doctors is a whole new language to learn, it's so foreign to most of us. We don't realise just how much of a physical and mental toll these things take.

I'm so glad you did scan that info into Evernote (it's such a great app) it's helped you already! Your husband is very lucky to have you to share the load of all that is involved with his treatments. I hope his chemotherapy goes smoothly and he responds to it well...