Hello jmeachem, 

I am so sorry to hear about your other half's diagnosis. He does sound like an incredible person and what a nice gesture to buy him a puppy to help him get through this difficult time. I bet the puppy is really cute and brings your other half a lot of comfort when he needs it the most.  What's the puppy's name if you don't mind me asking? 

It can't be easy for you though to have to manage the house, the dog as well as juggling a full time job and everything else. I am sure others on our forum will have been in a similar position and that they will have some tips for you to help you cope during this stressful time. It might be worth if you have a supportive employer having a chat with them about all this and seeing whether they could be flexible or make things more bearable for you without you needing to give up on work or income. Is there anyone around, friend or family, who might be able to help you with the dog and for example walk the dog from time to time to give you a break? A puppy will I am sure be quite hard work in some ways so if you can get a little bit of help with that, it might make a difference. It's a really difficult balancing act and you are doing amazingly. 

You might be interested to take a look at our family, friends and caregivers page and in particular the taking care of yourself section. There are some good tips there to help you look after yourself and recharge your batteries. So it's really important that you think about yourself too and have moments to breathe as this will then help you look after your partner. 

I will now let our friendly community come and say hello and share their experiences with you. It does help to talk to others who have been in a similar place before and who have had to juggle so many priorities. 

Best wishes, 

Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator