Advise on pedicure for client with cancer

[mollylolly]

Godd morning,

I hope one of you wonderful Geeks can give me some advise please.

I have been doing regular pedicures on an lovelely elderly client of 80. She has suffered from bowl cancer and had her bowl removed about 5 years ago and until recently was in remission.

The cancer has now returned throught the whole of her body and she only has a couple of weeks to live. She is unaware of the time limit of her life. He daughter-in-law phoned me to ask me if I would go to the house and do her a pedicure as my client is fussing about her toe nails. I am more than happy to do this for her and for free as she has up till now been a lovely client and I want to do anything that will make her last days/weeks a little happier.

My question is, should I do a full luxury pedicure i.e. leg massage etc, or should I just do the toesnails, hard skin and just lightly massage a little lotion onto the legs and feet. I know this really will depend on how she feels on the day, but I don't want to do anything that could make her feel worse.

I hope I have made sense on my question, and would really appreciate any feedback that you can offer.

Many thanks

Sally x

 

[daisyl]

Godd morning,

I hope one of you wonderful Geeks can give me some advise please.

I have been doing regular pedicures on an lovelely elderly client of 80. She has suffered from bowl cancer and had her bowl removed about 5 years ago and until recently was in remission.

The cancer has now returned throught the whole of her body and she only has a couple of weeks to live. She is unaware of the time limit of her life. He daughter-in-law phoned me to ask me if I would go to the house and do her a pedicure as my client is fussing about her toe nails. I am more than happy to do this for her and for free as she has up till now been a lovely client and I want to do anything that will make her last days/weeks a little happier.

My question is, should I do a full luxury pedicure i.e. leg massage etc, or should I just do the toesnails, hard skin and just lightly massage a little lotion onto the legs and feet. I know this really will depend on how she feels on the day, but I don't want to do anything that could make her feel worse.

I hope I have made sense on my question, and would really appreciate any feedback that you can offer.

Many thanks

Sally x

I am advising you from a medical professional capacity - if this lady has a terminal illness then massage should not be an issue. Particularly in this case. My only caution would be to apply gentle pressure and assess her 'pain tolerance' to the procedure at the time of the treatment. Basically, do all you can to improve this lady's quality of life. X

 

[brittone05]

I can't help with your question but wanted to just say how lovely it is that you want to help this lady spend her final days in luxurious comfort. Please pass our thoughts onto her family for the difficult period they face xxxx

 

[Thanh55]

My question is, should I do a full luxury pedicure i.e. leg massage etc, or should I just do the toesnails, hard skin and just lightly massage a little lotion onto the legs and feet. I know this really will depend on how she feels on the day, but I don't want to do anything that could make her feel worse.

Just turn up and repair yoursef to do a ful lux. pedi for her. You can easyly to skip thse step depend on her feeling, if everything goes OK just carry on give her a nice feeling. Hope you get on well with it, good luck

 

[Martin Duffy]

I've done a few treatments on clients of mine with terminal illness, who are now sadly no longer with us, and can only echo the above sentiments; gentle pressure with extra special attention paid to reading their body language. Like you I would offer this for free; it's always a pleasure to bring a moment of happiness to someone in their final days.

 

[uniq12u]

I have been in the same situation recently with an elderly client of mine who wasn't terminal but was in the hospital. It did my heart good to go and give him a manicure/pedicure. And I can tell you it made his day!! Nothing better than having something done that makes you feel good. The only thing I would caution is using cuticle nippers or anything too sharp and to use a light touch. If you use nippers just make sure you don't cut her as her immune system is probably inadequate. Light massage will probably feel good to her. Be prepared to not be able to give them their services in the usual set up. She may or may not be able to sit up. Find out ahead of time. If she can't sit up you can give her a waterless pedicure using hot (not too hot) towels. That feels good too.