My mom has been in the hospital since Apr.2/08. She was diagnosed in Feb. and chemo started Apr 3. No major side effects of chemo.
She is presently on day 3 of 5 day radiation to break up cancer cells located on or near her trachea. She has extreme shortness of breath, and for a while her blood pressure and heartbeat were irregular. Her blood pressure is normalish now, but her heartbeat is still irregular.
Good news, I think, is that yesterday and today, she was allowed to leave the hospital, with oxygen, for 6 hours. She only wanted to go home.
Between my dad, my sister and I, we try to have someone with her at the hospital most of the day. It's selfish but this is getting exhausting for me. I really want to be there for her, but I have 3 kids (12, 16 &19) at home and other than this weekend when she went home, I feel like I've hardly saw my kids. I have been working during the day, driving to the hospital to stay until 8 or 9pm. My dad is there most of the day, and he usually leaves after supper. Sometimes later. My sister is also usually there during the day.
We don't know how long she'll be in the hospital. How do you make this work? I know my dad would be there all the time if my sister and I weren't, and I don't think he should be there all the time.
Has anyone worked this out? We are also afraid of us becoming ill so we won't be able to go see my mom.