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simplyklb

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Posts posted by simplyklb

  1. Hi Gail,

    I am sorry that Hank is not doing well. :( My dad was on morphine and it created a lot of problems for him. It was soo bad that we had to switch pain medications. I hope that doesn't happen to Hank.

    Faith is one of the things that is getting me thru this journey. I pray a lot. I am also very realistic about the situation. I am scared as hell at the prospect of losing both of my parents to lung cancer.

    Kristi

  2. "jaminkw"]

    People have to be told. They just don't get it. When a person is fighting this disease, it is all about that person. My hope for you is that they will listen, not give you a hard time, and let Larry set the pace when and if they do come. And I hope Larry is better at assessing his situation than I was. If not, just jump in and come to his rescue.

    Judy in Key West

    Judy,

    I feel a little bit different... I have two parents fighting this disease not just one. Someone, a cancer survivor, told my mom it was all about her. I set my mom straight after the person left. It's not all about you... It's not all about Dad. IT IS ALL ABOUT ALL OF US. I have a cousin who feels the need to come visit every weekend. I am sick of it because other family members allow it. He never came around before but now he comes around every weekend. I have told my family that I am sick of it. My dad is annoyed that the cousin comes around so much. Some people are welcomed as immediate family members. My dad is annoyed about a volunteer coming in once a week... That is for my benefit so I can get out of the house. Otherwise I am stuck here all the time. Actually I get a reprieve because I am heading down to Truman Lake for the long 4th of July weekend. My mom gave me her blessing. My parents should be in the recovering/good part of their chemo cycles. They will both have chemo the week of July 7th. It means a week off from appts. as I don't go to infusions. :)

    Kristi

  3. I hope that you get over your virus soon!

    Yes, the on-call onc called me back within 15 mins. He just told me to up dad's pain meds.to one or two more pills. I will get a change on Tues. and get scans scheduled so we can see if Dad injured his back or if the cancer is spreading.

    Kristi

  4. Hi Linda,

    Welcome to the group!

    My dad was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer in May of this year. He has gone thru 10 radiation treatments and two rounds of chemo. I was told by the nurse pracititioner that my dad should have scans after this round of chemo to see what is going on with the cancer.

    Kristi

  5. Hi Denise,

    You are worn out. It's OK to complain. You have a right to complain. :) Sleep does a body good. :) By the way, did they do a strep test on you?

    I am a little bit upset with my dad right now because he did something he shouldn't have done so he hurt his lower back and now the pain meds won't help with it. ACK I have a call into the on-call doc.

    Kristi

  6. Hi Gail,

    I am so sorry to hear about Hank. :( You and Hank are in my thoughts and prayers.

    Please do not hesitate to contact hospice. One of the best tings that the oncologist's office did was call in palliative care for my dad. The nurse practitioner listened to us and got us the referral. It's truly a Godsend! I have scheduled a volunteer to come in once a week so I can get out for a few hours with friends. My dad is not happy about it but my mom enjoyed it. The volunteer who came last night graduated from high school with me! Next week we should meet with the social worker and Dad has an OT evaluation to determine what he needs are here at home.

    Kristi

  7. JB,

    Cancer sucks!! That's all I can say. I need a shirt that says that. :)

    Sandra,

    I am thankful that there are people in my life that recognize my needs. That is what keeps me going. Hope, faith, and prayer are good things in my life. :)

    Kristi

  8. Hi,

    I know this is a touchy subject but I need to post about it. But do all of you go thru the gamut of emotions whether you are the person with lung cancer or a family member or caregiver or friend?

    I find myself being angry a lot and that is not good. I am not angry at my parents. I am angry at the cancer. I hate cancer!!!!!! I find myself saying that a lot. I am angry at my parents' internist who I felt should have been monitoring my parents a lot more closely since both were ex-smokers. Most of all, I am angry about what the cancer is taking away. I know my dad is going to die from the cancer. I don't know how his cancer is responding to the treatment. I know that I want the cancer to die and go away.

    I often find myself sad. Why? I am sad because I have to watch my parents go thru this at the same time. I grieve about the things that have changed. I grieve for the future. I often cry myself to sleep at night. I can't even get thru this post without crying.

    I find myself worrying a lot. I worry about what will happen to my family and I. I worry a lot about the future. I worry about my finances even tho I live here with my parents. I have two bills but no job.

    I find myself being afraid. What is going to happen? There are lots of unknowns. Is my mom going to die? How much longer will my dad live?

    I find myself isolated but not when I come to the messageboards because I know that there are people out there. I feel isolated in my own home. I think that is where some of my major problems lie. Thank goodness for the palliative intake nurse who took the time to listen to me... the caregiver! I am hoping to get out more. I need it.

    I try to find hope in all of this. Sometimes it is easy and sometimes it is not. I pray a lot.

    Things will never be the same.. Cancer changes everything.

    Are the feelings I talked about natural?

    Kristi

  9. Hi All,

    I think that i have officially hit the wall. I started hitting it on June 7th. I am having a lot of problems with my mom, dad, and the rest of the family. My mom will not do very much except laundry. She won't make phone calls. She doesn't want anything to do with my dad. My dad makes things very difficult. He was difficult before his diagnosis. He is extremely difficult now. She tells me it is all about her. I am thinking, "It's not all about you. To me, it is about both of you." I want to say that to her sooo bad. She doesn't comprehend at all what the two diagnoses has done to me. Sure I have cried. I am full of anger. I am angry because I am tired of the way my family is treating me.

    Mom thinks that I need to be all do all now. Why? Because she had to do it when I was young. I blew up at her. I told her that you deal with it. Not the right thing to do, I know. So the adage to her... Since I did it all for you, you have to do it for me now. She believes families do not have limits. If it were not for the message boards and the info I found on the Internet, I would have never known beforehand.

    To top it all off, her know-it-all cousin has been here all week. For starters, the cousins ex molested all four daughters. Her daughters have had all kinds of probs. Then when she got diagnosed with cancer, her daughters left her high and dry. She's been busy telling me what I need to do. I get enough of that within my own family without that. I am beyond mad.

    I have been pushed beyond my limits. I am done. I need to find a full-time job and move out. I don't want to be part of this anymore. I love my floks but I cannot handle this anymore.

    Kristi

  10. Hi,

    Looks like Tom's WBC is good. The WBC at the white blood cell count. The white blood cells fight infection. His hemoglobin is OK - That number will tell you if he needs a blood transfusion. Platelets are low but not critically low. Platelets help control any bleeding. If they are too low, there is a high risk for bleeding form a cut. My dad has to be monitored for dehydration. The numbers that are important to me are WBC, HGB (hemoglobin), and PLT (platelets).

    Kristi

  11. Hi Dar,

    Did the hospice nurse come out today? If so, how did it go?

    The best thing that anyone has done for me has referred my dad for palliative care. It's a lifesaver! I've had calls from the volunteer coordinator to coordinate a volunteer for Friday nights to be here so I can go out for awhile with friends. :) It's not a sitter.. Just someone to keep an eye on things if something happens. I need to get out. :) We have a palliative care nurse coming twice a week to check my dad for pain and dehydration. :) We have an OT coming next week to evaluate my dad for some possible needs. He is not steady on his feet always. We are also getting a social work consult too. My dad is not on hospice... He is on palliative care.

    I can't say enough about KC Palliative Care and Hospice!

    Kristi

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