Please remember that these discussion boards are a public forum, which means open to the public (i.e. non-CSN members) and the content can be found via internet search engines. Members are strongly advised not to share personal identifiers such as real names, email address, telephone number, street address, etc. This information can be used to identify you and link you to the content you provide. Other areas of CSN are restricted to members only and cannot be found by search engines.

Caregivers

Archives for September 2009

isolating is this a stage they go through
I think he is at the isolation change, We have 3 extra bedrooms, the drums room, our bedroom and the hospital room I call in, ( it has the hospital bed, O2 , basically all of his medical equipment, but I have also set it fo him to be comfortable because Jack wakes up alot in te night, So he has cable, playstation, stero,…
Taking care of Mom
My Mother survived breast cancer 7yrs ago. In April she found out that she has Ovarian cancer stage 3C. She had a hysterectomy and they were supposed to take her stomach lining at the same time, but the surgeon found more than what he expected. The stomach lining had more cancer than they had thought, she has a tumor on…
ways to celebrate?
My husband has metastatic squamous cell carcinoma. Started in his tongue last fall, had 1/3 of tongue removed in January. Spread to lymphnodes in July, had 2 neck dissection surgeries in August. The surgeries were really hard (lots of unexpected complications and agonizing pain). He will begin chemo and radiation the end…
IV Fluids / Nutrition
INFORMAL POLL : Why would we / wouldn't we have an IV started for mother-in-law for fluids/nutrients at this stage (she has not eaten or drank for past 3 days and refuses to open mouth for pills - and chokes on them when we do get them in)? Please opine away - I want to hear people's opinion both for and against doing…
Thanks for the visit
Well, mother-in-law has not been eating or drinking for 3 days now. Her internal wiring is going haywire. Twitching, sweats and chills, the labored breathing. Just received a visit from a long time family friend. It feels so good to have a visitor. It was hard for him because he also has cancer and been struggling with…
Trying to accept
I am trying to accept the fact that we are nearing the end. I did not think this would happen so quickly. My husband had a good day last Tuesday, but then a bad night, and he just kept getting worse. We were supposed to go to the doctor on Thursday, but I called and told them there was no way I could get him there. I just…
cancer has taken over
Feel like Im losing the battle, emotionally for Jack, I have fallen in to a depression, and Im stuck, I get up in the morning get Jacks, meds, flush his pik line and feed him and then start cleaning, and continue making sure he gets enough nutientment through the day, watch tv, and sleep then I wake up make dinner for his…
cancer has taken over
Feel like Im losing the battle, emotionally for Jack, I have fallen in to a depression, and Im stuck, I get up in the morning get Jacks, meds, flush his pik line and feed him and then start cleaning, and continue making sure he gets enough nutientment through the day, watch tv, and sleep then I wake up make dinner for his…
cancer has taken over
Feel like Im losing the battle, emotionally for Jack, I have fallen in to a depression, and Im stuck, I get up in the morning get Jacks, meds, flush his pik line and feed him and then start cleaning, and continue making sure he gets enough nutientment through the day, watch tv, and sleep then I wake up make dinner for his…
Loss of bowel/urine control?? Is this normal???
My father who is 86 has cancer in the bile duct. It is not operable and he has started Gezmar chemo treatment once a week. He just finished his third treatment on Thursday. Last night he did not have any control over his bowel/urine movements? Is this normal??? He does not want to go to the ER because he is afraid that…
Managing stress
My partner and I have been together for 19 years. 2 years ago he was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. In a nutshell, he's done chemo, had a recurrence, did radiation, and now has another recurrence, this time a tumor growing inside the bone of his sacrum. He started a new chemo regimen 3 weeks ago which includes…
Support Groups for Care Givers
Does anyone know of a good support group for family members dealing with a sick veteran? My grandparents live far from the rest of the family, in West Virginia and my Grandfather is battling cancer and the aftermath of a stroke. My grandmother has a lot on her shoulders taking care of him and my uncle who is also a Vet…
Is he escaping
Has anyone experience with there loved one, where they are doing really good and then all of a sudden they just crash, Jack will be feeling good one day and then the next day he is not doing good at all, and it can even happen in the same day, He is on his second week of chemo and he is tolerating it good, He is starting…
Experience with administrating IV's in ports
Has anyone had experience administrating IV antibiotics into the port? I have a home health nurse that will be doing this for my husband 2 times a day and then I myself will do the same they tell me in addition to flushing the port itself. I've never experienced anything like this before and I'm really nervous about it.…
Don't rely on docs re: drug interactions
I've learned something very important that I want to share with all of you. My husband see's multiple doctors and I'm always concerned when each of them prescribe medications to my husband without consulting with each other. I've seen side effects from my husband that had me very concerned so I found a web site that will…
Medical care & Sci-fi movies
My hubby was in the hospital last week again with pneumonia. On the 3rd day they told me he was ready to leave (which I still doubt) and they wanted to send him to what they called a "Rehab facility" for about 2 weeks for physical therapy. When he was released from the hospital we went to this "rehab facility" which was…
home from the doctors
Well it was good news about Jacks appointment, with the trachea, It is the right size the problem is his salivia glands are not producing enough salvia, which is keeping his throat so dry, they were suppose to tell us about the salaine bullets, to put in his trachea to keep it moist, see we always learn as we go, I am…
Hospice
Our onc. is calling Hospice tomorrow. I knew this day would come, but that doesn't make it any easier. We have talked about end of life issues in the past 6 years. Now we have to get down to the nitty gritty. We have been blessed by this gift of time, a wonderful and supportive family, and a supportive church family. We…
worried,
I just can't understand how Jack crashes so fast, he is having a good day and then all of a sudden he gets lightheaded and his blood pressure drops, his sister is a nurse and she said he is having what they call Fasal Vogal Episodes ( fainting spells when his pressure drops, ) and I read up on it and it happen when a…
chemo started again
Well Jack did good on his chemo on Monday I found out what the drug is it is Erbitux, so I guess we now just wait for the famous rash, which Im told it is a good sign that means the drug is working, He was slept most of the day yesterday, in between of taking care of me, I yesterday, vomiting all day, we look like a real…
informed consent?
cancer in remission 5yrs and counting, thanking god every day. i recently had my beautiful baby girl in may of this year. i a deaf person and have been so since birth recently moved to southern state a year ago from MO. i've never had any problems with MO. when i went to my doctors office in MO there was always an…
New Method for administering Chemo w/o side effects
I'm not sure where else to post this - I wish there was a category for "Treatments." Anyway, this is pretty amazing - take a look: http://www.gizmag.com/isoflow-isolate-tumour-chemotherapy/12820/
Started chemo
Well we started chemo again , we are trying an old chemo, Eribux, now we are just waiting for the rash so I hear, Jack is feeling ok, moving a little slow today, He tolerated the first treatment good, he had a little itchmess when he first started, so the had to slow it down some, If anyone can let know what to expect with…
Bad news...what next
Yesterday we got bad news. My husband's recent scans show that all his tumors are growing, and there are some new spots as well. I feel like we've entered a new phase: "the beginning of the end." We weren't expecting great news, but this was so much worse than we anticipated. He was getting treatments of veneralbene (sp.?)…
Caregivers really do know best...
Hospice nurse dressed the progressive skin breakdown on the radiation site on mother-in-law's chest with Sulfadene dressing. She called me later and said, whoops, I forgot that she is allergic to sulfa drugs...but I don't think it will be a problem (she said). ITCH ITCH ITCH ITCH..... Then she wants to use silver…
In the hospital again
Well Im back I was staying away because I had to do some soulsearching, and I know in my heart Im doing the best for Jack, and plus on Friday night I had to rush Jack to the ER again , He had an infection, again , they are not sure if the 1st infection just never totally went away, or if the tumor in his neck got an…
Last night's meltdown
It's been 8 months now and I think I've kept it "together" for the most part until last night. I try so hard to be patient with my husband knowing what he's dealing with, I really do. But it seems that the more time that passes the harder it is to please him with "anything". He's better since they stopped the prior chemo…
Young People Living, and Laughing, with Cancer - NPR
I listen to NPR / Public Radio while I work and Terry Gross on Fresh Air had an interview with two cancer survivors that is very interesting. Here is a link - if it does not work as a hyperlink then copy paste it. VERY interesting program today... http://wamu.org/programs/fresh_air/ Joke (ala Terry Gross) What do you call…
Struggling Daughter
I dont know how to explain all this but my mom 72 has stage 4 lung cancer that has spread to her lymph nodes, bones, basically thruout her body...anyhow im getting so frustrated with her... when I first went and got her (she lived in TN Im in FL) to bring her home with me for treatment (june) she was in so much pain it…
Is it an obvious decision to start staying hom more?
I am taking partial family medical leave to take my hubby to appointments etc - but his condition his deteriorating and I'm feeling more and more torn to be home with him I don't know really what I would do for him at home because he is still mobile but doesn't really get out now but is able to take care of himself - I…

Caregivers

Discussion List