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Caregivers

Archives for April 2010

Caregiver having heart surgery: Should I tell the truth?
My mom was diagnosed with glioblastoma in January of 2010. She recently finished chemo and radio, and she is doing very well. She finished the therapy with no side effects (except for some mild hearing loss). She is exercising, keeps an active social schedule, and will return to work on Monday. For the first time since…
Just Need to vent!
My sister, 25, has breast cancer. She is starting chemo next week. We have never had a great relationship- fought since probably the moment she was born. Now I am so scared to lose her. I thought that maybe someday when we were on the same life path- 7 years difference we would be able to sit down and talk everything out,…
Where to find people to help?
We are looking at all aspects of care for my mom as she undergoes chemo. Right now she is in the hospital but they will soon be releasing her. Its just my sister and I. We both work full time and I have a husband and a special needs child at home. We will be hiring a nurse/caregiver for the hours we are at work. So that…
My mom attacked me this morning
She was recently switched from pain medicine Dilaudid to Methadone, and at midnight she started her next dose and then the hallucinations kicked in. Harmless enough, thinking things weren't there and such. But then at 2:30 she got dressed and insisted she go to the ER because she was in pain. She has been on hospice for…
Any of you ever "Feel" single?
I have posted here more lately because my wife’s cancer is progressing, however just when I think she is preparing for a significant change, she proves me wrong (as in posting “Gut Feeling” a few weeks ago). My wife has the amazing ability to “Hunker down” when she is sick and she is very ill. A few weeks ago she could…
Having a Tough Time
My Mom is 58 years old and was diagnosed with stage three multiple myeloma (most advanced stage for her type) at the end of January. March 2nd, she moved from MN to NC to live with us and get treatment. She left her job, home and community in order to come here and get treatment with a specialist at Duke. I am 28 years…
Is it time for Hospice?
I think the time may be drawing near to get hospice for my mom. What is the process and how does it get started?
Young Caregivers?
I am 15 and my mom was diagnosed with Brain Cancer 10 months ago. It has really been hard on me, since my mom has always ment the world for me. I have been struggling with a lot of changes and been going through depression. I don't know if anyone, maybe around my age, can relate to me, but I have been feeling really alone…
When the person with cancer declines services at home
My husband has brain cancer. His tumor is continuing to grow despite chemotherapy. He was receiving home care : physical therapy, occupational therapy and home health aide services, but when he got the news about the growth of the tumor he cancelled the services. He was supposed to start a new chemotherapy regime last…
Looking for suggestions on transportation assistance
My daughter lives in a remote area of Washington. Can you suggest how I can find some assistance with providing ground transportation to get her to her weekly treatments? We live in Georgia so I'm looking for help in the Bremerton/Port Orchard area.
Caregiver/survivor/caregiver-anybody else out there do both?
I'm sure that I'm not the only person to have done this. I was mom's primary caregiver during her whole 20+ year battle. She had thyroid cancer, ovarian, then metastasis to other areas. Dad was there but he's not a medical guy at all. Mom died in Dec 2003. I was diagnosed in May of 2004 with endometrial cancer. Luckily I…
Frustrated with Mom
My mom has inoperable uterine cancer that was diagnosed Feb. 2009. Several rounds of chemo have not been that successful. The tumor has enlarged and she now has mets to her neck lymph nodes, which are visible. Currently she is taking Xeloda orally. She has now confined herself to the room in which she watches TV and her…
End-of-Life Care for Stage 4 Lung CA
My brother was diagnosed three weeks ago, very late in the disease process, with Stage 4 lung cancer. He has schizophrenia, as well as cancer. We just moved him from the hospital to a nursing home. At least one family member visits him every day. Usually more than one family member visits each day, and we try to go at…
Trying to adjust to the ups and downs
This is my first post. I am caring for my 90yr old mother who has carcinoid syndrome, which is turning out to be only one of her many debilitating symptoms. She still lives at home and does most of her own care on her good days. My brother lives nearby and helps several times a week. I live next door. I work full time and…
Despirate for advice, mom has been in critical condition for nearly 2 months
Please accept my cry out for help. I have no where else to turn. I have exhausted all of my resources... I am completely at ends with this, and I just need good wholesome advice =\. I am the son [25 years old] of my mother [49 years old] and am currently tasked with making her medical decisions. My mom is a surviving…
Lung Cancer Treatment - Dimentia
Hello all, This past February/March, My 74 year old mother underwent two cycles of chemo to treat lung cancer. Shortly after the second cycle, her physical and mental state deteriorated very quickly. Within a week following her second cycle, she began exhibiting dimentia like behavior. She recently got out of the hospital…
You Might Be A Caregiver If.......
You feel like smacking the next person who says "Boy, you really look tired". You make life and death decisions with a snap of your fingers but you need 30 minutes to select an item from a dinner menu. You can rattle of the generic and brand names of medications and the family they belong to quicker than the nurse. Going…
My mom has lost her will and is having hallucinations.
She has been diagnosed with lung cancer via an MRI and biopsy. She has an 8 cm mass on her lung. She has yet to start chemo becuase she isn't strong enough. She went from being in the hospital to a rehab facility. She has started to give up hope. Originally she wanted to get the process moving and get the chemo started but…
14 year old acting our after his father's death - should we move or stay in our home?
Hello~ My husband passed away on 10-31-09. I have a 14, 22 and 24 year old. In the past few weeks the 14 year old's grades have dropped (not much but enough to raise a flag - normally he carries a 4.0 or higher GPA). He has made a new group of friends which has led to a 5 day suspension for starting a fight club. My main…
My mom
Hi all - I'm new to this site. My mom was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic CUP at the end of February. She just turned 80 on Feb. 22nd - the woman is amazing. Has never been sick - plays golf twice a week, exercises, reads 5 novels a week, has tons of friends and a wonderful social network. She's also fiercely…
being a caregiver is starting to wear me down
I recently became a caregiver for my little cousin Ashleya. I am not sure how much I can take with it. I really dearly love my little cousin but it scares me seing her sick while fighting cancer. Has anyone else felt similar to what I am feeling?
Frustrated or just frightened?
My husband was DX'ed with Metastatic Lung Cancer in March....I have been told he will maybe make it though the summer....he is on Hospice. My problem is that I am showing more signs of mental fatique....I see huge changes in him both physically and mentally almost daily.... His most prominent problem at present is the…
being a caregiver for my mother is making me feel resentful and angry..
my mother has gbm grade 4...it has always just been me and her...i have 1 bro and 2 sisters all older...but they kind of put caring for her all on me probably because im the youngest and since she lives with me and im not married and dont have kids..they all are married with families...in the beginning it was hard finidng…
Myelodysplastic Syndrome
Hello out there. I am a Mom of a 20 year old with his second kind of cancer. He first cancer was Ewing sarcoma we found it his seinor year in High school. Auguest 2007. Now because of the treatment we recevied that had made the ewings gone for now. He developed Myelodyspla and now needs a bone marrow transplant. His…
destressed daugter
Hi. This is the first time on this network. I've read all of ur support and trial.My dad was diagnosis with tongue Cancer stage three and had spread to the neck. On July 2009, my father had two Massive Heart Attacks and was in a Coma for days. I arrived upon being notified, by that time I arrived to bedside he was awake…
Assisted Living or Nursing Homes
My mom will begin chemo treatments when she is released from her rehabilitation facility. My sister and I are not comforable with her living alone. She is on oxygen and is only partially mobile using a wheelchair and for small amounts of time a walker. We will be transporting her to treatment but are unable to be with her…
her daddy
i have a question may-be some one can help me out. our daughter has hodgkins stage 2. i have come to accept this and in fact she is getting very good treatment and getting better. the question is that her dad has not talked about it. he has not even mentioned it to our other children. his best friend dosen't even know. i…
I filed for divorce
Hi all, Like the headline says, I filed for divorce a few weeks ago. I am the main caregiver to my 29 year old husband. A week after we were married Mark had a seizure in Sept 08 and a MRI revealed a brain tumor. It turned out to be a grade 3 oligoastrocytoma. You all know the feeling and emotions that come with a cancer…
What to expect, how to prepare - new to this Mom starting chemo
Hello, I am new here. My mother (77 years old) has been diagnosed with lung cancer and will be starting chemo next week. She lives alone but my sister and I are both close by and will be doing the majority of the care. I want to stock up her house with food she may want to eat. I know she will most likely not have much of…
Gut Feeling
My wife has stage 4 met colon cancer-liver and lung. She has ascites and will have a paracentesis tomorrow. She has had the full regimen of both FOLFOX and FOLFIRI. She did well with the first regimen but the peripheral neuropathy became too intense. Her condition is changing the past few weeks. She complains of lower back…

Caregivers

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