How Did We Get Here?

lovenox
Yellowsmom, if lovenox is the worst of the treatment, I would advise that your daughter do the following, and that she be the one to do it: pinch your stomach area, make a ridge or hill of sorts, and then inject quickly.

I learned this from a friend who is a diabetic, and while I was taking lovenox I never had an issue with pain. It works! At least for me ( I had clots develop in both legs). Eventually, hopefully, they will permit your daughter to switch to Coumadin, an oral medication that requires careful and frequent evaluation but still beats the heck out of injections or living at the hospital.

I hope that this helps.

Regarding your thoughts, they are completely normal. It is my contention that the caregiver, the lovegiver, has the more difficult job, and usually when I have to explain that, I advise that I would rather have the disease than to provide care for one of my children. It is less painful, much less painful, that way. I know.

I feel for you. And for your daughter, who sounds like a tough cookie from your limited description.

This is not the end of the world. It is, as I am occasionally reminded, the beginning of a new life, but it is not the end of the world.

And you are not alone. In this place, you have boards that you can post on, such as this one, and there is a Chat Room where you can interact in real-time. The people here truly do care about you and about your daughter and about your entire family. We have been through it, most of us, as either survivors (people who have or have had cancer) or caregivers/lovegivers (self-explanatory). Sometimes, folks are both.

A lady named TereB once listed some other sites that might be able to help, and I will post these here, although I am not sure that most of them apply to you. In the meantime, please consider therapy if you begin to feel overwhelmed, and, regardless, remember this axiom of mind: to be a good caregiver, you have to take good care of the giver!

Be sure to look out for your own physical and mental health, in whatever way you feel is most appropriate, even if it is just the occasional walk, or a jaunt to the mall, or some time at the local bowling alley. Whatever works for you.

Again, do not dismiss therapy, either for you or your daughter.

Here are the sites, in any event, regrettably short on caregiver/lovegiver assistance:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Support/financial-resources

This site is put up by the National Institute of Health or some such, and is government-supported. TereB has responded in other discussion areas with some excellent suggestions, and they may apply for you as well. I am taking the liberty of copying and pasting them as well:

Cancer Care, a non-profit org., offers free support and counseling for cancer patients by oncology social workers. They have face-to-face counseling and counceling on the phone. Support groups on the phone are available too and are moderated by an oncology social worker. Call 800-813-HOPE. They can also give you info about financial resources. Check their website: www.cancercare.org

Gilda's Club - www.gildasclub.org - they offer free social and emotional support. Not sure if they may have financial information but check it out just in case.

Live Strong - www.livestrong.org - offers one-on-one support.

American Cancer Society (here) can also give you financial, support, etc. information available in different cities.

Best wishes, YellowMom, to your daughter, to you, and to your entire family.

Take care,

Joe