Tomorrow Debbie is having her surgery to have her morphine pump either relocated or removed. Though it's suupposed to be a simple outpatient operation I would greatly appreciate it if you would keep her in your prayers. We found out very recently that she has a heart murmur that seems to be getting worse and ,after being considered a borderline diabetic for years, has now crossed the line and is definitely diabetic. Her cholesterol and tryglycerides are still sky high. So even though I'm maintaining optimism that this should be a simple procedure that I don't need to worry overly much about, I can't help but be a little nervous with the other problems. Thank you all for keeping her in your thoughts tomorrow. I appreciate you guys so much. Luv,Melissa

"Whatever tomorrow brings, I"ll be there-with open arms and open eyes"

Melissa, I am sharing your feelings about the wonderful people I met here.

Bless you all.

Ah, sure, We Rock!

Happy Easter my dear friends!!!

Janie, I am no that far either... 3 hours to NC... (by plane!!!!)

quote:

Originally posted by mae:
I would gladly be any place to help a friend in need.
Maybe we can move to a commune.After all, Janie is about 14 hours away and melissa less.
We all know how imortant to have a good support system.Many times we wish it was hands on support but the verbal place just an important part.We have have to trust our ability to deal with all that is thrust upon us.
I will leave this forum , some day, realizing I have meet so many strong , I mean strong and intellectual people.Mostly women.This is something that can never be denied you or taken from you.

I would gladly be any place to help a friend in need.
Maybe we can move to a commune.After all, Janie is about 14 hours away and melissa less.
We all know how imortant to have a good support system.Many times we wish it was hands on support but the verbal place just an important part.We have have to trust our ability to deal with all that is thrust upon us.
I will leave this forum , some day, realizing I have meet so many strong , I mean strong and intellectual people.Mostly women.This is something that can never be denied you or taken from you.

quote:

Originally posted by Janie:
Edna Mae, God bless you and all the other wonderful friends I have made on this site. My life would not be complete without your continued friendships, over all these years.

It is nothing less than amazing to me.............

Let's be frank. We all rock!

quote:

Originally posted by Moms_Buddy:

quote:

As for taking care of myself, I just don't do a good job at it.

Hey! I resemble dat remark!!!
But I'm TRYIN' to learn!! Helluva time to finally grow up at age fiftysumthin', but all things in their own time, eh? Until I become more accomplished, I hope I'll have angels around to cushion my falls... or at least to offer me a stars & stripes bandaid for my booboos.

I hear angels carry feather pillows for people such as yourself. And, for you, special bandaids decorated with all those gold stars you've earned.

Good to know I have such fine company on the "what - me worry about me?" front.

quote:

Originally posted by Janie:

quote:

Originally posted by Melissa M.:
Edna Mae, you are a sweetheart and thank you for the kind words. I'll never be the caregiver you are by a long shot, but I reckon caring enough to try puts me ad of a depressingly large percentage of the population.

As for taking care of myself, I just don't do a good job at it. Perhaps you'd consider moving and taking care of me?

Heck, no! Edna Mae is MINE!!!

After reading Mae's reply, I think she tried to take the diplomatic route meaning... we're both sol.

Janie, you are a wonderful person.

I remember clearly that when arrived to this blessed place you were there answering questions and "translating" some expressions new for me.

Had a great teacher.I am not using the dictionary anymore.

Edna Mae, God bless you and all the other wonderful friends I have made on this site. My life would not be complete without your continued friendships, over all these years.

It is nothing less than amazing to me.............

Janie, my dearest friend.You were the reason I came to this forum.We came to gether because of a butterfly poem.You invited me here and I never left.What would have happened to me if I had not met you.
This forum introduced us to so many great people.We laughed, for sure, we cried .We shared so many emotions.We gained strength through one another.I would have never gotten through so much if you had not come into my life and brought me here.
Melissa, I or no other holds the monopoly on good caregiving.We just do the best we can with what we have.Thank god we have those who are willing to share their success and failures with others.How else would we learn.
The reasons we came here are the same as all others.Desperation, fear, self doubts or just to be acknowledged.Those needs continue to be met on this forum.
Caregiver in a stage in our lives that cannot be measured.It does give you way to measure your self and what you achieved through the caregiving.You learn to not take each day so serious.You accept you will fall down and have to pick your self up.You learn mistakes do not make you a failure, no one is perfect.
Many times the journey seems long and does come to an end.But the lessons learned remain for our life time.
just think how many people from far and wide have been brought together thanks to this forum.

quote:

Originally posted by Melissa M.:
Edna Mae, you are a sweetheart and thank you for the kind words. I'll never be the caregiver you are by a long shot, but I reckon caring enough to try puts me ad of a depressingly large percentage of the population.

As for taking care of myself, I just don't do a good job at it. Perhaps you'd consider moving and taking care of me?

Heck, no! Edna Mae is MINE!!!

quote:

As for taking care of myself, I just don't do a good job at it.

Hey! I resemble dat remark!!!
But I'm TRYIN' to learn!! Helluva time to finally grow up at age fiftysumthin', but all things in their own time, eh? Until I become more accomplished, I hope I'll have angels around to cushion my falls... or at least to offer me a stars & stripes bandaid for my booboos.

Edna Mae, you are a sweetheart and thank you for the kind words. I'll never be the caregiver you are by a long shot, but I reckon caring enough to try puts me ahead of a depressingly large percentage of the population.

As for taking care of myself, I just don't do a good job at it. Perhaps you'd consider moving and taking care of me?

Melissa, Debbie has endured so much.Bless her heart.You give her the strength and will to carry on.You have cared for another for so long.
Signs of good chracter and compassion.
Do not forget you are important.Give your self the same care and concerns.

Melissa, my prayers for Debbie and you.

{{{{{{HUGS}}}}} Mel, You and Debbie are in my prayers. Thanks for updating us. You take care.

I deeply appreciate the responses. It may not seem so, since I have not been here in quite awhile, but I have found that there are times - increasingly often - when I reach a point where I can only focus on what I must in my real world. I tune out everything else until I regain my equilibrium. Maybe this caregiver needs a caregiver - at least a mental one.

Anyhow...

Debbie went off the Vancomycin about 7 weeks ago. Besides the side effects I mentioned becoming increasingly worse, she began having hearing loss - which was something her doc specifically mentioned as being a big red "stop" sign with Vanco. One of the doc's partners had learned that a combination of two other antibiotics - in high doses - had proven to be effective sometimes against the strain of MRSA Debbie has, and so she began them. Before long, more side effects - muscle burning (one of these meds can cause muscle breakdown), nausea, headaches ( though not migraines this time thank God), and heartburn from hell (oddly relieved by frozen Cokes much more than any OTC meds- thought I"d mention that if anyone here has heartburn issues). She needed weekly bloodwork to make sure she wasn't having serious problems because of the new meds, but she managed to get through the 6 week regime. Blood cultures were done just yesterday, so in a couple days we'll know if the MRSA is gone or not. Hopefully it is, but - as we've learned - that certainly doesn't mean it can't come back.

If it isn't gone, or should come back, the doc will do a PET scan. He's hoping it may show where the MRSA is hiding in her body - perhaps someplace it can be cut out. We'll see.

Debbie's internal morphine pump has been malfunctioning for a couple months. It's been a really fricking ridiculously long road to get anything done about it - I"ll spare you the story and my anger - but yesterday we finally went in for a procedure to check it out. Hard to say if what the "doctor" did fixed the pump or not since he hurt her pretty damn bad in the process of checking it out. OK... so maybe I'll let a little anger out. I just hope to God that when the pain from the procedure lessens, she'll begin to feel better as far as the back pain from the pump not working right goes. She's been in so much pain we haven't gone out hardly at all for quite awhile. Fortunately, since we're broke, we don't have much Christmas shopping to do.

All I want for Christmas, Santa, is my lady feeling decent - MRSA gone for good - and peace of mind.

Y'all touched my heart. And,Bobcat, I will pass on the skydiving but I just might ride the bull. Wanna come anyone?

quote:

Her strain of MRSA is not responsive to other antibiotics they might use so... we're about out of options.

Oh Mel Im so sorry (((hugs)))
I hear you that quality of life thing is what stopped me here with MIL too taking that prosthetic out would diminish her QOL and I couldnt in all good conscience do that to her and I know you couldnt either.
You know Debbie on a level none of us does just like we know each of our LO's whom we care for...We have to look at this realistically and at the end of the day we make those hard decisions, decisions that could have consequences or not, is it any wonder that your scared?
Heck no I get it and so do others that have had to make these decisions, its healthy to have fear that means you are a compassionate human being with a conscience.

Melissa, I am so sorry you have to go through all this but Debbie is really blessed to have you. You have been a loving partner and have really taken care of her. I understand how scary this is. I do hope everything works out and they can help her without taking away the quality of her life. You both are in my prayers. I know it's hard but try to take care of yourself too. A big hug to you