I'm very sorry to hear about your situation with your mother and pray you can find her the best care to meet her needs.
I'm in healthcare quality management at a regional hospital in NH and often get letters like this...
My advise is:
1. Get her to her PCP/local provider. Find out if she may benefit from a consult with hemoc/onocology. Ask about getting her involved with a pain managment program. Ask about a referral to a holostic MD. Ask them about what to expect with her condition? What symptoms should have that would prompt a visit to your ER? Ask about nutrition and other measures that can be taken to make her more comfortable.
2. Ask about a comminuty health and hospice program in your area. There are programs which are government funded which are at no or low cost to the patient. They provide education, care, comfort and support to terminal patients and their families.
3. Get educated. Ask as many questions as you can about her condition, treatment, progniosis, medications. Use your local community, PCP, etc. for information. There's a lot on the web, too, but be careful.
Most communities have these programs in place but I don't know if your area is like mine and there is little known about them. Another resource to check with is a community or inpatient social worker in your local hospital - they can be a wealth of information and assistance...
If her condition is terminal, then I'd recommend contacting the local hospice people. (Her hospital or her doctor should have contact info for them.) Hospice nurses know more about pain management and making patients comfortable than anyone in the medical professions, as far as I'm concerned. They're also there to help the person's family during a difficult time.
I'm so sorry to hear this. I talked to my sister who works in cancer research. She is involved in clinical trials for drug approval from the FDA. I know the doctors said they tried everything they could, but sometimes money and insurance companies close the door to other possibilities.
My sister said Zofran is a drug that is widely used for nausea, but it is expensive. So you may have to be persistant to get it.
Also Marinol is another drug which is an FDA approved version of marijuana.
Thanks for your responses and prayers and for the emails. I have gotten some very helpful responses. I knew this was the best place to go for info and prayers.
MCR
We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing...G.B. Shaw
Mary Cate... my thoughts are with you and your mother... please do get in touch with a local hospice, they are truly amazing and will help your Mom and help you and your family keep your sanity (as much as is possible)... I cannot sing their praises high enough (from personal experience)...
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ChasUFarley
Mary -
I'm very sorry to hear about your situation with your mother and pray you can find her the best care to meet her needs.
I'm in healthcare quality management at a regional hospital in NH and often get letters like this...
My advise is:
1. Get her to her PCP/local provider. Find out if she may benefit from a consult with hemoc/onocology. Ask about getting her involved with a pain managment program. Ask about a referral to a holostic MD. Ask them about what to expect with her condition? What symptoms should have that would prompt a visit to your ER? Ask about nutrition and other measures that can be taken to make her more comfortable.
2. Ask about a comminuty health and hospice program in your area. There are programs which are government funded which are at no or low cost to the patient. They provide education, care, comfort and support to terminal patients and their families.
3. Get educated. Ask as many questions as you can about her condition, treatment, progniosis, medications. Use your local community, PCP, etc. for information. There's a lot on the web, too, but be careful.
Most communities have these programs in place but I don't know if your area is like mine and there is little known about them. Another resource to check with is a community or inpatient social worker in your local hospital - they can be a wealth of information and assistance...
Stay strong.
Keep us posted.
-Krista
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Kit Sober
Deep prayer.
Doesn't always give you the results you want (healing), but always gives the Lord's hand added strength into the situation.
Praying with you and praying for you,
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chwester
Ginger is used by herbalists for nausea. Very effective for motion sickness-sea sickness-morning sickness.
Proud to be an American
www.pullingdownstrongholds.com
www.anncoulter.org
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Zshot
Mary,
You, your Mom and the rest of your family are in my prayers.
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Dot Matrix
Gosh, I am so sorry.
Materherbalist visits here often, I do not know if she has an e-mail in her profile or if anyone knows how to reach her....
But if someone does, maybe they can ask her to check in she may have some good suggestions.
Dot Matrix
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suz
I knew a young man who was terminal.
Believe it or not Marajuana helped the best.
And it helped the attitude. I know this would
be an out of this world suggestion for a mom, but maybe.
Any relief would be better than nothing.
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Linda Z
I'm so sorry to hear about your mom.
If her condition is terminal, then I'd recommend contacting the local hospice people. (Her hospital or her doctor should have contact info for them.) Hospice nurses know more about pain management and making patients comfortable than anyone in the medical professions, as far as I'm concerned. They're also there to help the person's family during a difficult time.
You're all in my prayers,
Linda Z
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Nottawayfer
Mary Cate,
I'm so sorry to hear this. I talked to my sister who works in cancer research. She is involved in clinical trials for drug approval from the FDA. I know the doctors said they tried everything they could, but sometimes money and insurance companies close the door to other possibilities.
My sister said Zofran is a drug that is widely used for nausea, but it is expensive. So you may have to be persistant to get it.
Also Marinol is another drug which is an FDA approved version of marijuana.
I'll keep your Mom in my prayers.
Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects.
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Mary Cate
Thanks for your responses and prayers and for the emails. I have gotten some very helpful responses. I knew this was the best place to go for info and prayers.
MCR
We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing...G.B. Shaw
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Tom Strange
Mary Cate... my thoughts are with you and your mother... please do get in touch with a local hospice, they are truly amazing and will help your Mom and help you and your family keep your sanity (as much as is possible)... I cannot sing their praises high enough (from personal experience)...
... big hitter, the lama...
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