Doctor Visits

[Janet]

Tomorrow I have to take mother to her kidney Dr. I hope she'll have an open mind this time and do what the Dr. suggests. I think I'm going to take her out for lunch too....if things are going okay. She's been pretty good lately...lol....feel like I'm talking about a kid.

Then on Friday...I go to the neurologist for my thumbs and fingers. I really hope that he doesn't suggest surgery.

[DianaB]

I hope that your Mom finally listens to the doctor before her kidneys get any worse. I know that her health is a big worry for you right now. Hugs.

As for your hands, hopefully the doctor will have another solution to try before he considers surgery. I don't like the fact that you're having trouble with numbness. I'll say a prayer for you and your Mom.

[gja1000]

Hope all goes well for you and for your mom! Good luck!

[Marilyn]

Oh, wow, keep us posted on how both of you are doing!!!

[lynne b]

Janet, i hope all goes well for your mom today at the Dr and does what they ask her to do. I also hope you two have a nice lunch together.

As for you i hope you get some answers to your numbness in your fingers, i know all to well what it feels like, i am still having numbness in my foot and it is really annoying not to have the strength in it to do some things and i am sure you feel the same with your fingers. I do hope there are other alternatives then surgery, just don't wait to long....Lynne

[katcarasella]

Sending prayers your way for you and your Mom, Janet.

Huge Hugs!!!

[DianaB]

Janet, I'm just wondering how things went with your Mom.

[Janet]

Things went okay....as far as information. Mom is so scared she was shaking. They have scheduled her to have a tube inserted in her stomach on Tuesday morning. Her kidney function is down to 9%. She's not wanting to do this at all. She doesn't want to be reminded everyday by looking at a tube sticking out of her stomach. There is just so much detail and so much to do it's hard to type it.

I spend most of my time crying right now....just don't know how we're going to handle this. Looks like I'll be the one taking her to another city 2-4 times a week for training on how to do the dialysis. Not absolutely sure how long the training will last. I'm just so overwhelmed right now....hard to describe it all. Thanks for asking.

[Marilyn]

Oh, Janet, prayers of comfort are headed your way. This must be a very difficult time for all of you. I hope the dialysis center isn't too far away. Perhaps you and your mom will grow even closer making those trips together. Hugs to you!! :justahug:

[judy]

Oh Janet, I am sending you hugs and prayers. This is not an easy thing for you and your Mom. I am sorry you both have to go through this.

Please remember that God is always right by your side in everything.

[gja1000]

This is very overwhelming right now. I completely understand, but you/she can do it. You will think you can't, but you can. Just keep taking deep breaths and take one day at a time. Feeling overwhelmed is absolutely normal - I would be too!!!

HUGS!

[Blueyes]

I'm sorry about your mom Janet. Get a good night of sleep and maybe you'll feel better tomorrow. You are a strong woman, and I know you can do what you have to do. Just remember that nothing lasts forever.:hug:

[gja1000]

Janet, Gary wears an insulin pump for his diabetes. It is a tube that comes out his stomach too. I know what you mean about your mom seeing the tube and being reminded that she has a medical problem. Gary was the same way. He didn't want to look at it. But now, it has just become a part of him. You really do adapt to whatever life throws at you , pretty much!

[lynne b]

Janet, we have talked about this many times so you know how i feel about everything so i won't say it all again here. Just know that i am here to help you through anything i can.....Love ya Lynne

[DianaB]

Janet, I'm so very sorry that you're dealing with this. It's so hard on you and your Mom. Hopefully once she gets started you can find an agency that will help with taking her to dialysis and relieve you. I'm here if you need me. I'll be praying. Hugs.

[Janet]

Thanks everyone....you really have no idea how much I love you all. I wish I could hug each and everyone of you. My mother went camping this weekend except she didn't take her camper. She is staying with a friend in her camper. She just didn't want to spend the weekend thinking and so it was probably for the best that she went. I'm just worried. I tried calling her cell, no answer...tried calling the person she's staying with....no answer. I just want to make sure the heat isn't getting to her.

I'm feeling a little better, but honestly...not too much right yet. I still cry at a whim....and thank you Lynne for letting me cry to you.

I just wish my Mom didn't have to be afraid. I know things will work out somehow....it's just hard.....I know I'm losing my mother.

[DianaB]

Don't cry, Janet. I have a friend that her mom has been on dialysis for years and she's doing very good with it. Matter of fact, if you sit beside her she'll tell you all about it. I hope that your Mom gets along just as well.

[Janet]

Thanks Diana....did you get my email?

[DianaB]

No, but I'll go find it now.

[Tiramisu]

Janet - I LOVE YOU

[Janet]

I love you too Sandy!!! Thank you!

[Janet]

Tormorrow I will be taking my Mother to have the tube put in her stomach. I should be able to bring her home in the afternoon. The Dr. is one of the best at this procedure and trains other physcians how to do it all over the country.

I think she will be spending the night with us as I will have to have her there by 7 in the morning. She's not feeling quite as afraid....and part of it is due to you Diana. Since we don't know anyone in dialysis...I told her about your friends mother and that really seemed to help. What would I ever do without you....I just pray I never find out.

I'm surprising Mom this evening. After taking her for her Drs. appt. on Friday, we stopped at the Olive Garden for lunch. We had both been wanting to try some wine, but have never liked what we have tried. We asked for help from the waitress in picking one and she and the bartender thought a wine called Mascoto, it's a white dessert wine would be more to our liking. Well...they gave us a sample and we both really like it. I bought some wine glasses today and hubby is bringing home the wine....so mom will really be surprised. I can't wait!

I would like to ask that you think of Mom tomorrow and maybe say a little prayer that the procedure goes smoothly and that I get her home safe and sound.

Here again...is my mother....5296 This was taken in May. She's 86 years young.

[lynne b]

Janet, you know i will be praying for your mom & you that all goes smoothly. Hopefully once she gets past this she will be able to continue camping and anything else that she enjoys doing. I will be waiting on pin's & needles to hear from you on how things go.....Lynne

[DianaB]

Janet, I've been praying and will continue to pray tomorrow for your Mother. I'll be home tomorrow if you need to talk or want me to pray over the phone with you. Hugs to you and your sweet Mom!!!

[judy]

How did it go Janet? I am praying for you and your Mom. You are in my heart.

[DianaB]

I'm waiting to hear too. You and your Mom have been on my mind and in my prayers since last night.

[lynne b]

I am waiting to hear also. I've been praying for your mom & you today too.

[Blueyes]

I hope everything is ok Janet. Your mom looks great, and is still so active for her age. I hope she feels a lot better after her dialysis gets going. You are lucky to have each other:)

[Janet]

I'm finally home...it's been a very long day and I think there are going to be more of them. Everything went just fine for the procedure to have the tube inserted. Mom made it through like a champ, but had some severe pain afterwards. I felt so bad for her. They filled her stomach up with that gas stuff (?) and of course they can't get it all out. I know what it feels like because they had to do that with me when I had my laporoscopies. She has a low pain tolerance so it was very painful for her.

They gave her another shot of pain meds in her IV and the pain seemed to be easing a bit. We had to be there by 7:00 this morning so by the time the procedure was over...she was hungry so we went to Denny's. She did very well there and ate quite a big breakfast.

After breakfast, we had to go to this kidney dialysis place called Wellbound. They had to flush out the tubing and mom didn't have any pain with this. She couldn't even tell it was being done.

They gave us some instructions on what to expect and we will return there on Monday to start the training. It's all a little overwhelming, but hopefully once the training starts...all the things we've been told so far will come together...at least I hope so.

Thank you for all your prayers....I appreciate it more than you'll ever know.

[DianaB]

Janet, I'm so glad to hear that everything went so well. I'm sure that some pain is to be expected with any type of surgery and I'm glad to hear that it didn't last long. I hope that everything else that you have to deal with goes as well. Give your Mom a hug from me!!

[Marilyn]

Janet, so glad to hear that it went so well!!!! There are a lot of people on dialysis. We live in a town that is the medical hub for our area, and our third dialysis clinic is being built. There is such high demand, they have to keep building bigger clinics. So hope that she does well. She sounds like a fighter, so she'll hopefully be fine and probably feel better once she gets going and gets the poisons out of her system.

You and her are in my prayers!!!!!!!

[lynne b]

Janet, so glad to hear that everything went good. I will be talking to you later....Lynne

[Janet]

Thanks ladies. I spoke with Mom twice already this morning. She is still having a lot of pain, but it's so hard to know just how bad it really is. She's never really had pain, so her tolerance is very low. One of the nurses called her this morning to see how she was doing and Mom told her she still had pain. The nurse told her the same thing I told her and that was she needed to get up and move around to get that gas/air out of her.

I take Ricky to the Orthopedic Dr. on Friday to make sure his "popping" elbows are not a serious problem and then take Mom back on Monday. I'm already taking Prozac, but I may need to my Dr again, but this all is making me a nervous wreck. My insides feel so jittery all the time. I still cry and just not sure if I'm going to be able to handle this without more help.

Need to call a family meeting to see what we can come up with.

[DianaB]

Janet, I'm so sorry that all of this has you so nervous. That's not good for you. You definitely need to call a family meeting and let your other family members help out. Taking care of your Mom isn't just your responsibility alone. Get them involved. You need to point out that you have things of your own that need taken care of.

[judy]

A family meeting wounds like a good idea Janet. I hope they give you some help!

[Marilyn]

Definitely get other family members involved. They can help carry both the workload and the emotional load. Maybe you, Sandy and I all need to get togehter and have a real pity party. Would probably be good for all three of us!!

[katcarasella]

Oh Janet, here's a big hug for you...:ghug:
I will continue to keep you and Mom in my prayers...

[Janet]

Definitely get other family members involved. They can help carry both the workload and the emotional load. Maybe you, Sandy and I all need to get togehter and have a real pity party. Would probably be good for all three of us!!

I so agree....:)