OT - Update on my cousin
 

I had a phonecall from my cousin on Saturday night after not hearing from
her in weeks... I email her everyday and Matthew chats with her son online
everyday, so the messages she sent through her son was that she was "okay,
just not answering email right now". It turns out that she hasn't actually
been as "okay" as she was letting me believe. Within the last couple of
weeks her medications were not working like they should, so the doctors were
adjusting them, and the first time it didn't help... the second time helped
a bit, but then started not working again. Last week she was in so much
pain they put her on morphine and she was told if the pain became unbearable
she could double the dosage. Because of being in so much pain and taking
the morphine, both which keep her from being able to move too much... the
muscle in her leg has become atrophied (sp) and now she is having a bit of a
difficult time moving it... so she has to have massage therapy to try to
help get her leg back in working order again.

They have also set something up now where she doesn't have to actually go to
her doctor or the emergency if she is feeling that she needs medical
attention... now she calls and a doctor comes to her apartment to see her.
They are also trying to set something up (which will start within the next
few weeks) for someone to come and do housework and some cooking for her.
Her son does help around the apartment, but he just found out that he may
finally have a part-time job (he's been out of work since before Christmas
and they had both been very worried about it)... it isn't the best, or the
most steady job, but it is a job nontheless. The person the doctors are
trying to set up to come to her apartment for housekeeping may also stay
with her while her son is away working so she won't be alone in case she
needs anything.

Linda told me that the morphine is helping with the pain, but she is hoping
when she sees the doctor this week they can get her on a higher dose of a
previous medication she took that also seemed to help, instead of the
morphine. She doesn't want to be on the morphine until it is absolutely
necessary, because she figures when she *really* needs it, it won't work as
well if she is taking it all the time now. I do understand her way of
thinking, and she isn't a stupid person.. if the pain becomes unbearable she
*will* use the morphine.

My main concern about her getting around is that the kitchen is on the main
floor, and she often sleeps on the sofa... however, the bathroom is
upstairs. When I asked her about that and how she will manage, she said...
when the time comes that I can't handle the stairs at all I will just end up
staying upstairs. The bedrooms (one is being used as a computer room) are
upstairs too. She said "When the time comes that Liam can't look after me
anymore, and I simply can't get around at all... even just upstairs...
*then* I will go to pallative care to live. Until then though, I don't want
to think about moving again."

Even though Matthew and I are having a lot of financial problems right now
(with him still out of work since last October), my cousin is more important
than anything we're going through. I seriously want to try to scrape
together some money to make sure we have enough gas for the van to go see
her again... and God forbid (but thinking realistically), when we get the
phonecall from Liam that his mother has passed away we want to be able to be
there for him as well. We are hoping we can go see them by the end of this
month, as I honestly don't know how much longer Linda will be with us. She
didn't sound good at all on the phone, no matter how hard she was trying to
be positive and upbeat... her voice just didn't have the spark it always had
before. :o(

Please send out good thoughts and gentle prayers for my sister-cousin Linda
Cronan!

*hugs*
Gemini

OT - Update on my cousin
 

On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 10:35:06 -0400, Not Likely wrote:

I had a phonecall from my cousin on Saturday night after not hearing from
her in weeks... I email her everyday and Matthew chats with her son online
everyday, so the messages she sent through her son was that she was "okay,
just not answering email right now". It turns out that she hasn't actually
been as "okay" as she was letting me believe. Within the last couple of
weeks her medications were not working like they should, so the doctors were
adjusting them, and the first time it didn't help... the second time helped
a bit, but then started not working again. Last week she was in so much
pain they put her on morphine and she was told if the pain became unbearable
she could double the dosage. Because of being in so much pain and taking
the morphine, both which keep her from being able to move too much... the
muscle in her leg has become atrophied (sp) and now she is having a bit of a
difficult time moving it... so she has to have massage therapy to try to
help get her leg back in working order again.

They have also set something up now where she doesn't have to actually go to
her doctor or the emergency if she is feeling that she needs medical
attention... now she calls and a doctor comes to her apartment to see her.
They are also trying to set something up (which will start within the next
few weeks) for someone to come and do housework and some cooking for her.
Her son does help around the apartment, but he just found out that he may
finally have a part-time job (he's been out of work since before Christmas
and they had both been very worried about it)... it isn't the best, or the
most steady job, but it is a job nontheless. The person the doctors are
trying to set up to come to her apartment for housekeeping may also stay
with her while her son is away working so she won't be alone in case she
needs anything.

Linda told me that the morphine is helping with the pain, but she is hoping
when she sees the doctor this week they can get her on a higher dose of a
previous medication she took that also seemed to help, instead of the
morphine. She doesn't want to be on the morphine until it is absolutely
necessary, because she figures when she *really* needs it, it won't work as
well if she is taking it all the time now. I do understand her way of
thinking, and she isn't a stupid person.. if the pain becomes unbearable she
*will* use the morphine.

My main concern about her getting around is that the kitchen is on the main
floor, and she often sleeps on the sofa... however, the bathroom is
upstairs. When I asked her about that and how she will manage, she said...
when the time comes that I can't handle the stairs at all I will just end up
staying upstairs. The bedrooms (one is being used as a computer room) are
upstairs too. She said "When the time comes that Liam can't look after me
anymore, and I simply can't get around at all... even just upstairs...
*then* I will go to pallative care to live. Until then though, I don't want
to think about moving again."

Even though Matthew and I are having a lot of financial problems right now
(with him still out of work since last October), my cousin is more important
than anything we're going through. I seriously want to try to scrape
together some money to make sure we have enough gas for the van to go see
her again... and God forbid (but thinking realistically), when we get the
phonecall from Liam that his mother has passed away we want to be able to be
there for him as well. We are hoping we can go see them by the end of this
month, as I honestly don't know how much longer Linda will be with us. She
didn't sound good at all on the phone, no matter how hard she was trying to
be positive and upbeat... her voice just didn't have the spark it always had
before. :o(

Please send out good thoughts and gentle prayers for my sister-cousin Linda
Cronan!

*hugs*
Gemini

Bless you Gem and your dear, dear cousin Linda too. She has never been out
of my prayers since you first shared this sadness with us. I'll add extra
for strength for you all and some for comfort for Linda in her suffering.

With love
Bernadette

OT - Update on my cousin
 

"Bernadette" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 10:35:06 -0400, Not Likely wrote:

Please send out good thoughts and gentle prayers for my sister-cousin
Linda
Cronan!

Bless you Gem and your dear, dear cousin Linda too. She has never been out
of my prayers since you first shared this sadness with us. I'll add extra
for strength for you all and some for comfort for Linda in her suffering.

Thank you so very much, Bernadette. I truly appreciate your kindness!

*hugs*
Gem