My Wife is in the hospital in the worst way...
June, my wife, recently had left shoulder replacement but that wasn't the source of her pain. I took her to the emergency room in Fayetteville, GA on Monday due to the pain in her neck and shoulders getting worse everyday. After doing MRI's, CAT scans and a biopsy they've determined she has upper spine cancer and lung cancer and now have moved her to a hospital in Atlanta. She's always been in good health and now we're hit with this news and it was the most shocking thing we've ever experienced.
To make matters worse I can't be with her because of the virus. I'm having to sit at home and talk to her and the doctors by phone. When she calls crying over the pain it's about more than I can handle. Knowing she lying there suffering and there's nothing I can do about it is the worse thing I've ever had to deal with. I was able to stay with her in the hospital room from 9:00 AM until 6:00 PM at the hospital in Fayetteville for 3 days but since they moved her to Atlanta yesterday I can't visit her at all.
She is supposed to have surgery on her neck this Sunday morning. The doctor said this surgery will take 8 or 9 hours. Her C 2 vertebrae is deteriorated and putting pressure on the spine and it appears there's a tumor in the C3 vertebrae that's destroying it also. The doctor is concerned about having good bones to attached the rods and screws to in order to support the neck to get the pressure off of her spine which is causing the pain. I asked him about not having the surgery and doing the radiation treatment first and then doing the surgery and he said the radiation treatment will damage the tissue to where they couldn't do the surgery. He said she'll have to wait about 4 weeks before the radiation and chemo treatments can be started after the surgery.
I've talked to 3 or 4 different doctors today. It looks like it's going to be a long ordeal to recovery but they said her being in such good health otherwise that she has a good chance of making a recovery.
June and I have been together since we were just kids, she's 69 and I'm 71. If she goes I don't think I'll be able to continue without her.
If anyone feels like saying a prayer for her it will be appreciated.
To make matters worse I can't be with her because of the virus. I'm having to sit at home and talk to her and the doctors by phone. When she calls crying over the pain it's about more than I can handle. Knowing she lying there suffering and there's nothing I can do about it is the worse thing I've ever had to deal with. I was able to stay with her in the hospital room from 9:00 AM until 6:00 PM at the hospital in Fayetteville for 3 days but since they moved her to Atlanta yesterday I can't visit her at all.
She is supposed to have surgery on her neck this Sunday morning. The doctor said this surgery will take 8 or 9 hours. Her C 2 vertebrae is deteriorated and putting pressure on the spine and it appears there's a tumor in the C3 vertebrae that's destroying it also. The doctor is concerned about having good bones to attached the rods and screws to in order to support the neck to get the pressure off of her spine which is causing the pain. I asked him about not having the surgery and doing the radiation treatment first and then doing the surgery and he said the radiation treatment will damage the tissue to where they couldn't do the surgery. He said she'll have to wait about 4 weeks before the radiation and chemo treatments can be started after the surgery.
I've talked to 3 or 4 different doctors today. It looks like it's going to be a long ordeal to recovery but they said her being in such good health otherwise that she has a good chance of making a recovery.
June and I have been together since we were just kids, she's 69 and I'm 71. If she goes I don't think I'll be able to continue without her.
If anyone feels like saying a prayer for her it will be appreciated.
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Thank you for the update Greg. You and June have been in my Prayers since you 1st posted. I know this has been extremely difficult for you. God Bless.
Prayers continue.
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Prayers continue 0 -
Same here. Prayers continue.---------Ray 0 -
Thanks for the updates of good news, Smitty...hope you end up getting visitations while she's in rehab, too. Prayers continue. 0 -
Prayers continue! 0 -
I have enlisted the whole darn family in throwing up a few prayers from time to time for you folks .
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Our thoughts & prayers are with you. 0 -
There's no good news to report. Things just get worse everyday. Our Medicare insurance with Aetna has denied coverage for June to go to rehab. The hospital told us that June was to be released from the hospital today at 4:00 PM. They had approved equipment for her at home such as a hospital bed, wheel chair etc. but it hadn't been delivered yet. I told them there's no way she's going any where until I have the prescriptions for her drugs in hand and have them filled and all the equipment is delivered. There's supposed to be a nurse that comes by a couple of times a week and PT people a couple of times a week also.
There's a clause or whatever you call it in the Medicare coverage that says you can appeal a release so I did. I called the people at Medicare where you protest these things and explained what they're doing. The rep was very understanding and said the appeal would give us another 24 to 72 hours to get all of these problems worked out. If it's just 24 hours that's not going to help very much. They are just sending her home to die is what it amounts to. As far as I know they are going to let her have the radiation treatments and chemo but I wouldn't doubt them cutting that off to. The nightmare continues.
The doctor gave me the prescriptions for the pain meds earlier today. That went bad to. Neither Walmart, CVS, or Moyes Pharmacy that I stopped at today had morphine (MS Contin) or the HYDROmorphone (Dilaudid) tablets that were prescribed nor the Lovenox blood thinner in the .8 mg syringes. That's another thing I found out today. I have to give her blood thinner by injection twice a day and those injections are to be given in the stomach area. The nurse had to show me how to do it.
I finally found a Walgreens in Atlanta that has the medications and I'm going to be there at 8:00 AM when they open to get that in the morning.
The delivery truck showed up at 4:00 PM with the medical equipment. They dumped all this stuff on us at the last minute without giving me a chance to get everything in order.
What has me worried now is this is only 5 days worth of pain meds and I have to have her at a pain clinic on the 27th and I have no idea if they're going to give her the same amount of pain medicine or just send her home to die in agony. When you think things can't get any worse...look out because it will. This is like some Twilight Zone movie. I've never see things go so bad so fast as things have in the past 4 weeks.
The government has this pain medicine thing so screwed up it's killing me. The people that passed these stupid opioid laws that include people that are dying that need the pain medicine need...well I can't say what they need or I'd probably get in trouble for that.
Thanks for listening to our troubles and thanks to everyone that continues to pray for us.0 -
Prayers continue, Smitty. Have you got anyone close by you can call on for assistance? A pastor or anybody like that?
Don't forget to take care of you during all of this. You won't do her any good if you go down.
Prayers for strength and healing.0 -
sorry to hear smitty, dealing with Aetna is like dealing with the devil himself, deny, deny, deny, sometimes a good doctor can get around aetna by prescribing testing that can only be done overnight or by hospital stays, the hospital itself should have a patient advocate if they will be any help. prayers sent for both of you, hope things get worked out 0 -
Thanks for taking the time to keep us updated, I wish their was more I could do then just Pray.
For whatever it helps know that many of us are thinking of you and June.
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mogley98 said:Thanks for taking the time to keep us updated, I wish their was more I could do then just Pray.
For whatever it helps know that many of us are thinking of you and June.
Bill,
It takes a man with a big heart to care about others when they have more than their share of pain going on at the same time. This means a lot knowing that you take the time during your struggle to care and pray for us. I feel the same as you do about wishing I could help more than praying but that's all we got. Keep the faith. I know I'm struggling with keeping mine at this time. These are trying times. God bless you.3 -
Wish we were closer Smitty. Giver the distance all I can do is say you’re in our thoughts and prayers.
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Know that thoughts and prayer continue.
Take a breathe. Surely others in your community have gone through similar situation. We need to tap into those experiences/resources for help and advice.
Church
Neighbors
Senior center
In Home care Givers0 -
Smitty500mag said:....The government has this pain medicine thing so screwed up it's killing me. The people that passed these stupid opioid laws that include people that are dying that need the pain medicine....You are correct,Politicians, rather than doctors, are in charge of our healthcare.They are addressing a street drug problem by taking legit meds away from patients in pain. I really have to restrain myself.
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Smitty, my prayers continue for you and your ailing Mrs. 0 -
Please don't take this the wrong way Smitty. Hospice can cut through the red tape and will come to your home and help with the pain, and administer the meds. They did a magnificent job for my parents and my stepfather when they needed the help.I wish there was more I do for you both. Just take it one day at a time.
I was my wife's caregiver last summer and again this summer. It's not easy, but when it's someone you love, you find a way to manage it. I wish you both the best.
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I am sorry that you are running into so many roadblocks while trying to get June the medical help and medicines that she needs for pain control! Prayers continue for peace, comfort, strength, wisdom, and healing! 6 -
+1...NeoBlackdog said:Prayers continue, Smitty. Have you got anyone close by you can call on for assistance? A pastor or anybody like that?
Don't forget to take care of you during all of this. You won't do her any good if you go down.
Prayers for strength and healing.0 -
Hate to hear that Greg. Mogley and I have both communicated similar stories (to each other) trying to get Health Care through the VA. Health Insurance issues can be maddening. (Especially in a time such as yours.)
Continued Good thoughts and Prayers coming your way.
Give June a big hug from us.
God Bless.
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Thanks Ken, Old Colts, Bubba, Grunt, FCD, Brookwood, Bustedknee, Joe, BikerBob and Mogley for the latest well wishes and prayers.
I have her at home tonight. She's resting comfortably as I type this. I gave her a blood thinner shot and some pain meds about a hour and a half ago. That's the first shot I've ever given to someone. It's not a big needle and the syringe comes complete with the medicine already in it. I just have to push out one ML to get it down to the correct amount per the instructions. She's been giving me shots since 2005 so it's my turn to take care of her now.
I have the hospital bed sit up right in the middle of the living room where I can keep an eye on her. I'll just nap in the recliner which is by her side. She was by my side every minute that they would allow when I was in the hospital for 3 1/2 weeks when I had the blood clot that caused gangrene which required removing approx. a foot of my large intestine a few years ago along with all my other operations over the years.
She's strong because if she wasn't she wouldn't be alive after all of this. She's had neck surgery to remove the crumbled vertebrae due to the cancer that's spread from the lungs to the bones which required metal rods and screws to be installed. She's wearing a very uncomfortable neck brace that go all the way to her waist. The surgery caused her to have blood clots in the lungs along with the cancer that was already there and that caused her to have 2 strokes while in the ICU a about 3 weeks ago. Early on she had surgery to replace a shoulder that didn't need to be replaced because it was not arthritis that was causing the pain it was the cancer in the spine that was causing it. She also has filters installed in her leg arteries to catch any further blood clots.
At least she's not suffering tonight and she doesn't have to wait on someone to come and help her to the potty like you do in a hospital. And most of all she's not alone like she would be at the nursing/rehab center because they're still not allowing visitors. She starts radation treatments on the 4th of Nov. She says she's going to fight this with everything she's got. She's aware it's a near impossible task but she said I'm not giving up. I think the prayers are playing a big part in her not suffering and that she's still alive tonight.
We have 4 more days of pain meds which will get us to the pain clinic on the 27th. The pharmacy only had a 5 day supply of the blood thinner syringes and if they don't come in by Monday or Tuesday it's going to be panic time again.
I can tell you guys a sure way to lose a lot of weight in a short period of time but I don't recommend this diet plan. I've lost 18 pounds in the past 26 days. I'm digging in my closets for cloths I've not worn in a long time. Are bellbottoms still in style?? I don't remember these white loafers and wide white belt? Did people really wear shirts with collars as long as the one I found in one of my closets? Not mine! Wonder where they came from? No way I would have worn a leisure suit and if I did I wouldn't admit it.
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Thank you for finding the time to update us. Hang in there, keep on. 0 -
Thank you for the update. You both continue to be in my prayers.
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Thanks for the update. Still sending from here. 0 -
Glad you are still able to have a sense of humor Smitty, also glad to hear June’s is able to be at home. I’m sure that takes a great deal of stress off of her.
How long will June have to remain in the brace?
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I wish there was some way that we could help you and June. I really do. Prayers for you both are ongoing. 0 -
Sorry to hear that those we count on to make things better, sometimes only make it worse. It seems to be even more egregious during this time of wu-flu hysteria.
Glad she's home with you and I'm praying The Lord will have His healing and comforting hand on both of you.0 -
BikerBob said:
Glad you are still able to have a sense of humor Smitty, also glad to hear June’s is able to be at home. I’m sure that takes a great deal of stress off of her.
How long will June have to remain in the brace?
I think I remember the doctor saying she would have to wear the brace for 3 months. I believe it may take longer than that.
Today has been a busy one. The doctor called in 4 prescriptions that I had to go pick up at the pharmacy which meant leaving her at home alone. Luckily we have some good neighbors that has the keys to our house so that if she needed someone in a hurry she could call them and they could get in the house to help her. The couple that lives next door are the best people anyone could hope to live next to. They are always there to help. Like everyone else they wish they could do more but we can't do much of anything except pray that the cancer treatments work. They handed me a card to give to June and it had a $200 prepaid credit card included inside. It made June cry to know how much they cared and to give her their hard earned money like that. I was going to tell Jeff that it wasn't necessary to give us that money but I think it might have offended him and Dorothy if I did so I just thanked them the best I could without bursting out in tears myself.
There's a lot more good people in this world than you might think. The guy that delivered the hospital bed and other equipment has turned out to be one of the nicest guys I've ever met. We got to talking and it's amazing how many things we had in common. He's called back to check on us and has offered to come and help me with anything I needed help with. June didn't have a walker and I haven't had the time to go looking for one so he brought a new one to the house yesterday and wouldn't take a penny for it. He's bringing her one of those rolling service trays that reaches across the hospital bed on Monday. Things like that have given me a different outlook on the human race.15 -
So glad to hear she is home with you and that you have people helping. We will keep you and June in our prayers for the duration.
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My prayers continue for the two of you . Wish we were all closer so we could help . Go with God my friends.
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