Guest guest Posted December 7, 2007 Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 Thank you so very much for this. You managed to say everything I've been feeling but was afraid to say out loud. I've printed it off and will keep it with me. God Bless, --- abijann <no_reply > wrote: > When someone is diagnosed with cirrhosis, they may > not even know what > it is. They may not have any symptoms at first, > either. They feel > well and don't see why the doctor is so concerned. > Many are diagnosed > because the doctor was trying to have tests done for > another problem and > it happened to show up during that time. The > patient needs to be > informed of the seriousness of this diagnosis. How > it is going to > effect him/her in the future and what treatment is > appropriate for them > and what they can do to help reverse this disease, > if possible. > The problem is, that many people are not completely > informed of all > this and they leave the doctors office with more > questions than when > they first entered. > > The patient now is on a journey that he will travel > mostly alone. > Though, other may be around them, no one feels the > horror or the pain > and anguish but the patient themselves. And, to top > it all off, the > emotions that go along with finding out that you may > die cannot be > described completely in words. The unknowns ahead > and the loss of > privacy, self worth, and being able to handle > everything yourself has > just disappeared. You are now a specimen in a dish > and whenever > someone wants to stuff you will chemicals or poke at > you with > instruments...they have to have the right under the > pretense that they > are trying to help you. You ask yourself when you > stop being human and > start to be added to statistics. Suddenly, you find > yourself studying > up on a disease which you normally had no interest > in all in. You > search for ways to prevent further damage and look > for miracles. You > try to deny that anything is wrong, cause you don't > want your life as > you once knew it to change. You may become mad in > the process of it > all and ask why it was you when so many others have > done things worse > and never had to suffer. Or you are a victim of it > all, where you have > lead a very clean and healthy existence and then > receive a blow like > this. > > So caregivers, do you know what your patient is > facing, Really? > (1) If someone said to you that you were going to > die tomorrow and it > was definite...what would go through your mind? > I won't have a chance to see my children grow up. > People here rely on > me to take care of them and now I am being forced to > leave them and I > worry about it. I never got to do the things in my > life I always > wanted to do. I never got a chance to really take > the time to be with > those I love the most and say the things I needed to > say. I will never > finish the things I once started and they will never > get done. > (2) Would you have regrets? The things in this life > doesn't seem as > important to me as they once did...after all, we > have all heard the > saying you cannot take it with you. I spent too > much of my time > worrying about little things and things we could > have than I did with > spending time with those I love and now it is too > late. How can I undo > all the wrongs I have done? > (3) Would you feel like a burden? I no longer can > handle the things I > once did and now others have to do everything for > me. Won't they get > resentful that I am taking up most of their time and > they would have a > better life if I wasn't here. > > The patient can feel very much alone. They can start > to see life much > more clearly than the person who is well, as they > see what really is > important. They know that others are doing for them > and that they have > not only loss their independence but are now treated > like they have no > say in anything at all. They can become extremely > depressed and tired. > However, everyday they face the pain, face the > changes of their > body...like someone is playing a bad joke on them, > face the anguish > of seeing the pity in others eyes, face the torture > that the disease is > not getting any better as time goes on. > > Though, this post can depress not only those who are > caregivers, but > also the patient themselves....Both the patient and > the caregivers need > to know what is in the minds and hearts of those who > go through this. > This way they come to be more understanding, > compassionate, and more > caring. This however is a Journey...and a true > learning experience. > Someday, those who are caregivers now may become the > patient. > We all have a time to share and help others, and > others have the time > to share and help us. Through open communication, > the journey is not > taken alone, but with those who love us the most. > > > > > > > > ________________________________________________________________________________\ ____ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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