Re: looking for someone who understands

[Guest guest]

Dear CynicalSoul,

There sometimes is very little you can do in a situation like this

where your mother resists every day. Just keep on trying to

educate her in a loving and caring way. I know it must be a

frustrating struggle for you, especially since it appears that your

mother doesn't want to listen to good sense. As you realize, a

diet high in candy, red meats and dairy isn't at all helpful to her

pancreatitis.

She should eventually get over her upset over not being able to

smoke and hopefully understand that everything you are doing is

because of your love and concern.

She's been seen at some of the best hospitals that Florida has

to offer for chronic pancreatitis treatment. Do you know what the

cause of her CP is? If they say there's nothing more that can be

done, I would interpret that to mean that they don't feel there are

any surgical procedures that would be of benefit for her that she

would consider. With some of us, that is the case.

I would suggest that you speak with the doctors at the hospital

and ask that they send in a counselor to talk to her about proper

nutrition, and also that the doctor's themselves talk to her about

the need to take better care of herself.

Once she gets home again, is there anyone else there that she

is friends with or close to, a friend, relative or minister that she

would listen and talk to? Anyone in her peer group....that could

counsel her about her diet and ways to improve her well being?

That she could talk to when she down and in pain who might be

able to provide some motivational support? Would she consider

joining our support group, so we could help her?

I'm sorry that I can offer more help at this time. I understand that

you care very deeply about her wellfare and you seem to feel

frustrated by her lack of personal care for herself. It is a very

lonely and difficult place to be. Perhaps one of our other

members will have some better suggestions for you. Please

feel free to write again about your troubles.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC & SE Regional Rep.

PAI, Intl.

Note: All comments and advice are personal opinion only, and

should not be substituted for professional medical consultation.

My mother (57) was diagnosed with pancreatitis ~5 years ago.

She has been to several hospitals to see specialists (SHANDS

in Gainesville and MAYO in ville). She could be taking a

hundred other medications as fair as I know because she wont

talk about to me about it. She hates hospitals so much that she

has to be almost dead to go. She sat in bed for a week hardily

eating or drinking until she was so dehydrated and

malnourished that she gave up to my nagging and allowed me

to take her to the hospital.

when I am here I just feel helpless. I can't stop crying. I just

wish there was something I can do to help her.

[Guest guest]

Heidi,

Thank you for your advice! She is back home now and in much better

spirits since she can smoke as much as she likes. She is also eating-

-mostly popcicles. But she also had part of a ham and butter

sandwich and half an Oreo. I was able to to talk her out of a whole

sandwich and a whole Oreo, which I suppose is better then the

alternative. She is very stubborn about her eating habits, and has

been nagged so much by her 82 year old mother and brother that she

has almost made it her prerogative to eat the worst foods possible.

Her abdomen feels fine, but of course she took 90 mg more of her pain

medication then she should have (see my other post). When the

medication wears off I might relay her to this messagebored. It may

help her to see how other people her deal with there pain.

~Chris

> Dear CynicalSoul,

>

> There sometimes is very little you can do in a situation like this

> where your mother resists every day. Just keep on trying to

> educate her in a loving and caring way.