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I tend to hit that wall when I'm completely burnt out and wound too tight—but if this has been a constant thing for you, it might be worth seeing a doctor about some mild relaxants. I have a friend who swears by them.👍
Linda Wright5 said:Hello to everyone fighting this battle,
I follow this sub regularly, though I tend to post more over at the association's forum.
I have a question... how do you all handle the psychological toll on patients?
My sister was diagnosed with ovarian cancer—she's also dealing with deep vein thrombosis and ascites—so she's been barely mobile for about ten months now. Sometimes she acts like a spoiled child (despite being 39), throwing fits if things don't go her way, trying to control and manipulate everyone... And honestly, I'm lost on how to deal with her. I don't want to just cave to every whim, but sometimes she truly drives me crazy... Should I be blunt with people like this, or should I walk on eggshells and just endure their outbursts?
She saw a psychiatrist a few times and was happy with her, but it's been quite a while since her last visit...
Personally, I struggle with the psychological aspect—likely because it hasn't lasted long. My grandmother's condition has progressed significantly over the last few months; she's completely immobile, and on top of everything, she suffered a broken leg due to bone pathology. It was manageable enough while she was still lucid. But this past week, she started drifting, and today she was completely checked out—it was so heartbreaking I left her crying. I know it’s likely the intense pain and the heavy narcotics she's on. Is it possible for people in this much pain to unconsciously retreat into their own world just to escape the reality of it?
Just picked up my ticket for $100, though I’m already kicking myself for not grabbing it sooner—I could've used that extra cash for gas and tolls. The VIP packages are outrageously overpriced and obnoxious—EL's take? But hey, if I want it, I want it. Rokaj Fest is bringing out the Godfather and Wire, along with some other killer bands for $50. It's three days of music plus free camping! Now I just need some time off work... though, knowing how most festivals schedule things, it'll probably hit right in the middle of the week. If I don't get the time off...🙂
I’ll knock back about 8 ounces of water during the night—and then another 8 almost immediately upon waking... purely out of habit, really—and yet I’m still carrying an extra 20 pounds. 😉
bluedriver2 said:If splenomegaly is the sole cause behind the lymph stagnation and the drop in platelets and white blood cells, would Grandma be a candidate for a splenectomy? Is there a surgeon or a hematologist—maybe an internist—who could evaluate her for the procedure? What’s her general health like? We need to know if there's any tissue inflammation—is she currently on antibiotics?
Back in 2005, surgery was already a stretch due to her heart issues. However, during her last checkup, she contracted shingles—it spread across her entire left back, armpit, and breast. It turned into one massive, horrific wound that stayed active externally for nearly a year. Since then, she’s been terrified of hospitals, fearing she'll catch something else given how weak her immune system is. Consequently, she's neglected the underlying condition by avoiding all medication. Now that things have taken a turn for the worse, we spoke with a hematologist at Mayo Clinic; his take was blunt—the condition has progressed too far, and she’s simply too old and frail to risk anything, especially with so many younger patients on the waiting list. As for tissue inflammation? I honestly don't know. What kind of test would even confirm that? She isn't taking any antibiotics at the moment.
We gave that a shot, but everyone keeps insisting she’s just too old—that there’s nothing left to be done at this stage. Now she’s just sitting there with patches for the pain, and honestly, I have no idea what comes next. Thanks for the kind thoughts, though. Best,
My grandmother is 78 and has been dealing with leukopenia and thrombocytopenia for about a decade now—all accompanied by an enlarged spleen that has grown quite significant lately.
Over the last two months, she’s been struggling with a severe inflammation running from her left hip down to her knee. Her GP put her on a cocktail of painkillers (Tramal, Voltaren suppositories), an antibiotic called Klavax 1000mg, and Myoflex, but nothing touched the pain; if anything, the leg just kept getting worse. By February 8th, the pain became unbearable, so her doctor sent her to be hospitalized at a local hospital in Des Moines. They ran an EEG, an X-ray of the hip, and a color Doppler ultrasound of the veins, but none of those tests pinpointed the cause. Given the hypersplenism, the doctor suggested the enlarged spleen might be pressing on the lymph channels running through her leg, and she recommended we see a hematologist immediately. I’m reaching out to anyone who can offer some expert insight—is there any way to help her, or at least manage this pain? Is there actually a way to shrink the spleen? Thanks in advance.