Caregivers and Stress

[Kelt]

Originally Posted by Kelt

Things have actually been going along okay for a few months now. Mom really likes the place she is living and the people there. I'm relived to know that she has a car and driver (so she's off the road) is eating well, and has social support.

I've hired a couple of periodic "helpers" for things that her lack of short term memory impacts, and that is going well; also we are figuring out how to have a relationship with each other.

I am getting her caught up on deferred maintenance with all the medical folks and part of that was a mammogram that she'd forgotten about for four years. That led to them wanting more images because of tissue changes. No surprise, she's 84 after all but they wanted to be careful because she had breast cancer about 25 years ago.

Well, this morning they called to say they want a biopsy too so I set it up. I told Mom it was probably just old scar tissue or something so that she won't worry too much until we know what is what, but between you and I; I really hope it isn't back. This is a family that doesn't question that we die of cancer, just which variety.

2015 already had way too many "events", neither she nor I need to have anymore for a while.

I hope she's okay, we'll know more in a few days...

And the hits just keep on coming....

My mother has two tumors, both malignant, grade 3. The "cancer navigator" (team coordinator) just told me I WILL be there for a surgical meeting on the 21st.

I presume surgery in the next week during which I'm also scheduled for jury duty in my own state.

Obviously I will be there for whatever she needs. I just hope to find the reserves within myself that I thought were all used up to be at my best for her.

I'm still doing the paperwork on my fathers death as executor, the estate tax return is due this Friday, the nine month mark.

I just got her back after 30 years, I can't lose her now.