Re: How to communicate with my family about PC

[Guest guest]

I have had two recent major attacks that wound me up in the hospital

for more than a week each time. I have had a pseudocyst removed in the

last two weeks. Now I'm just in pain and have nausea all the time. My

husband and I are having a hard time communicating about how I should

be feeling and what medical steps I should be taking. He really doesnt

see how my going back to work would do any harm. (I'm a meter reader

for a rural electric utility, I don't just go around looking at meters.

I'm up and down ladders installing and changing meters, carrying heavy

boxes, in and out of the truck 200 times a day lots of days.) He also

doesn't want me to go the route that one dr sends me to another and to

another etc. I don't know what to do! This whole illness is so hard to

understand and then to try to communicate it to friends and family is

even more difficult. Has anyone out there had to deal with these issues?

Please let me know.

Rhonda

[Guest guest]

Dear Rhonda,

It sounds as though your husband needs some further education about

CP, and what it's like to deal with this disease on a day to day

basis. Would it be possible to have him read the message board for a

few days, or join the group, so he could have a better understanding

about the pain and discomfort that you have to deal with?

If you don't mind my asking, why does he object to you seeing more

than one doctor? Doesn't he realize that sometimes it's necessary to

go through several doctors before you can find the right specialist

who is experienced enough to handle your treatment needs? Is it an

insurance problem, or lack of insurance, that dictates his objections?

What he does need to learn is that you are afflicted with a condition

that can be progressively more debilitating and demanding, and that

you aren't going to get " better " , and suddenly feel like brand new

again. I know that when my husband first found out that I had

acute/chronic pancreatitis, he thought that it was something that

would be bad for a while, like an illness, but that I would eventually

improve back to the point where I was like my old self. This

impression was just because that at that time, he wasn't very educated

about CP, our doctor wasn't at all cooperative about letting us know

what was going on, and I didn't know too much about it myself, either.

Then, after weeks and months of personal research, and joining this

support group, I was able to absorb enough information about CP to

share with my husband, and help educate him to realize that this

WASN'T something that was going to go away, or improve with time. I

printed out many different medical articles explaining all about CP,

pseudocysts, diabetes, etc., for him to read while he was at work.

And then, as my health issues became more complex and my health began

to decline, he finally saw the light of day and could see that we were

on a road that didn't have any U-turns or exits.

It's up to you to educate your husband about CP, and what lies ahead.

There are many excellent articles discussing this subject, and I have

an extensive personal library full of articles that I would be happy

to send to you, if you think you could get your husband to read them.

Feel free to contact me directly if you would like me to send you any

of this information.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina Rep.

Southeastern Reg. Rep., PAI

Note: All comments or advice are based on personal experience or

opinion, and should not be substituted for professional medical

consultation.

Rhonda wrote:

> My husband and I are having a hard time communicating about how I

should

> be feeling and what medical steps I should be taking. He really

doesnt see how my going back to work would do any harm.

(snip) He also doesn't want me to go the route that one dr sends me to

another and to another etc.