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"I need some advise" I am middle aged. My mother 74 living with me has stage 1V lung
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Default "I need some advise" I am middle aged. My mother 74 living with me has stage 1V lung - 08-11-2009, 08:57 PM

I need to obtain a skill desperately. I am going to take a 3 week CNA class as soon as I am able to. I want to take a 10 month full time M-F LPN course. Its mandatory for your success to not miss any days. My mom is not yet sure.. if she will get chemo. That is her only option..other then waiting and monitoring the progress of cancer with tests. IF.. she decides to get Chemo. I will be driving her 1-2 times a week every 3 weeks for about 3-4 months. She was told she can take a few months off but.. that is it.. than she has to repeat the cycle. This cycle does not enable me to go to the LPN program for only 10 months. I need the LPN in order to succeed at paying my way in life when something happens to her. I am not sure how I can do this. We have no family or friends here to help me.. to take over while I did this. I am So.. scared that giving this opportunity up.. would set me up for disaster and eviction later on. A CNA.. won't pay my way ultimately. It will in the meantime IF I choose to use it. Please Help.
   
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Default 08-16-2009, 08:57 PM

I'm very sorry to hear about your situation. My family is also dealing with a similar situation. My fiance's mother has late-stage small cell lung cancer and has had to leave her business for over two months. Here are some suggestions, but also I send you my good wishes and prayers:

The first thing I would look into is what your mother's insurance covers, if she has insurance (I'm assuming so, since you're talking about possible chemo). My mother-in-law's insurance covered treatment in one of the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. There's several around the country. CTCA is super easy to contact, and they will fight your insurance company FOR you to get coverage. You just hand them the info. and they take care of it. Check it out here: http://www.cancercenter.com/ My fiance went with his mom and said that they are truly an amazing place.

The best part is, patients get to STAY in the center for as long as they're being treated, AND they pay for the patent's flight to the center. You wouldn't have to worry about driving her. It's really a good idea, because the centers are so awesome and have totally organic food, 24 hour care and ONLY cancer specialists working there. They focus on healing patients not just with drugs and machines, but spiritually and mentally. My mother-in-law chose to have acupuncture, daily prayers, physical therapy, a visit from a family member who flew in, and a counselor while she was there-- all covered by the insurance because CTCA fought for her.

Okay, sorry, I didn't mean to advertise for them, they have just really helped us through alto of stress. If your mother stayed there, you would have more time to get your schooling done. However, I would say that at this moment, the important thing is going to be your mother's health, even if putting your career on hold hurts. Financially, there are other alternatives than the CNA/LPN route. I know it's hard to get a job that pays the rent these days, but putting all your effort into getting that job rather than schooling would help more right now. Even getting those certifications, provided you were able to pay for and pass the courses, doesn't necessarily mean you'll get a job in that field. Stick with the more sure bet (a regular job) until your financial situation improves or your mom's health becomes less of a problem.

You can contact your state government's job center for resume help and job searching, an employment/temp. agency like Manpower, or search for jobs on line at WNW.craigslist.com, where there's tons of job listings, temporary gigs and where you can even post your resume or offer your services.

If and when you're really facing eviction, you can apply to be a live-in nanny, an on-site apartment maintenance person/caretaker, or a house-sitter. Some banks and mortgage companies are allowing or even paying people with good references to stay in empty, foreclosed homes to do basic maintenance and prevent vandalism.

I also suggest contacting the American Cancer Society. They're a research and charity organization that offers a great deal of support to cancer patients and their families.

Good luck!
   
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Default 08-20-2009, 08:57 PM

There is no easy solution for your situation. Think about the on-line courses. This lets you work at home on the computer which could make it easier for you to get your education. If you go into an RN program most states will let you take the LPN boards at a certain period of your education process. This way you can help your mother and your self in the long run. You can get financial aid taking the on-line courses. Go on-line and research for the on-line school you want to enroll in. Good Luck in your endeavor. It will be hard but you will have to make up your mind that you ARE going to succeed at this Will taking care of your mother.
   
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Default 08-23-2009, 08:57 PM

I understand how important it is to be there for your mom and to spend as much of the time she has left with her, but I doubt she would want you to have to struggle in the future over it and without her. You have got to find a way to balance both in a way you can live with.

Talk to the discharge planner at the hospital and see if they have a service that may help you. Where I live several of the hospitals have vans with wheelchair lifts that go around the community and pick up patients and take them to doctor and hospital appointments and back home again. You should also check with your local chapter of the American Cancer Society. They have referrals to anything and everything related to cancer including help to and from medical appointment. Best wishes to you both.
   
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