How to make BMT and hospital stay more comfortable???

JAS8 · New User Joined: 02 Nov 2009 Posts: 1

Hi everyone and thank you from the bottom of my heart in advance. My father has been diagnosed with AML. He has finished his first round of Chemo and is being scheduled for a marrow transplant soon at another facility(Moffitt in Tampa). We(brothers and sisters) are going to visit him from NJ soon and would like to do anything we can to make his lengthy stay more comfortable if possible. What can we do/bring/make/provide to help him through these tough times? Any suggestions, ideas and thoughts are more than appreciated.
Thanks and God Bless!

brainman

Hi JAS8. I am very sorry about your father's AML. My father died of AML just over 2 years ago but he was sick for a couple of years before they finally diagnosed it and just over 1 year after the diagnosis.

I think the key in your situation is to know that this could be a long time thing for your father. He will probable have weekly (if not more) visits to the doctor, or hospital, or clinics, or labs... sometimes all four in one day. I was fortunate in that I was unemployed and could move in with him and take him to his doctor's appointments. As time went on, he became weaker. I had to help him do things like do the shopping, driving, help with baths, dressing himself... even cutting is toenails. Since you will not be there to help him, you need to make sure he has those needs met as they come along.

You also need to make the most out of your time together. Some of the best memories I have of my father are the memories of Saturdays with him eating at his favorite restaurant and then spending the afternoon listening to the Metropolitan Opera on NPR. I don't expect you and your father to enjoy those but I am sure that the two of you also I things in common that you can enjoy.

Don't forget the little jobs around the house/condo that might need to be done but for which he no longer has the energy. If these are recurring jobs, they would fall under my first paragraph and you need to make sure he has someone to do them when you are not there. Of course, there might be some one-time or rare jobs that you can either do yourself or hire someone to do while you are there.

My father was unable to have the bone marrow transplant due to age and other health problems. His kidneys failed a couple of times; he had heart problems...

You, your sister, and your father are in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendroglioma grade 3, same location.
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star · Senior User Joined: 02 Sep 2006 Posts: 228 Location: Ohio

Hi sorry to hear about your father, I know when my wife was in hospital, many times,, her family bought her a portable dvd player wo watch fav movies,, and also could play cds to listen to fav music,, then there was quiz books, magazines,, etc .. as the hours can be long ...

ALL THE BEST .. TO FATHER AND YOUR FAMILY....

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