PixelRN

1 - hi...........nice BLOG...

I am indonesian, male, working as nurse in Al Sabah Hospital Kuwait...

Nice To Be your friend..

If you didnot main, just visit my Own BLOG also...

Thank you.

here : Http://www.siswanto.co.nr (Comment this)

2 - Hi,

I am very sick and my future looks as if I am going to be dying sooner rather then later. I recently had a PEG tube installed at the suggestion of my lung transplant doctors so that I can gain enough weight to under go lung transplant. I have gained 7 lbs the last two months of the 15 lbs. my doctors say I need to gain in order to be listed for lung transplant. I am 47 years old; I was diagnosed with severe emphysema when I was only 32. My FEV1 is 16% predicted. It has been a long journey to say the least struggling to breath and stay alive. I have three children still in school and my goal has been and remains that I hang on until my youngest is 18 and this means I have to find away to stay alive at least another two years.

I really hope and pray that should I ever end up in ICU. I am blessed with a nurse like you.

The last two years have been especially difficult for me. Not only in terms of severe breathlessness also, in terms of pain, I have very severe pain as a result of spinal stenosis and degenerative disk disease. My doctors will not prescribe me any opiates what so ever claiming that they will suppress my breathing. Little do my doctors know, I have taken opiates from time to time and they actually help to ease the feelings of sufficating that I often experience with any exercise and now often when I am at rest, too. Of course, the opiates help to take the edge off my pain, however, I have found they help my breathlessness as well. I hope you do not mind my asking you, when and if I call hospice, would you happen to know, if the hospice nurses will be withholding the pain medications, too?

I am very discouraged with my doctors and the fact that I am SUFFERING and I feel as if they do not care! I do not know if I can live with this pain for another two years and yet, I cannot stop fighting for my life because I have three children who need me.

Thank you for sharing your blog. I wish you the best in your nursing career. Markeya (Comment this)

3 - Markeya, Hi Markeya,
I'm also a fan of PixelRN's. I'm also an ICU nurse, and I like to read another nurse's perspective on the ICU. Your post brought tears to my eyes. Reading about your struggles with pain & wanting to see your kids grow up is both heartbreaking & inspiring. I just wanted to let you know that if you decide to go to hospice, you will not have pain meds witheld. The goal of hospice is to help you find a peaceful, pain-free end to life. Hospice uses pain medications liberally as well as other alternative treatments to help make you comfortable. I've had patients & family members that have chosen hospice, & all have had a positive experience. I encourage you to consider hospice if you reach the point where you feel like you are done fighting. I will be praying for you!! (Comment this)

4 - Okay, where have you been?

Has work been that busy lately?

Miss your posts! (Comment this)

5 - Hey!! Nice Blog! I have spent five years working as a CSICU/PCU nurse and I can relate to a lot of your experiences.
I am now a traveling nurse and I have a blog about (what else) travel nursing. I am new to blogging and mine isn't as refiined as yours is, but I have recently added your blog to my blogroll and I was wondering if you would consider adding me to yours.
Check out this post at:
http://travelnursingjob.blogspot.com/2006/08/housing-stipend-buy-rv-and-retire.html

Thanks!
Amy (Comment this)

6 - Crystal, This is the first time I have checked back here in since last summer and I appreciate your taking the time to reply, very much so. Thanks for answering my concerns about hospice. Please know my I am feeling more at ease knowing that I will not be in pain. Thank you, Markeya (Comment this)