Support for Cancer and CHF

Hi,

This is Larry, I am Ernie's roommate. I have congestive heart failure and want to tell you a bit about life with chf,options I have explored and most importantly writing about this helps me cope and you may even see yourself in some of my words.

The three most important things you need if you are diagnosed with cancer or heart failure is prayer, a way to let your feelings out, and some good friends. There are other things as well and I will address them.
If you will put yourself in the hands of God ,you will find peace of mind and an ability to face your problems, strength will be given you to face up to your illness. The stronger your faith the stronger will be your ability to understand your illness, and to face the poking, prodding, and other painful and or sometimes ,just plain embarrassing things that are being done to you.
You need an outlet to put your thoughts and let your feelings go without pride or vanity get in your way. You may just get a composition book and scribble in it as things come to mind, or start journal on your computer(need to find a program that will allow you to set one up) ,but you can easily use “word” or word processing software of your choice. If possible finding a support group in your area, that you can attend, is a great way to discuss your feelings, worries, and fears with others that truly understand what you are going through.
I have started a blog((n.) Short for Web log, a blog is a Web page that serves as a publicly accessible personal journal for an individual. Typically updated daily, blogs often reflect the personality of the author.) and it gives me a place to rant and rave or just chronicle my day. It is semi- anonymous, which is good if you are shy about expressing your feelings and you can choose to make it public(anybody can visit),you can make it available to friends or make it private and only available to you.
I have made mine public and find it much easier to post here than trying to keep a journal. If you are not familiar at all with blogs
Go check mine out Larry's Lip . It is bare bones, but is serving its purpose, leave me a note and tell me what you think about it.
Good friends, include your spouse, if you have one or close relatives as well as trusted friends. Although you may wish to be strong in front of them, they love you and will listen with sympathetic ear.
One thing that is very important is to have a medical team you trust and believe in, and do not be afraid to get a second opinion.
I had a tremendous amount of faith in my heart doctors and when they felt they had done their best, they recommended me to The Vanderbilt Heart Failure Program. They have been wonderful and have, as far as I am concerned, worked miracles.
When I started going there I could not fix my meals, I had to use a motorized cart to go shopping and I had to take my showers sitting down, and that would totally exhaust me.
When I ate, I got nauseated and from time to time got no relief until I had vomited. Now I eat like a horse never get nauseated, and am able to cook, something I love to do. I do have to be careful though, I need to keep my weight in control.
Be ready for disappointments from time to time, a prescription might not perform as hoped, the type of therapy suggested may not work for you and you will have to try something else. I just went online to re-order some of my meds and in the past year I have tried 49 different drugs. Some did not work or created worse side-effects than my original problem. Some are drugs I am presently using, but the dosages have been changed until my doctors found what worked best for me.
Your diet may have to change drastically, all I can say is closely follow your doctor’s recommendations and speaking for me only experiment with variations that make eating enjoyable, because if you do not eat nothing is going to help you.
One of the hardest things I have had to deal with is the inability to work or even perform any activity that requires strength and the ability to continue for more than five minutes at a time. I can go fishing, I cook my own meals and I am doing this site for Ernie, each of these activities give me pleasure and a sense of accomplishment. I cannot lift anything of weight, nor can I run or swim, so I have had to accept these limitations and thank god for the things I can do.
I hope this is of some help to you and if you need someone to vent to, or have a question, feel free to email me from this site.
May God Bless and Keep YOU.