Love is the most important of all.

Anonymous
October 20, 2007 at 10:34 pm

I am very glad that you were able to so eloquently tell and show your dad the love you have in your family.

I ditto what others have said about discouragement often accompanying this illness because it can so rapidly and completely change one’s life. I would like to add two thoughts. First, it is really hard to be positive when you are in significant pain or to see beyond the now. See if pain could not be a little more aggressively addressed–perhaps with neurontin (gabapentin). Second, it is important to know that many antidepressants help with pain even at doses that are below what is expected for activity as an antidepressant and more rapidly than expected for antidepressant effect. These are medicines designed to work on nerves (the brain is the most awesome collection of these) and many medicines work in more than one way (this can be a great benefit!). Sometimes it helps “tough guys” to think about this part of the use of these medicines especially as many of us have been engrained that we are supposed to solve all the problems in our life without psychological support (by medicines or talking). i am not saying that is the way it should be, but it is the way that many people think about depression. Elavil is one of the most commonly used antidepressants for “neuropathic” pain found in the feet (and hands), but there are others. Elavil helps pain, depression, and sleep through its action on nerves.

Tell him also that there are a lot of other people out here that are rooting for him and that would like to gently remind him of how very blessed you all are to share so much love. Perhaps you could take a picture of all of you together hugging each other or sharing a “thumbs up” and tape it where your dad can really easily see it–even on the handrail of the bed. Love and the people you share life with are the most important aspects of living.

With hope for cure of these diseases.