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Any tips for coping with the future and dying alone?
Yesterday I had my first emergent scare that made me realize that I am going to die from.this disease. Stage 4 Breast Bone Liver and Dec 2025 Brain.
Looking back, I think.my counts were probably low. Temp 100.9 Called doc on call and he said take Tylenol and recheck in 4 hours, if it doesn't come down come to the ER.
It came down, but as I was trying to find Tylenol, I realized that I could be dying. And because I live alone, I will likely die alone. I have thought about this before. But it was never so clear to.me. It may happen just like that.
Any tips or coping skills?
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I have been thinking about all of this also. I don't have a recurrence, but one never knows. I will be 86 next month. I have seen an attorney to update my last wishes. Give your phone number to a friend and agree to text with each other every day or 2 times a day. They will know if something is wrong if you don't respond in an appropriate time frame. I only recently learned about death Doula. I heard some talks from them -wonderful. Maybe your community has this program. My family lives far away so I am considering signing up with them. I previously thought Doulas were for birthing. Hospice has palliative care and actual hospice care. Some agencies providing those services can provide names of "sitters". Do as much pre-planning as you can in order to have some peace of mind. If you are a person of faith, speak with your faith leader. Make your own final arrangements and make someone aware of them and where documents are located. It takes time to do all of that but do it now. I think that sharing with a trusted friend or two about your fears would be helpful. Putting a voice to what is going on inside of us is cleansing. They may not know what to do or say so lead them with that. They won't know unless you tell them your needs and exactly what would be helpful to you. Those needs may change so keep them updated. Continue to write on this site. We all learn from each other.
I spent a lot of time the last two weeks with a dear friend who passed from breast cancer. I was with her when she passed. She didn't have any family. She was made very comfortable in a care facility and with hospice also. She had not made a lot of her final decisions until she was terminal. That added stress to her final days until that was all accomplished. So, we here on this site want to continue to support you. Keep us updated. Here is a gentle hug!
I too am stage 4. This is the prayer I pray. God, even on the darkest days of my life, You are there. You are my source of protection and strength. You fight for me, and lead me through hard times. With You, I am never truly alone or abandoned. Thank You for rescuing me; for saving me. Please help me to encourage the people around me with Your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.