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From the Notebook Mathew's Anxiety and Pain are Debilitating

From the Notebook  3-7-2014
written by Stepmom Diane

**Johanna/Arpie**
Noticed Mat feels the need to tell everyone that visits/calls the step-by-step story beginning from months ago. A friend called last night and apparently was asking details about the current situation and I told Mat he didn’t have to explain all that to them at the moment. He was exhausted and stressed already. Perhaps we all need to help him see that the “short answer” to questions from those outside the family is enough.

I had noticed (this was me) I recall when I noticed this. It was as if a button was pushed sending Mathew into the exhausting story. Almost verbatim each time. He became more and more drained with each telling. 


From the Notebook
written by Mom/me
3-8-2014

Problem with too much company is he doesn’t want to elevate his legs. Since company usually starts noonish - around 11 a.m. got him to raise legs.

7:30 Dr. Rashad
Normally will take about a week for liver to recover - already gone down more 4.9
**using breathing machine helps keep fever down
**bili bag drains better if hanging from bed


WE CONTINUE TO WAIT

Weekend pain team came by. 
He’s allowed Xanax when he wants - but Dr. Gonzales says Xanax has to be processed by the liver and stays in the liver for days.
So I think limiting visitors will limit the need for Xanax.

I remember exactly how I felt at this time. I was desperate for Mat’s liver to improve. I even asked him if he would try a different medication. He was so stressed, I can’t even imagine what he was going through. Later I learned not to push, even if I thought it would make a difference. It was a difficult part of this journey.
This is a picture of Mathew's notes. You can see at one point he writes that he is in too much pain to write.



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