Caretaker and Family Expectations

MS Spinal Lesions

Below is a letter I sent to a few close friends today. Do you ever get frustrated when your having an MS Flare and people you thought you could count on you can't? Especially when one of those people is your own father? The Father that you helped and made you grow up to fast to be a mother figure to your siblings because your mom had MS and couldn't walk since you were 9. Should we not have expectations from our Parents? Especially when my father has dealt with this disease all his life?

I may be over-reacting a little bit as I just found out that I may now have more Cervical and Thoracic Plaques and next week have to do IV Solumedrol for 5 days. Which as my husband says makes me a basket case and causes me MANY side effects that I can't be left alone during the treatments or weeks after the treatments.

Here is the letter:
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I am requesting prayers. I've been having increasing MS Symptoms for about 1 month. I've been avoiding them hoping they will go away. After realizing they have been getting worse the past week, I broke down and went to my Neurologist today. He concluded what I was afraid of. My Symptoms/Lesions in my spine are progressing. I had a MRI today to see how much they've increased. I have the following symptoms the past 1-2 months, some old and some new:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uhthoff_sign

http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/LHermittessign.html

http://ms.about.com/od/signssymptoms/a/ms_hug_pain.htm

http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/mssymptoms.html

In addition to really bad balance problems and Restless Leg Syndrome. Same as last summer only worse now and new symptoms as above. I won't go on and on about it, I start IV Steroids next week for 5 days. I may have to go into the hospital for them as they trash my body and I get much worse before I get better. And I have no one to sit with me all week while Hubs is at work. I've asked my retired father to come down and sit with me during the day while Matt works and he said , and I quote "Yeah, I really don't want to come down so you can get the IV at home. Can't they just put you in the hospital?" Yeah dad, why don't you just stay there, I'll handle this. Put me in the hospital while on IV Steroids, which will basically eliminate my immune system and I'll just stay there with all the hospital germs. Thanks for nothing.

Matt has reserved taking off the first few days of the IV and if he has to he will take off the entire week and use ALL his vacation. *Sarcasm Coming* - That will make it easier for us to move North...where frankly I need to be due to the colder temps. But, don't worry about it dad...you have so much to do up there being retired and all, no need to come down and help our your daughter. Ass.

Anyway, I'd appreciate it if you can say a prayer or two for me...These Steroids really screw with my head and body from the side effects. Thanks.

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This will be my second Big Flare in 9 months. If I am getting new plaques within a 9 month period of time...I'm screwed. Should we have certain expectations from Caregivers and Family? Everyone I know seems to not want to be bothered and has their own life to live. Matt can't do it all himself, he needs to work and I'll need some help during this current fight. I have always been a caregiver and if the situation was reversed, I would be on the next flight to help...I guess my family can't be bothered. Makes me sad. Do you have expectations of help from Friends, Caregivers or Family?