My friend has a problem with her brain...?

her cerebellum is growing downher spine and she has some unknown mass in the front of her brain. Body parts keep going numb but she will not get help. She constantly has migraines and calls complaining. She is prbably going to die if she doesn't take action. She has 3 little boys that her husband leaves her alone with and she can't even think straight half of the time. Something bad is goiing to happen and I can't sit around and do nothing. But I tell her to go to the hospital and she won't. What else can I do?
Answer:
Call the local hospital and find a doctor who will come to her. I don't know how she knows about the cerebellum growing "down her spine", but if she heard that from a doctor, call him and alert him to her fears. It's fear of finding out whats wrong that has her paralyzed with fear, along with wanting to be there for her kids. Remind her that her kids need a mother and if she keeps ignoring the problem, they will be left without her. Maybe that will scare some sense into her. She's lucky to have you as a friend...now get someone to go to her if she won't go to them..kind of a physical intervention...and good luck to you both.

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Call the emergency services and tell them the situation.
or,
Call Social Services and get her children taken away.The second one seems extreme, but it might be what you need to do to get her to think in reality terms.

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Have you talked to her husband? How about her family?

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I don't know who diagnosed her condition, but I am surprised that she is not under any care. Someone could probably call the police and say that the kids are in danger becasue she is ill and you don't think that she is competent - they would call her husband or relative to care for the kids and bring her to the hospital.

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Sometimes love means being tough. To truly love this friend you have to be willing to risk the friendship.Give her a chance, be straight with her. Something like 'Friend, you know I care about you, and what I am about to say is because I do. If you need me to sit with you at the doctors I can (if you can), but you have to go to the Doctor. I know you love those boys, and sometimes when we are in a situation we can't see how bad it is getting. The Mom you were before this happened would never have let those boys stay with the Mom you are now. It isn't safe. This is not a threat but a promise. If you do not go and get help in watching those boys but the end of the week I will call social services. Not because I want to, but because I don't want to see the friend I love to endure a child getting hurt or dying in addition to everything else going on.'As for the what else - just remember she is scared and scared people go back to a fight or flight response because that is what kept us safe as human beings originally. She is drawing from the flight part of things right now, and perhaps if she feels her chicks are in danger she'll get back into the fight response which is more where she needs to be.Before you do this, make sure you have some support. It won't be easy no matter what you do.

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