OMG They Found the Cure for Stupid

Veggy---this is a true story from around 1980--------this guy on a four lane divided road in Cleveland, was weaving across all four. He finally stops so his car is in the middle crosswise. At the time I was Certified as a CPR instructor trainer and Advanced Cardiac Life support Instuructor. Also, nurse /Paramedic

I run up to the drivers side . Quess whose there?  Ricardo and he's drooling. Every bit of my training said to check airway first. I couldn't. Started to retch at the smell. I bypassed airway& breathing, then checked a pulse.  The touch caused him to move, and he start  slurring. A liquor bottle fell out of his hand. Thank God b/c if he needed CPR, I don't think I could have done it. The crowd that was gathering was getting pretty threatening and an EMS van was rolling up----I moved out quick.LOL and fast feet.

well fortunately ( but a little unfortunately, lol) i haven't had to send anyone a pic of my boob. the chain letters stopped!!! lol!!!!

although a friend of mine did post on my post, "hey where do i send that chain letter? i want a pic of your boobs!" that got me to laugh pretty good!!!

hahahahaha!

oh yes sas it is hair you see!! i'm 3 months PFC and it is starting to get thick, but how i long for bangs! lol!

in all honesty, i have been back to work 2 weeks now, and i haven't seen the dog guy since that day in the breakroom!!!! maybe they got rid of him. that would be nice!

doesn't look like ricardo though, if he wouldn't open his mouth, the dog guy would be somewhat good looking! lol!

only 4 more boosts, then done ladies! had my emotional meltdown saturday.

ugh, sick of cancer, sick of being broke, sick of being in pain ( i'm so burned i can hardly sleep), and sick of having no energy.

i told my dh after my wisdom teeth come out on july 8th, after i get through that, i want his help in helping me get off the pain meds. it's not that i'm taking alot of them, but i am taking them just about everyday. and i think i am using them for physical pain but sometimes i know i am taking them for escaping. and i know that's not ok. but right now is not the time to do it, especially with mouth surgery coming up.

he tells me he doesn't think i have an issue with them ( i take 2-4 a day) but i know deep down if i continue to take them for the  emotional pain, it will end up becoming a problem

so.... another wonderful effect of this damned disease!!

thanks for listening ladies

Angel--------there is a new drug that can be used for getting off pain meds. Doc has to be certified for treatment plan and use of the drug--------of course can't remember the name, I'll work at finding  out the name. You are right about not taking them for the emotional pain. I know your broke, but check with your social worker and see what they can suggest. Cancer centers usually have counselors connected and just like before, may be he can figuire out something. Plus they may have one of the docs certified to get you off pain meds. It doesn't have to be a pain mgt doc, my PCP is certified. I didn't have to use her for this, but I just called her office and got the name, going to go to site and see what i can find. I'll post this and then edit with the link.

edit for suboxone link . It also has a doctor locator. once your ready to do it , you can check with insurance to see if it's covered

http://www.suboxone.com/

Maybe not actually quit till after the mouth surgery though? Just the planning this week?

A couple months ago I won a free day of beauty. Today it happened. I got my hair dyed and highlighted and make up done. I would have gotten a manicure but I would ruin it working in the garden. This woman did an awesome job! Its also going to be on TV on a local station as part of "Buddy Check".  I had so much fun! When I got to see myself finally, I cried. I couldn't believe that was me. After donating 13 inches, hair falling out in clumps, completely bald, hair growning in different shades and textures and not being happy over it, I now have a style that is gorgeous. I love how my friend captured this. You can see my reflection in the mirror.

thank you all for understanding and wanting to help instead of judging. that is why i won't tell anyone, other than my husband,he knows about it. i know telling you wonderful women i would actually get positive responses instead of negative ones and judgements

. This is going to be long, sorry folks. Generic description of how to evaluate pain and what to do.

First try to see if comfort measures will change level of pain---positioning change> if you have been in on position too long that can cause muscle fatigue which can lead to pain. When appropriate try warming up or mild stretching or getting up and walk around. In the hospital The first thing after asking what when where why , how long etc to determined what I was dealing with,  I'd then look at, is something to tight restricting etc. If the patient has pushed things too much, too fast and pain is caused by overuse---rest.   Bottom line is figure out what we are dealing with first. If this fails  go to meds

Using the pain scale. Research has shown that the worst judges of a patients pain are doctors and nurses. The best judge of the patient pain is there own self description. Every ones tolerance of pain and response to pain is different. No one should assume that anyone elses pain is like their own. If they do, they are arrogant and ignorant of the in depth research of the last 25 years.  If you have somatic pain which is physical body pain----taking medication is appropriate.

I know allot of people mock the pain scale ,but with adequate explanation it works. This is how I used to present it. Zero --no pain, 1-3 is mild pain, generally tolerated well, but there are people that would like relief from that , so NSAIDS  like motrin ,advil, tylenol if tolerated usually work well.

4-5 and maybe 6 are moderate pain. The choice of pain reliever can be individual here too. Many people do not like taking a narcotic because of fear of getting hooked. So using the previously mentioned drugs are okay. Some people don't get relief with these drugs. So taking the lowest dose narcotic may be a better choice for this individual. Many of the narcotics are combined with the nsaids or tylenol. For example, tylenol 325 mg with oxycodone  5mg = percocet, tylenol 500mg + oyxcodone = Tylox, Hydrocone and tylenol 325mg =vicodin, Etc. Try one pill at lowest dose. If no relief or relief is not acceptable and the doc has said it's okay take the second one---do so.  The reason the drugs are combined is they hit different receptor sites and that will give more widespread relief.

7-10 is severe pain, if at home take the higher dose allowed and should expect pain level to decrease below at least a four or lower,  if no pain relief call doctor.

Don't exceed recommend doses without doctor being aware because it could be an indicator something serious is brewing.

NSAIDS and tylenol are not benign drugs. Taken in doses higher than recommended can cause damage to the liver and the kidney , that may not be reversible. NSAIDS and tylenol should never be taken with alcohol because of this--- Millions of people in the USA have done this for decades----people may have undiagnosed problems now. Only in the last tens years has the damage that the NSAIDS/tylenol in combination with alcohol become known, But the public has not been adequately informed.

In the hospital at a 6 or higher, I always recommended IV pain meds because------>5- 6 you start to see changes in blood pressure and heart rate,  and chemicals are produced in the body that will actually interfere with healing.

If someone said "well my pains a 20 or 100". I would immediately contact the doc for a regimen change. For example, bone pain from neulasta I said" 100 and it feels like wolves gnawing at my bones and I'm alive" That's pretty descriptive that the meds weren't working.

 When we talk of emotional pain.  That's where the doc or counselor ought to be looking at drugs like the benzodiazapines>>>>>>xanax, valium, ativan. An evaluation for depression is appropriate because  there are many good drugs that will alleviate this and take care of the physical pain as well. When our bodies are under to much pain stress for too long, we can get into the "chronic widespread pain syndrome cycle" Abbreviated CWP. Previously known as and still known as fibromyalgia, but the seriousness of it has only recently been taken seriously and treated seriously. Drugs like Savella and cymbalta and lyrica are good for this, but they do take several weeks to do there magic. Think of it as a logjam. Taking one log away isn't going to get the river flowing. BUT in the meantime we need relief. So, a combination of drugs to relieve the emotional stress >>benzo's and the physical pain>>i.e. percocet may be appropriate. 

So, we each have to evaluate which it is emotional or physical and take steps to make sure we are safe , but getting some relief. Do all the comfort measures possible>>massage, adequate sleep, adequate hydration(lack of proper hydration will cause the muscles to ache/pain and fatigue faster). Get our cancer docs to make proper referrals for the emotional pain---The best resource to get this moving in a cancer center is through the social worker that can work the system. Try and reduce narcotic pain relievers slowly, if we have  been on them a long time, our body is used to them.  If we reduce them to fast, we will go through withdrawal.

WTC -I must have been puffing way to much asparagus. My last post was way to serious.CLUCKK!!!!!!!!

PUF PUFF pass BRawgkk--------the hens must be on vacation Alyson---sas

Hi Sandy how is Aus? Time to hit perch

Hang in there EmilyinOntario, we're all with you, bagagwwwww !

Thanks much Sas for the informative post

Luan: that's AKA for "horror movie"

Think its a horror movie Luan. Think I looked just like that after rads (then it got infected) WTC

Hymil well said both about the effect of pain and 'stupid'.

Its the comments about LE that really get me some days. Recently saw a cousin who looked at my sleeve saying 'oh I thought you would be over that by now. She was taken aback when I saidin an annoyed tone - 'sorry but its something you control not get rid of'. Yesterday I had rushed out to the gym and forgot my sleeve, girl at gym -'is your arm better?' no its not. (And I have paid for not wearing it.)

Yes I am grumpy today and have no tolerance for stupid, grumpy with pain lots of it and its pain that the drs can not find cause. I can deal with pain I understand or know the cause of but this pain is different.

So chooks pass the asparagus, cause I need it today.