posted on July 30, 2001 08:03:00 AM
Savor it, Ken.
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When my mother was dying from colon cancer in 1985, she was in excruciating pain.
The doctor prescribed morphine, but because she was in denial of her impending death, she was afraid of becoming addicted.
I understood this denial. After all, she was only 63, the youngest of her siblings, and was never sick, as evidenced by the whole year of sick leave she had accumulated on her government job.
Instead of taking the morphine as prescribed to allow her some comfort, she allowed herself to take a dose only when the pain was unbearable, and kept a log of each dosage.
Two weeks before her death I had to place her in a nursing home for 24-hour care. She was still in denial until she requested extra medication. She overheard the nurse ask the head nurse if Mrs. xxxx was allowed to have more medication. The head nurse replied, "Mrs. xxxx can have anything she wants."
It wasn't until then that my mother succumbed to reality. That was clear to me when she stated, as she wistfully stared out the window, "I never thought I would end up like this."
She allowed herself to go out in comfort, even requesting on her last day to have some lipstick applied and be taken on a wheelchair stroll up and down the hallways to see if she knew any of the other patients.
posted on July 30, 2001 08:59:14 AMfemme Here in New England there have been a rash of armed thefts of drug stores with the main objective being oxycontin. To the point where some of the supemarket chains that also have pharmacies in them have now taken to not carrying it. Too many people at risk in the event of a robbery.
Many stand alone drugstores have prominently posted that you must order 3 days in advance..they are only carrying for immediate delivery. Supposedly it sells for (I think) $50 per pill on the street.
if you crush oxycontin (as gravid mentioned) it eliminates the time release mechanism of the original tablet and the user/abuser/addict can then get an immediate powerful euphoric hit by snorting or injecting it. I read an article yesterday that many people on Social Security that have a legal prescription for it resell the pills from their own prescription, making do with less, or forgoing the medication for lesser remedies. One elderly lady was selling her prescription because the profits paid for all her other prescriptions that she couldn't afford. So the source is apparently all from the same pharmaceutical manufacturer and from prescriptions that were originally legally prescribed, that enter the black market.
I believe the cost per pill is related to the number of milligrams in the tablet. It is apparently incredibly addicting when used without the time release mechanism and that is creating a swift increase in the black market demand for the pills.
I have heard that heroin addicts will use Dilaudin pills, including crushed/injected, when they cannot get any heroin.
posted on July 30, 2001 09:57:31 AM
Hi Helen, I read it as recommending that he savor the pain relief provided by the medication.
krs, I'm getting worried about you. Does this mean the doctor thinks your time on this earthly world is short and it's safe to prescribe plenty of this type of medication for you? I really really hope not, please let me know you're going to be alright long term and this is just pain management.
I'm paranoid about my posts lately and since femmes remark was right after mine, I was afraid that I said something wrong or maybe I should not have said anything.
posted on July 30, 2001 11:06:57 AM
My,my,my this thread has taken an interesting turn! Apparently I am not the only one that appreciates crotchety men!
So, KRS. You aren't going anywhere are you? I'd miss you if you weren't here too. See, now you've got me and Enchanted and Helen worried about you.
I do believe I could live without you but it would be much less interesting!
posted on July 30, 2001 12:24:33 PM
Yeah we had a pharmacy here that kept the schedualed drugs and some twit came in and stabbed the guy in the back to rob the place of the drugs. Did not just demand them but killed him first thing without giving him a chance to hand them over. They closed up and now you have to drive to the next town to get them or compounded items.
posted on July 30, 2001 12:27:15 PM
"claim to be female" LOL! No, bunnicula, I made no such 'claim'. However, if you prefer to think of me as female, big guy, I don't mind.
posted on July 30, 2001 12:46:22 PM
Helen, Helen, Helen.
I'm thinking you and I are not on the same wavelength.
You aren't my husband in disguise, are
you?
I would never suggest someone savor their pain, especially someone of whom I am fond.
And, while my mother's story was different, when KRS mentioned he was stretching the medicine that works for him, it reminded me of what my mother did with her pain medication.
I could have stopped the story after the similarities, but decided to tell the rest of her story.
posted on July 30, 2001 12:51:23 PM
I don't know about that femme he was waiting with bated breath, I can't even begin to imagine what he is using for bait!!
posted by krs:
posted on June 27, 2001 01:16:13 AM
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When I was just a very little girl, I only had one household chore. I had to gather the eggs from the henhouse.
Uh Huh....say what????
dayum ubb
[ edited by ZiLvY on Jul 30, 2001 12:55 PM ]
posted on July 30, 2001 01:18:14 PM
Okay...the curious side of me just took over. What kind of conditions are you folks living with that you are taking the types of pain meds you are describing?
I spent last year in agony and most of the four years prior to that in pain of varying degrees due to a chronic back problem. It finally went completely early last year and I had my spine fused 14 months ago to "fix" the problem. I spent most of last year on Codeine, Vicodin, Morphine (post op), Percoset (early recovery) and then back to Vicodin which I still take very, very occassionally when I do something stupit to aggravate my back.
My back surgeon literally saved my life. I couldn't have lived the rest of my life on all that medication. I was a walking (hobbling, limping) vegatable for the most part.
posted on July 30, 2001 01:35:32 PM
I like you best when you floss with barbed wire, gargle with gunpowder and shave with a Kbar (sp?) When you are a manly man, not when you claim you were a little girl!! Whimper....I'm so bemused!!
Like that song, bewitched, bothered and bemildred am I!
