Re: To C Conrad Re: returning adhesions...

From: J&L VERMEY (J.VERMEY@xtra.co.nz)
Sat Dec 1 16:11:12 2001


Dear Cathy,

I've been pondering your e-mail for a day or so, and I think it's very sensible that you also want to try to handle Cassie's bowel obstructions at home, as long as it doesn't get out of hand. I know in my case, I really hate being in hospital, and being at home, in my own bed with my own things around me can make me feel so much more at ease, and in control. Do you have pain killers to give to Cassie if she gets to be in so much pain?

Up to a little while ago I thought that I had to go through life dealing with my painful bouts without taking anything for the pain, but I have come to realise since joining the group that I am only making myself suffer unnecessarily.

Karla suggested that I look up the site of The Americans for Action on Pain website has moved to: http://www.asappain.com/ and most of yesterday I spent with my laptop on my lap - looking through this site.

And I have now changed my mind about my original stand on opioid pain relief.

I now realise that I don't have to be ashamed to seek"adequate and ongoing" opioid or "narcotic" pain medicine, and I am so glad that at least my house doctor is one of those compassionate doctors who is willing to support me, even though my pain specialist, from my hospital's pain clinic is not. It makes sense to me now that by taking only one or two doses of pain medication a day, as I had been previously doing was only ensuring that I had only 4 to 8 hours out of 24 hours where I got any relief from my pain, and since my Dr Robertson prescribed me Sevredol (Morphine Sulphate - which lasts for about 4 hours in my body's system) every 4 hours that I am feeling much more like my 'old' self. For the last month or so I'd been walking around with a semi-blockage and I'd been totally miserable, and I found it so difficult to relax - and of course if you get stressed and upset when you're in pain, your pain becomes worse, and so you can end up in a never ending cycle... Now that I have been taking my pain killers regularly for 5 days I am starting to feel such a change in myself, I think my husband, John has noticed it too - for he seems more relaxed as well - he can't stand to see me in so much pain.

Sorry to go on so, but this is so important to me now.... and I know now that in the future if people go on and on at me about the subject of addiction that I can show them the articles I've read from these very helpful sites - and I can set them straight. I don't need to go through life suffering and being miserable, and not having any fun, and not being able to do all those simple things which healthy people tend to take for granted. And if I get tolerant to my pain medication (like what has happened with my methadone) I will not have any hesitation to ask my doctor to prescribe something else for me to try. I may not be a medical person with a lot of knowledge, but I do know what it is like to suffer from adhesions and I do know that they can be so painful that it can destroy your life if you do not stand up for your rights.

Well, thanks for listening!

I have written Casie's birthday onto my calendar - so that I can wish her a happy 13th birthday for the 29th!

In the mean time I'll be keeping you and Cassie in my prayers.

Lin

Dear Cassie,

Hi, how're you doing? My name is Linda, my friends and my family call me Lin. I live in the North Island of New Zealand - which lies east of Australia.

I get bowel obstructions too, and have had my whole large bowel taken out, and have had to have other operations because of kinks, and obstructions. I know how sore you can get when you get a bowel obstruction, so I thought I would write to you to say that if you ever need anybody to talk to that you are welcome to write me an email at J.VERMEY@xtra.co.nz - so if you ever feel upset, or you want to ask me anything you go right ahead, ok?

When I discover I have a bowel blockage - and this happens to me very often - I stop eating solid food, and go on a liquid diet. I know this does not sound like much fun honey, but it will make you feel better. If you continue to eat solid food when you have an obstruction it will only make you feel very sick, and you may have to vomit. I sometimes get very frustrated to have to be on a liquid diet, but if I stick to it I don't get as much pain either then if I were to be stubborn and continue eating food. One of the things that I like to make for myself, which is really jummy is a smoothy. I put a frozen banana in the blender, and add things like vanilla ice-cream, yoghurt, custard, an egg and milk and then I blend till it is smooth, it tastes really delicious. And if I get bored with sweet things I will put some boiled potatoes in my blender, add milk, and some gravy, along with some salt and pepper - and then I end up with a savoury smoothy - I know it sounds a little weird, but it makes me feel better.

I also take pain killers for my pain, if I don't then I feel very miserable, and I can't relax, and all I will feel like doing is crying, and I do not want to feel sorry for myself. Sometimes I feel bad, it's a fact of life, but there are things I can do to help me feel better. So when I am in a lot of pain, and after I have taken my medication I concentrate on deep breathing, right down to my tummy - and I also do relaxation exercises.

I hope what I have told you helps you a little bit.

I'll be thinking of you often.

Hugs,

Lin Vermey from New Zealand


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