Three weeks post op: Pneumopenic Peg - thoughts on pain

The last three weeks are a blur. After getting discharged on June 12, I landed back in the hospital on June 15 with terrible /terrifying pain. I'm no wuss--this was really bad. They got me squared around on a new medication regimen and discharged me 2 days later.

The whole subject of pain and pain management is a tricky one in medical circles. I have seen my fair share of drug-seekers, putting on performances worthy of an Oscar trying to get a script for narcs. I have seen people in real pain, too. I see people everyday who probably do have some legitimate discomfort, who just accept it as part of life. Then there are those that believe that they should be completely pain free, all of the time.

June 15 I was in real pain: it hurt just to breathe. I couldn't get comfortable in any position- sitting, standing or lying down. The waves of pain came, causing me to cry and cry out. It was excruciating. I squeezed my poor husband's hand with a death grip, trying to connect with him and get away from my body. It was terrible. My blood pressure was 170 -180 over 100s.

They eventually got things under control, changed some meds, and I've been able to manage the pain adequately at home with oral meds. This pain experience was nothing like anything else I've ever known. Pain is a very personal and subjective experience, and we as health care providers are not to judge a patient when he/she complains of pain.

Legitimate pain needs to be managed and controlled to the best of our ability. This does not mean the patietnt will be entirely free all pain. When confronted with a drug seeker, we must be even more aggressive in leading those patients to chemical dependency programs.

The medications I'm taking right now have a terrible reputation in the news media as drugs of abuse. They are effective drugs for serious pain, that must be prescribed and taken with utmost respect. I personally will be glad to get off of them because the side effects are unpleasant.

This is another valuable lesson I've learned: what severe physical pain is. Luckily, I've gotten good care and good control, and the severest of the pain did not last a long time. A lesson from the university of life: to make me a better clinician, more compassionate care provider and human being.

First full day home after surgery (or thank God for pain meds)

Sunday June 13, 2010. Started out OK. I had more sleep on our old Value-City 1996 era recliner than I did in the hospital. Sleeping on any form of plastic, with just a thin sheet between your skin and the plastic, has NEVER been a good combination for nocturnal comfort. The mattress AND the pillows. All plastic. Enough to make Nanuk of the North sweat in his sleep. So, imnagine further with me now: a typically too-warm hospital room, outfitted thusly, bring in a very perimenopausal 51 year old female...amd you have all the ingredients present for quite a spectactular meltdown, if not all-out spontaneous combustion.

So-- at least here at home, lots of cotton, a fan, airconditioning and the opportunity to remove clothing as needed without worrying about hourly or bi-hourly visits from myriad staff members checking vitals. Here at home I can stand up and walk to the bathroon without most of the bedding stuck to my behind, trailing like the finest wedding couture. Oh, my.

The pain meds are something else. Oh, I suppose they work well enough...but I don't understand that there are people who take this stuff for "fun"! It makes me very sleepy and slightley incoherent. I'm nodding off now. So much for being bored and wanting to read. I'm not able to stay alert enough to read for very long.

I still have episodes of excruciating pain in spite of all the pain meds. Gives me a whole new perspective on the patient with legitimate pain issues.....and also on those who are just trying to get these drugs for "fun". Head nodding. Will continue soon.