Mathew's Concerns About Becoming Addicted to Pain Meds

This is still that first day, Saturday, March 1st, 2014.

Mathew was very concerned about the amount of pain medication he was already on and becoming dependent on it and what will happen once he is no longer receiving treatment.

FROM THE NOTEBOOK

Dr G talked w/Mat about the difference between “dependence” and “addiction” and he cannot become addicted if used only to manage pain - they will wean him off slowly.

“What happens next?” I ask.

He tells me that they request the biopsy slides from Zhills Hospital and get them to their own lab.

“What is the timeline for that?”

He says they send the request on Monday and will probably receive them by Friday.

My niece, Allison, had already told me that I can pick up the slides myself.

So I offer to drive up Monday and hand deliver them.

Mathew needs to sign a release and call up there to let them know I will be the one picking them up.

Again, ‘crunching the timeline,' a day here, a few days there may not seem like much but I know it was the difference between Mathew surviving as long as he did or not making it to the first chemo.

Comments

Replace the 3 Lumen Pic Line with a Port

Mathew's 3 Lumen Pic Line was replaced with a Power P.A.C. Both Mathew and I were given Medical I.D. cards to carry at all times. I have mentioned before that texting from the DRC is almost impossible. The staff told me it used to be the X-ray department so the walls are leaded. Again, the phone tree would have helped so much. I texted the following information to my niece, my sister and Mathew’s Dad and Stepmom. And probably Joseph and Carlos. I know that could have been reduced to two texts, three at the most. At the time I didn’t know about group messaging as my phone was an old Android. Texts Between me and Diane Hi. We are at the hospital early because Mat is in a lot of pain. We think the bill stent may have moved. Sent 3-31-14 Because he was NPO for other procedure they should be able to fix today. Sent 3-31-14 In the DRC sending texts is almost impossible so if you don’t hear from me for a while don’t worry. If ...

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Mathew always had awesome hair. Rock and roll hair. When he first started treatment, they shaved his head. He still wasn't bald, plus it represented the beginning of treatment. It was temporary until the cancer was gone and he was well again. Before treatment started, Mathew was so sick I wondered how he would accept the change. He hadn't wanted anyone seeing him when he was first hospitalized. But I was surprised how quickly he adjusted to the new look. Then when treatment started and his hair fell out it coincided with the tumor responding to the chemo, so overall he looked so much better than he had for a long time. Less bloated and healthier color. I was so happy he was responding to the treatment, that being bald didn't bother me. I'm a Mom, I thought he looked terrific. Mathew was dismayed over the bald look at first. It made him appear younger, and since he also lost his eyebrows and eyelashes, he referred to it as that ...

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