Viki will be a guest on Winning Life Through Pain radio show with Coach Marla on 7/27/10 at 11am PST

Viki will be a guest on Winning Life Through Pain radio show with Coach Marla on 7/27/10 at 11am PST.

Winning Life Through Pain® is a show that chats with varying types of amazing guests as if they are all sitting around the same kitchen table including chronic Pain/Illness Individuals, Authors, and they chat with the experts as well. Coach Marla believes we all have a journey we must travel through life and it is her mission to make your journey one full of “Laughter, Hope, Knowledge, Fulfillment, and Joy” so you might get through the tough times a little easier!

Coach Marla offers RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) coaching as well as hosting the Winning Life Through Pain radio show.

Have a kind and respectful day.

Why is he suffering? Why is the doctor waiting to give him pain meds?

Dear Viki,

My nephew had surgery a few days ago and he is still in a lot of pain. He told the doctor that he has a pain level of 8 and the doctor told him that he would come in in the morning and address his pain level. I don’t think this is right. How can the doctor just leave him suffering all night? What can I do?

Answer:

I can’t believe this still happens. Patients are not supposed to be in pain and should not be left in pain until it is convenient for someone to deal with it. Hopefully by now your nephew has been taken care of but the next time, you can ask the nurse to call the doctor who is on call that evening and ask him to order the right pain medication.

The question you might want to ask the doctor when he or she comes in the next morning is, “How would you like to suffer all night with a pain level of 8? Would you leave your own kid in that kind of pain?” I would love to hear his or her answer. As caregivers/family members, we have to advocate and sometimes get loud in order to make sure our loved ones get what they need.

I do have compassion for healthcare professionals because they see so much suffering, like those in the military. The only way they can cope is to distance themselves from what they are seeing. This doesn’t excuse not taking care of your nephew but I just want you to understand that usually, it isn’t that doctors don’t care—it is because they care too much.

Have a kind and respectful day.

How do I get my loved one on Hospice?

Viki,

How do I get my husband into hospice? He has cancer which has spread everywhere and his pain is not being managed. I have heard about hospice but I don’t know who to call. What can I do?

I am so glad you asked. To get a patient on hospice, a doctor has to make the referral to the local medical hospice. You have to ask your husband’s doctor, and it could be any of his doctors, to call hospice and set it up. Some doctors are not willing to put their patient on hospice because they don’t want to give up trying to save your loved one. So if your husband’s doctor won’t put him on hospice, ask another doctor you know. An ER doctor can also put someone on hospice.

After the doctor calls hospice, the hospice representative will call you later that day or the next morning. A social worker and a nurse will both be coming out to see your husband within 24 hours. They will evaluate what needs your husband has and what your family may need. If your husband qualifies for hospice, you will start receiving visits from other hospice staff, deliveries of medical supplies such as hospital beds, oxygen or bedside commodes. You will also be receiving medications to have available to take care of his pain and other symptoms. And the good news is that none of this will cost you anything.

The nurse will teach you about the new medicines and there is a 24 hour hotline you can call if his symptoms change and you need help. Every patient is different. What your husband will need may be very different that what my Dad needed. The good thing about hospice is that as patient’s health needs change, they can adapt the plan and continue to provide comfort for your loved one.

It may be overwhelming for the first few days as so many caregivers will be coming and going as they make sure your husband is well taken care of. Unfortunately, you do lose some privacy which takes some time to get used to. Don’t worry though, after a while you will get to know the hospice team and they will become your trusted friends. Most people find hospice to be a huge comfort to them as they can know that their loved one won’t be suffering.

Got a question? Ask Viki.