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.