Desperate,trying to make my dad more comfortable

dpaula · New User Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Posts: 2

Hi everybody.
Currently I'm in Romania,my birth country, to be with my family and take care of my Dad who has lung cancer.It looks like it's his last days of life,but Romanian doctors and Romanian medical system in general are awful.I know that in United States giving Morphine to patients to make their last days as comfortable as possible, it's not considered an horrible thing to do.Romanians think differently and I see my Dad suffering each minute of the day.We finally convinced the doctors to prescribe Morphine for him,but they told me to give him the 25mg dosage only 3 times a day. I think it's not enough. He only sleeps like 5 minutes and then he wakes up. He's currently using the oxygen mask,he's not able to stand up anymore, but he only lays down for 5 mins. After giving him the Morphine I can see he sleeps more,but the effect doesn't last enough. I would like to know that,despite of how much doctors told me to give him, can I give him the Morphine more often as needed?
I can't believe it took me 2 months to convince these doctors that he needs Morphine, now that I have it, they don't let me give it to him more than 3 times a day. I just know how much more comfortable he will feel and I can't believe nobody in Romania has the same opinion. When they hear about Morphine everybody freaks out. They prefer seeing the person in excruciating pain and have a horrible death. Not to mention the fact that because he's in so much pain, in his lucid moments he's getting annoyed and takes it out on us. I just can't look at him and see him like this. It is unbearable! Please help.

pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 2402

Hello,

My heart is absolutely breaking to hear of this pain for your Father. It's obvious that he needs more help with pain control and I hope you can talk to someone in charge to get more medication. THAT IS THE LEAST that should be done for ANY cancer patient --- to keep them comfortable.

God bless and I hope that the medical professionals will see that giving some increase in dosage each time will be helpful to him.

I'm so sorry. Please keep us posted and our prayers are with your Dad and family.

Hugs,
PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

awgsgirl · New User Joined: 11 Jun 2009 Posts: 1

Is your father taking Lorazepam? It really helps relax patients and helps with anxiety and sleep. It is not a pain med, but will help take the anxious felling that accompanies the pain away.

Lorazepam helped immensely when my father was in the end stages of pancreatic cancer.

I do hope you can get better pain management for him, anxiety meds may help too. And maybe they won't be as reluctant to prescribe those. (I can't imagine why they're not giving him more pain meds.) My heart goes out to your dad, you, and your family. Nobody should have to suffer like that in this day and age.

My best to you.

dpaula · New User Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Posts: 2

Thank you for the replies. Unfortunately it's too late. He passed away today in a horrible way, feeling probably a pain nobody could understand.
Sad

melkissa

I am so sorry for your loss. And I am sorry your dad was in so much pain. Sad

Find comfort in the fact that he is no longer in pain and he was a very brave man for enduring everything he did.
_________________
My dad was diag w/nsclc stage 4 & mets to spine & hips on 11/08 at age 43. Large mass on R lung & collapsed L lung. No surgery so chemo & rad 5d/wk. No results. 4/09 rushed to the hospital b/c breathing issues. Hooked up to o2 & treated for infection. Released when o2 levels were good w/help from Hospice at home. In Hospice as of 6/2/09. Passed 6/10/09. Missing you forever daddy.

pbj11 · Site Admin Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 2402

dpaula,

Oh no -- my sincere condolences on the loss of your Dad. He surely was a brave man and you a loving child who tried desperately to get the right things done for him. May God keep you close and give you some peace. Your Dad is now at peace and out of the pain.

Again, I'm so very sorry. Crying or Very sad

Hugs,
PBJ
_________________
Husband diagnosed with NSCLC Stage IV. (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer) Fought & lived 2 1/2 years with multiple lines of treatment.

Post describing our battle: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=7026&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

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