So as most of you already know, my mom had total knee replacement surgery . The surgery went well but she unfortunately had some complications afterward. Anyone that knows mom knows that is actually “normal” for her. Almost immediately they were unable to get her pain under control. We all know mom has an extremely high tolerance for pain. She was experiencing a pain level at about an 11. NOT GOOD. So while she was in the hospital they were trying their best to keep her medicated and somewhat pain free. Let me just say they weren’t doing a great job of it. So I wanted to make sure that when she was released they sent her home with something good. I knew I was going to have to work for this.
I know you are going to think I am such a drug addict orsomething (I am not… I mean I don’t think I am), because I know all of the names of so many narcotics and which is stronger than the other and so on. Let’s just say I have been around the medical field for awhile. I worked there a long time (a looong time ago) and try to always keep myself up to date with what is new. Heck, I am the kid that asked Santa for a PDR for Christmas one year (and yes I got it!).
Anyway after having to remind the nurse what Mom is allergic to (vicodin) and what pain pills do and don’t work, they seemed to be at a loss as to what they could or would send home with us. All I can say is thank goodness I have been around this block before and know to be prepared. Thank goodness I already had narcotics at home so I was able to start medicating her right away. Well they would only prescribe Percocet 10-325 (which really isn’t all that strong) and 1 every 6 hours. Before she had surgery she was taking 2 and it didn’t touch the pain, now they think 1 every 6 hours will do the trick? Whatever. I started her off with 2 about every 4 hours. The pain was still out of this world and not getting any better. So then I started adding morphine (just 15 mg) in between to try and piggy back it. Still that wasn’t working. I finally found something. I have her on 30mg morphine and 1 Percocet –she gets that does 3-4 times a day. I know some of you are probably freaking out. Sounds like a shitload of drugs, right? The way I look at it, is if it is finally relieving some of her pain, then it is SO WORTH it. My mom has a high tolerance for pain and she needed something to take the edge off of it. I informed her surgeon and he was ok with it (a bit surprised) but glad that something was helping. He even wrote me another Rx for the Percocet but not the Morphine. He never gave us those, but just to let everyone know, they were prescribed by a doctor just not him.
So she has been on this regime of pain meds and all has been going well. Well wouldn’t you know it but on Saturday night for some reason it really affected her differently. It was funny. Talk about wasted. OMG –freakin hilarious. Makes me wish I had the video camera going, but then again, we all know I am twisted but I would never do that to my mom ( at least not where she could find out that I did it). Ha ha She could barely keep her eyes open and she kept dozing off and while she was falling asleep she would be playing with her oxygen tubing and then all of a sudden start talking to me about something that I had no clue what she was talking about. Then she would kind of wake up and realize what she was saying mid sentence and say to me, What did you say? Why did you say that? After awhile I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at her. God I love her.
I actually had plans to go out (I know I know… can you believe it?) on Saturday night for a short while and I waskind of concerned about leaving her. I was worried that she would be disoriented and try walking or something. The last thing I needed or wanted was for her to fall. I had 2 neighbors checking in on her and I called her a few times. She was ok. No falls, just still pretty wasted. Too funny I tell you.
I know you are going to think I am such a drug addict or
Anyway after having to remind the nurse what Mom is allergic to (vicodin) and what pain pills do and don’t work, they seemed to be at a loss as to what they could or would send home with us. All I can say is thank goodness I have been around this block before and know to be prepared. Thank goodness I already had narcotics at home so I was able to start medicating her right away. Well they would only prescribe Percocet 10-325 (which really isn’t all that strong) and 1 every 6 hours. Before she had surgery she was taking 2 and it didn’t touch the pain, now they think 1 every 6 hours will do the trick? Whatever. I started her off with 2 about every 4 hours. The pain was still out of this world and not getting any better. So then I started adding morphine (just 15 mg) in between to try and piggy back it. Still that wasn’t working. I finally found something. I have her on 30mg morphine and 1 Percocet –she gets that does 3-4 times a day. I know some of you are probably freaking out. Sounds like a shitload of drugs, right? The way I look at it, is if it is finally relieving some of her pain, then it is SO WORTH it. My mom has a high tolerance for pain and she needed something to take the edge off of it. I informed her surgeon and he was ok with it (a bit surprised) but glad that something was helping. He even wrote me another Rx for the Percocet but not the Morphine. He never gave us those, but just to let everyone know, they were prescribed by a doctor just not him.
So she has been on this regime of pain meds and all has been going well. Well wouldn’t you know it but on Saturday night for some reason it really affected her differently. It was funny. Talk about wasted. OMG –freakin hilarious. Makes me wish I had the video camera going, but then again, we all know I am twisted but I would never do that to my mom ( at least not where she could find out that I did it). Ha ha She could barely keep her eyes open and she kept dozing off and while she was falling asleep she would be playing with her oxygen tubing and then all of a sudden start talking to me about something that I had no clue what she was talking about. Then she would kind of wake up and realize what she was saying mid sentence and say to me, What did you say? Why did you say that? After awhile I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at her. God I love her.
I actually had plans to go out (I know I know… can you believe it?) on Saturday night for a short while and I was
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