Here We Go Again - News From The Holler

[Hound]

Uncle Phil, sending prayers from the Kennel. Hope you're out of that situation soon and can heal up.

 

[Pop-Pop]

The most expensive health care in the world

A few things you learn about ortho surgeries -
1. You build up a tolerance to oxycodone.
2 . You have to stay ahead of the pain with the medicine or it takes a long time to recover.

Our state has passed some laws to really restrict the 'passing out' of oxy even in the hospitals.
As usual, such laws hurt the ones who really need it and do not deter the dope heads at all.
Now they will only give/prescribe 5mg of oxy at a time.
That dosage by itself does less good for me than taking a M&M candy.
The 'work around' is to allow a second pill in an hour.

I had to spend the night in the hospital because of excess bleeding again,
I met with my night nurse and explained my situation and she was fine.
She was a jewel and I called for my pain med right on time and she brought them.
This kept my pain level manageable and worked.
But when the shift changed, I got a new nurse to whom I explained my routine.
So I call for my next dosage - no response.
I wait 15 minutes, then 30 minutes and then a tech comes.
I ask about the pain med as the pain is getting worse and worse.
She says she will tell the nurse.
45 minutes pass, 60 minutes pass and I know from previous ortho experiences that I am in trouble.
I call back up front and tell them -

"You have just put me in trouble.
When you finally get here you will give me a 5mg oxy which will not do any good.
Then I will lay here in severe pain for another hour before you give me another 5mg oxy that will do me no good.
If you can't send a nurse with at this point then at least send the janitor with it."

I am about to crawl the walls when finally my nurse comes in - 15 minutes later.
As I knew, the 5mg did no good and the pain escalates.
An hour later I get the second 5mg which did no good.
A little 'survey person' comes to check on how my hospital stay has gone.
I back up my 4 ton dump truck and dump on her.
They are supposed to discharge me so I try to hang on figuring I can at least medicate myself in a timely manner.

But the pain gets to the point that I call them and tell that I've got have something.
By this time I am rocking back and forth in bed the pain is so severe.
My ortho doc happens to walk by, sees me, and wants to know what is happening.
When I tell him, he is not a happy camper and tells my nurse what to get for and get it now.
The new meds lower it enough that I think I can get home.
But they do not as I discover on my way home.
I am still in a tremendous amount of pain but I don't want to OD on oxy.
When this happens (and it has happened with me at this hospital before), it usually takes 8-16 hours for the meds to catch up.

So please pray for me as it is going to be a long night for me.

well, that's just great. The most expensive medical care in the world, and you have to put up with bullshit. My heart goes out to you.

 

[Peppermint]

Oh my God, Phil, that's horrible...and unacceptable!!
I sincerely hope the situation gets back on track so that the meds are on top of the pain and not the other way around!
All the best, hope every day gets a little better. Hang in there.

Patty

 

[kiltman]

Now if you were in Canada, we could supply you with gummy bears, one every hour could do the trick.

 

[Pop-Pop]

Now if you were in Canada, we could supply you with gummy bears, one every hour could do the trick.

U can get them online here too!

 

[Mark]

Prayers continuing UP.

 

[Uncle Phil]

Well, I broke out the old TENS unit and between it and heavy doses of oxy and Tylenol I'm about over the hump finally this morning 12 hours later.
Thanks for your prayers very much!

 

[Bikeric]

Sorry to hear about your trials last night Uncle Phil, and glad that you are now coming through to the good side.

 

[John OoSTerhuis]

Our state has passed some laws to really restrict the 'passing out' of oxy even in the hospitals.
As usual, such laws hurt the ones who really need it and do not deter the dope heads at all.
Now they will only give/prescribe 5mg of oxy at a time.

Sorry for your troubles, Phil. BTDTx2

That’s why I have a good stash of oxy and hydro put away. I’ll never get caught behind the pain curve again. They are the best (and all) we have today and they work, and when you need them you need them. You get discharged from the hospital, or sent home from the emergency room after arriving in the fetal position with back pain and get a fentanyl shot (whew!!!); released late on a Fri with only three days of pills and you can’t get an appt with your pain doc for 10 days… Back to the emergency room Monday afternoon… Arrrrgh! Never again will I be caught short!

Prayers lifted up from Iowa.

John

 

[LaurieC]

Poor Uncle Phil. Thinking and praying for you and hope that you feel better very very soon.

 

[bstig60]

Prayers! Hope you are better soon. I have a torn Rotator Cuff in my left shoulder, surgery to repair it is scheduled for Feb 17th. Not looking forward to that at all. The recovery will keep me off the bikes for a while longer. Seems if it isn't one thing, it's something else.

 

[ReSTored]

Our state has passed some laws to really restrict the 'passing out' of oxy even in the hospitals.
As usual, such laws hurt the ones who really need it and do not deter the dope heads at all.

I have a relative with significant and legitimate chronic pain issues. The oxycodone pain med scandal is less of an issue in Canada, but still has had a very significant impact on physicians here being reluctant to prescribe pain meds of all types, lest they be accused of over prescribing. All this does is drive up the price of illicit drugs so the dealers make more, people who abuse drugs look desperately for any drug and often find drugs that are tainted, as overdoses are way up, and patients who legitimately need pain meds, short or long term, do without and suffer.

 

[Bush]

Hey UP - ever thought of trying some CBD oil or maybe smoking a doobie for the pain? If it is legal in your state, of course!

 

[Uncle Phil]

I believe I'll pass on that since I work in a drug free workplace (with random testing ).
And I am highly allergic to any kind of smoke (grew up in a smoker's house, secondhand smoke killed my mother).
But I do wonder if that CBD oil works with wet clutches ...

 

[Uncle Phil]

Doing tolerable well this morning - took a good hit last night of oxy before bedtime and it got me over to the 'manageable' side of it.
I really do appreciate your kind thoughts, prayers and encouragement.
Now it's off to therapy in an hour or so.

 

[Paul st1300]

Praying for you Uncle Phil. I have been really worried about this because my wife is going to have both her knees replaced in the next couple of months and she has no tolerance for any pain.

 

[Uncle Phil]

Praying for you Uncle Phil. I have been really worried about this because my wife is going to have both her knees replaced in the next couple of months and she has no tolerance for any pain.

See if she can get a pain pump so she is not dependent on a nurse.
I can't because I am on blood thinners so I have to call - then you are waiting on them to show up.
If you have a good one like I had on 2nd shift she will be fine.
If she gets one like I had on 1st shift, you go down the hall for her and hunt the nurse up!

 

[SMSW]

I'm glad you are out of the woods, Phil. Sorry to hear that you got Nurse Ratchet.

 

[Uncle Phil]

I'm glad you are out of the woods, Phil. Sorry to hear that you got Nurse Ratchet.

I think I got Nurse Candy Crunch or Mad Birds on the old cell phone!

 

[Bug Dr.]

Phil, I hope things improve and I see you at the ranch. Hang in there my friend.
Mike