Prior to all my appointment with my Medical Oncologist, a blood test will be done but the test consisted of more parameters than those needed for Chemotherapy. From the result, my haemoglobin and red cell count is somewhat on the low side and this is one reason why I am generally tired and “lack energy” and would tend to want to sleep.
With my Oncologist, we spoke, we talked and at one stage he used the word “palliative” again to describe my treatment and condition. In other word, he is treating me from the perspective of lengthening my life and making sure that I have at least some form of “quality of life”. In any case we have a different outlook with this regards. Anyway, we spoke also about the constant pain and he increased the dose of my Fentanyl patch to 75mcg. When I switched to this does, it does help somewhat but the pain did not go away, it simply was less intense. I had requested for a referral to a palliative care specialist and was careful not to “upset” his professionalism. He was very open about it and thought that it was probably a good idea to have the palliative care specialist assess and manage my pain situation.
The appointment with the Palliative Care Specialist was scheduled pretty quickly as I got a slot within a week of my follow-up with my Medical Oncologist on 15th August.
With the Palliative Care Specialist, we spoke a lot as I have to provide her with background information other than those that are already in my case-notes. She was patient and generally “affectionate” but then I was told all Palliative Care Specialist are generally such due to the type of patients that they attend to. To cut the long story short, she asked me about my pain, type, location, occurrences and morphine dosage. She did some quick calculation and I was told I could triple my morphine dose so that the pain could be effectively managed. Guess what? I tried it at home and it really helped. The pain was sort of “gone” for at least the full four hours in-between dose and for the week after that, life was sort of pleasant again. I was also given another pain killer that was supposed to help with the occasional sharp intense pain in the abdomen and that really helped too. Before this, the pain was simply a constant presence, always there and always disturbing. I was told just to watch out for constipation as both the Fentanyl and morphine has this side effect and also causes drowsiness.
Really thank God for this turnaround of event.
In God We Trust and in Christ alone my hope is found.
Hebrews 11:1
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