I know that word, You are entitled to say whatever you wish. I say it often myself when I am presented with pain. Nobody is graceful in dealing with terrible pain that I know of. ginnie

Ginnie, Hospice care now is very good and they are great about keeping people pain free, My BIL died a few years ago and the hospice he was in (Denver CO) made sure he felt no pain. He was at peace when he died and they allowed him to decide how much or little pain meds he had. You can also talk with the hospice near you and find out how they treat pain. They're not taking away opiods from cancer patients only those of us unlucky enough to have non cancerous pain. Should you have questions email me off list

No I just can't put myself into the hands of just hospice if that time should arrive. Two years ago, a couple was seperated in the hospital, the night he died. they were not married and visiting hours ended. If you wind up critical in the hospital I have not seen much in the way of good. It is just my own personal experiences. Society has distanced us from death and even the subject is touchy. My mom died in 2000. In hospice, but they removed me from any choices I wanted for her. I knew her the best. I know what she wanted. Not to linger weeks in a semi coma. My dad in 95 was the one to suffer, throat cancer as I said. I am now at risk for the same disease unfortunately. I will not be making the same choices my father made if the same should occur. The medical community for the most part gives pain medications only barely to controll most peoples pain. For sure we are not running around playing tennis! I did not get enough pain control for even my last surgery, why would I trust that same hospital to give adequate pain control when they did not at my last little visit? If I choose a therapy, I will be in trouble with pain in no uncertain terms. It's a given from what I am reading and what the doctor has so far talked about. I have some testing yet to go through and alot of education to get to before I make any kind of decision. I will go for informed choice. I do not for the most part trust the doctors and pain control. thanks for allowing me my opinion ginnie

I agree with you about informed choice. But hospices are different from hospitals. They are there for the comfort of the patient (I even heard of one thaqt let a ladies cat stay with her,.

My bil wasn't married to his gf yet she stayed with him all the time. They got married a few days before he died. Check out the different hospices. They all have different rules. If you do this now you'll at least have option. Also have them update you on changes. The hospice here in Grand Junction are also great.

I do understand what you're saying but being alone when you die is a tough option.

and you're right about our attitudes towards death in this country. anything not "nice" no one wants to hear about or see. To bad Jack Kevorkian was vilified. I feel he was doing God's work for those of us in pain. And the gov has made sure no one else takes up his work

I will look into the hospices around this area for reference. good idea. I just don't want to put all my apples in one basket. I don't trust easily especially regarding pain. I am not very good about it. If you have a dear friend you should be allowed to be around that person when you are sick. In other countries it is unheard of that a friend or relative would not stay all the time with the patient in the hospital with them! I read about it and it seems like a great idea for the patients and a good idea for the nurses. Instead of bothering nurses for water or essentials, the family or friend does that. Need help to bath or use the restroom the families do that too. We need to join forces with family and the treatment of the whole person. Our medical system is dysjointed. Even physicians don't talk to each other with the same patient. I wrote to Dr. Kavorikain in prison. I do have a letter back which I treasure. He was a good soul who tried to help. I also have a book he wrote which is not published. If you could see how he laughs (did) you would be surprised. He also wrote music. There was alot more to the man than what the public saw. More doctors need to be open to what their patients need and want. What if I would refuse treatment for cancer? Do I even have that right in our country? Things like this doctors should talk about. hope you are OK. I always come back to the site for support. ginnie

AFAIK, you always have the right to refuse treatment for anything, as long as you are not deemed (legally/medically) incompetent to make that decision. Another reason to have a living will in place.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance...care_directive

HBO did 2 very good films on Dr. Kevorkian. One was a documentary,
http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/kevorkian/index.html
and one was a docu-drama with Al Pacino playing Kevorkian.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Don...now_Jack_(film)

For any that don't have cable, check with your local libraries or video rental stores.

Doc

Hi dr. smith, I will look at those sites you sent along. I have all my directives in place, and am working on correcting a trust issue. I am not wanting to proceed with proceedures right now. Lots more testing needs to be done for me. I am already sick of it and tired of being in pain. I hate being put under all the time for biopsys of this and that. Now that something has popped up, well they want to do more, and what treatment the doctor offered is not something I want to do in any case. so I am wondering why I should bother with all the other tests, when I know I will not choose to treat the condition, or cancer if thats what it is. My dad died of thoat cancer in a horrible way as I have stated on this site. I am not going down the way he did. always ginnie does anyone else get stubborn about not wanting anything more for awhile?

Hi Ginnie,

Lots of us get it, bouncing from doc to doc, test to test, med to med, procedure to... well... I think you get it. I've sure felt like that lots of times.

Please forgive me if you've mentioned... how long ago was it that your father had cancer? I ask because advances in knowledge, procedures, & techniques in some areas are progressing at amazing rates. Ten years today can be like 50 years 50 years ago (hope that made sense).

Doc

Hi Dr. Smith, Thank you for your response. My father died in 95'. His throat cancer after lots of intervention, took him with great pain. I never want to see something like that again, nor will I. I have been in some kind of medical problem since I was 29 loaded with auto immune problems, spinal fussions, surgeries for numerous things, 9 so far. I don't want any more. I didn't even make it a year without medical problems to be right back in the surgery room. My last surgery was horrible to go through. My whole body is tired of medical proceedures period. So is my soul.
Much of what occurs with Baretts esophogus depends on how you can control the stomach acid, that is producing the bad cells. My doctors first responce is that trials are underway, that burn out the lining to your esophogus and stomach, then they hope what comes back isn't cancer. he mentioned no other therapy. I am on strong proton pump inhibitors, but it is not doing the trick for my stomach. My family is in crisis as you may have read. I cannot control my stomach acid as my family is trying to make me homeless. Going through a therapy like what was mentioned to me has no appeal any more than does living in my car. I don't want to do it as I have no future, or stability financially. The Gov. doesn't give me enough to stay where I am, my family won't let me move. The catch 22 makes it that I don't want to try anymmore. ( my home is in trust to me). I currently have a state attorney looking at my documents (miracle) and represents four years of my work to find a solution. With your family in opposition to you even when your life is on the line, doesn't make you want to continue on at all. This site has helped me to cope through some ruff things. thanks for asking about me. I do need help and prayers, like so many do on this site. ginnie

[I am a pain patient too. Lucky to have the doctor I do. Sometimes I wish the doctors who see us would read these sites. This is the place where truth resides, and some doctors just don't listen to people. To be yelled at or to be treated with disrespect when we are in pain is a sham. The medical profession would learn alot about us if they did visit here. I don't mind, a dose of the truth, and the human side of our conditions is just what the doctors should learn. We are to be compassionte with each other. ginnie