Conscious Sedation

Okay.  I had the MRI.  I see the doctor about it tomorrow.  The conscious sedation worked wonders.  I was awake but groggy and thanks to fentanyl, not in pain.  Plus, they made sure there was something soft for my back because the tumors hurt like heck lying on my back, which of course, is my best position.  And it went for TWO HOURS.  Yikes.

So yesterday, I was thinking about it and it occurred to me that all the increase in agony could just be that my pain meds no longer work.  I phoned my pain doctor, spoke to the nurse, and I’m scheduled to go in anyway at the end of the month (they only see patients ONE day a week, which is kind of crazy but there you have it).  I’m very worried about the bowel thing; nothing works at all anymore.  She told me about this recipe for people on opioids called “Yakima Paste” which you can find at:  http://www.cancerlynx.com/fruitpaste.html   My helper owed me two hours so she was here on Tuesday….she went out, got the ingredients and made it for me….from going to the store to finish took a little over an hour!!!

I’ve been taking it as recommended (2 Tbs daily) and so far, nada.  But I need to give it time.  I told the nurse, gosh, this sounds find for your average person, but how will it help me?  She said it is specifically for opioid users, but I think it’s for short term use….not years on end.  But, who knows?  I’ll tell you what…it tastes fantastic!!!  It’s prunes, figs, raisins, lemon juice and brewed senna leaves.  I spread a bit over peanut butter on a slice of toast, or I eat it off the spoon.  Yummy, really.  I’d put the whole recipe here but it’ll be easier to just go to the site if you’re interested.  That way you can print it out a bit more easily without cutting and pasting, etc.

So, tomorrow my neurologist to read the MRI and tell me once again, “no change, bye bye”   With my increase in symptoms, I can’t believe that is the case, but again, it could be that the drugs only purpose now is to constipate me.  And it’s working find for that!  Unfortunately, it’s not what I want.