The Fentynal pain patch 75 mg is now a big NO in our books. It made David so loopy! I had to take him to the emergency room because I couldn't wake him up. They had to give him Narcaine (spelling??) to wake him and the ER removed the pain patch. Time released?? IT was way too strong. Six hours after removal, David finally came back to me in a logical normal state. I can't believe that I was putting it on him every 3 days and not realizing that it was a huge problem. I was just following doctors orders in an attempt to control the terrible pain. It's a subtle patch that makes you forget that it's there. It's frightning to see the difference from when the patch was on and when it was removed. I don't blame myself...I just didn't know enough. We learn as we go along.
He also does not remember ANYTHING while he was on that patch. No memory of his parents visiting, no memory of the first chemo infusion, the ER visit, etc.

In regards to the peg. David had some considerable pain a week after the peg was inserted. We thought it was due to the extra loss of weight that week. He lost the body fat surrounding the incision site and there was no protective fat to stop the pain. It has gotten better now that we have started a regular feeding regime.

David has changed his chemo routine from once every 3 weeks to once a week. It's a lower dose in shorter intervals. We felt that waiting 3 weeks was too long with the tumor growing under his jaw. The side effects are less and there has been no nausea. The pain had returned but at a lower level which is another reason that we wanted the chemo once a week. He now takes as low a dose as possible to keep the pain under control. Percocet, Oxycontin and Oxycodone. I hate all that stuff. A necessary evil?

We are iced in here in Georgia. A freezing rain occurred last night. Very unusual and dangerous especially for us. We are staying in-doors like good doobies. I can't afford to get hurt in this stuff.

Brenda