Hi Sophia,

ITS NEVER TOO LATE !
Just hang in there and please DONOT give up , even though your docs might say wat not but Your mind is the biggest doctor and it has been proved that ur brain can cure biggest of the deseases.
Just be positive !

I'll pray for You...

Sophia, the patches will offer some relief, try them please. You need some relief from the pain. Go in with a list of questions and hand it to the Nurse, ask her to sit with you and have her write or the Dr. write the answers on the paper next to the questions. This way they HAvE to give you an answer to each, and you can take it with you to re-read. Course, sometimes we don't really want the answers in some situations. But, I know when I worked as a Nurse, this would 'make' the Dr. respond to each question and not avoid it. But, get relief from your pain as quickly as you can, it will help you be able to sort things out if you can get relief. Linda

Sophia-

I agree with Bailey4 that you should try the patches and then take something else (liquid oxycodone or something similar that you can put in your peg tube if you have one or can take by mouth more easily and use this for breakthrough pain). I can't really answer your question about chemo but a close friend of mine has pancreatic cancer and surgery was not an option. He has used chemo to try to slow the growth of his tumor and has done quite well. He has had to be very aggressive about pain management and about managing side effects from chemo (e.g., nausea, fatigue) and he relies on his partner to be his advocate. He has sought second opinions about other chemo protocols (esp. if his current one stops being as effective which apparently happens often or sometimes the initial protocol is not effective). I imagine you are so tired and overwhelmed so that is where you really could use a strong and persistent family member or friend to understand all of your concerns and wishes from you and then translate them along with you for your doctors.

My thoughts are with you as you have been through so much- Sophie

sophie

as part of my job at the hospice i was researching directories of information.

i have found the following three addresses.I dont know if they will be of any help,but here they are.
HHELLENIC ASSOCIATION FOR PAIN CONTROL & PALLIATIVE CARE
ANAVISOU 8
190 -10 KALIVIA
THORIKOUATIKI
0030 299 48439

HELLENIC SOCIETY OF PALLIATIVE SYMPTOMATIC CARE.
LEFKON OREON
GERAKAS

0030 6936718181

UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS
PAIN RELIEF & PALLLIATIVE CARE

27 KORINTHIAS AVENUE
ATHENS 11526

30 210 7707669

Sophia,
I hope that by now you have received more help from your doctors to ease your pain.

Dear Malka,
I feel desperate. my pain is stronger, my strengths had all gone away and the swelling are up to the nose. i can't talk anymore and it is so hard to deal with all this. my oncologist told me to try a chemo, i will but i don;t know how i would be after that. nothing seems that can take this swelling go away. this road has no return, it's a dead-end.

Sophia,

I am so sorry...you need better pain management. Is there anyone you can call to help you fight for this?? I know you feel there is no hope but there has to be someone that can be an advocate for you and at least get something to alleviate your pain.

Sending thoughts and strength you way,

Deb

There has to be someone to help you. Let's put our thinking caps on. Again, try talking to the Nurse at Dr.'s office?

Did anyone see my message?I researched greece and posted three places that offer pain managemant.

yes, Cookey i did see your msg and pls forgive me that i forgot to thank you. i will have my family ask about these. today i am going to visit my Dr. because most of the area from the nose and down is swollen and under my eyes there are swelling like sth has bitten me. i asked my Dr. to prescribe me an oxycodene pain killer to ease my pain as you advised me. he told me that things, as you can all understand are very difficult and uncontrolled. he doesn;t think that the chemo has a lot to offer, but perhaps is the only thing that could help a little. yes i know that if this torture lasts another couple of days i must get into hospital. i just feel that nothing can be done any more, i started cortison again but can;t take more than 5 days. everything shows that i lost this battle, i don;t have any other weapons left to fight any more. i just wish this swelling to go away & feel released even for just a little. i am afraid that if i go to the hospital i will never return home and that;s sth i don;t want to happen.