I was probably further along (maybe 20 treatments?) before I broke down in hysterics right before one of my radiation treatments ... they gave me a shot of something on the spot and a prescription for Fentanyl patches. And the comment that "We were wondering ... most people need help before this. Wow!" If I hadn't been in so much pain, I could've killed them ... I didn't realize I was a contestant in a contest to see how long I could go without asking for help, sigh. Your mom is SMART to ask for help sooner. There are things they can do to help. And if she has a tube (does she?), some of the pain meds she's taking can probably be crushed to go through that, instead of swallowed. Hey, crush and liquefy 'em anyway, if it comes to that ... no, I am not a pharmacist, but I take a lot of pills I can't swallow, and most of them dissolve before I can swallow them (I keep practicing), and they seem to work anyway. So if she can't get liquid, that's your other resort.

And while it is always best to go ahead and do the whole protocol, it's possible to once in a blue moon get a three day weekend or some such, and extend the treatment days at the end to make it up ... sometimes just that one day off mentally can help you feel better. I was able to do that at about halfway through my treatment to take a weekend workshop in a nearby city that I really, really wanted to do ... it was a hare-brained idea in retrospect and I can't believe everyone was okay with sick me being there ... but the mental break and the special low-key activity did me so much good, before the treatments got super bad for me. (Our city was plagued with snow and weather days too ... same season as we have right now ... so sometimes the cancer center itself even had to close. Which just shows that it CAN be adjusted, even if not ideal.)

Many ((hugs)) to all of you, and I hope she finds some good pain relief!