by Jude Roberts, Staff Writer
One of the most frightening and stressful
aspects of caregiving is not knowing what to do
when your loved one is experiencing pain. It’s
important to remember that there is actually no
reason for this pain to go untreated or be
ignored. It is usually more effective to treat
pain earlier rather than later, when it might
become more severe and be even more unbearable.
Pain that goes untreated can lead to a major
disruption in a person's ability to work, to
deal with relationships, and with their view of
the world in general. By recognizing the fact
that under- and untreated cancer pain can lead
to needless suffering, despair, and deeper
depression, a caregiver has the ability to
inform members of their loved one’s medical team
and alert them to the severity of the pain. When
you’re caring for someone who has this type of
pain, you may be asked to: administer
medication, including having to make decisions
about what to give and when to give it; keep
records of all medications given, including
doses, quantities, and how often; encourage or
remind the person about taking their
medications; provide a number of non-drug
interventions, such as massage, applying
ointments and lotions, cold and heat,
positioning and helping them with their
mobility; help provide distractions, as well as
emotional support.
Questions that you should ask the doctor regarding a
loved one’s pain control plan include: How do I
administer the medication? Can pain medicines in
pill form be crushed or broken into halves or
quarters? What do I do if the medicine wears off
and the pain returns, but it’s too early for
another pill? What do I do if the pain doesn’t
go away, even though the pills are being taken
as prescribed and as early as allowed? Can more
medicine be taken, or should the doctor be
called first? What happens if pain wakes them up
in the middle of the night? What do I do if a
dose is skipped by accident? What can I do for
breakthrough pain? What side effects should I
watch for and when should I call for
professional help? What can be done for side
effects? Who can help me in getting answers to
any or all of these questions? Sometimes, you
may be able to have a nurse come to your home
and assist with some of these tasks, and teach
you how to manage the pain control plan. Some
insurance companies will pay for an RN to come
to your home and help monitor the situation. You
can check to see if you are able to receive this
kind of help by checking with the doctor, social
worker or with the insurance company itself.
Also, one of the most important things to know
is whom to call when you have a problem or
concern, during and after office hours. Knowing
this may help to alleviate some of your own
stress, especially if you don’t feel as though
you have to make all of the decisions.
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