🚀 go-pugleaf

EShipp@tennet.com (Eleanor Shipp) writes:

>In article <adm.859880724@ccadfa>, adm@ccadfa.cc.adfa.oz.au (David Moss) wrote:
> >EShipp@tennet.com (Eleanor Shipp) writes:
> >
> >
> >>What do you mean we?.. My experience with cancer sufferers is that the pain 
> >>control is very limited and ultimately unsuccessful, leaving the patient in 
> >>equal agony or some sort of morphia induced coma.
> >
> >Did you see the 7:30 Report the night before the Andrews Bill vote ?
> >The old dude with terminal cancer interviewed seemed to tell a radically
> >different story Eleanor. Jan, who works in the field, also seems to
> >tell a different story.
> 
>No I speak from personal experience. Having watched someone die from
>cancer and seen the effects of so called pain relief, there is little
>the medical profession can do other than the above. Go to a
>cancer/aids hospice and sit with the terminally ill for a while. See
>the impotence of the medicos as they step up the morphine until the
>patient doesn't even know their own children.

Must have been very upsetting Eleanor, and explains your position.
Did you see the 7:30 report I mentioned ? I suggest you do.
As for the effects you mention, don't you think it possible that the
effects of the disease rather than the effects of the drug may cause
the symptoms you describe ? I have seen similar symptoms in dying
people who were not suffering pain or recieving morphine.

>Terrific..... and when Nature is doing nothing but increasing the
>pain... what then?. Your little illness is nothing compared with the
>agony endured by the terminally ill.

Unless you somehow managed to inhabit my body for the duration, you
have some cheek telling me about pain level. Fortunately its finished
now, and I was right about the analgesic effects of pethedine.

>So a few hours on pethadine and you know it all? try months as the pain gets 
>worse and as your body starts to develop a tolerance. Feel your mind turn to 
>slush as the Morphine levels begin to reach fatal levels, but it is only the 
>pain that is keeping you alive.

The situation I described was only my most _recent_ experience.
I do know what it is like to live in hospital for months,
and I most certainly do know what it is like to recieve pain relief by
the clock rather than as needed. (Morphine on that occasion)

I am sorry your friend or relative suffered pain before death, but
having recovered from a number of very painful hospitalisations myself.
I choose to campaign for more effective palliative care rather than
throw up my hands and offer euthanasia instead.

You might also like to check out http://www.geocities.com/~dmoss/morphine.gif

David Moss,
personal opinion only.