Preparing for "Plan B"

We spent a good part of Thursday and Friday down at MD Anderson so Reid could have blood work, CT scan, PET scan, etc., done.  He has an appointment with the Oncologist next Friday, October 15th.

Sadly, he's in considerable pain.  A week ago the ER doctor gave him a prescription for pain, but by Wednesday he was running out.  We tried to call and get the prescription refilled, but since it's a controlled substance only his doctor can write the prescription and he wasn't there.  The Physician's Assistant gave us a prescription on Thursday for a non-controlled pain killer and Reid says it helps some, but neither prescription takes the pain away or makes him feel like doing much.  He doesn't even want to drive because turning his neck to check the blind spots is nearly impossible.   Yesterday by the time the last test was done he was really hurting and we grabbed a wheelchair for the long walk through the hospital and to the parking garage. 

MD Anderson has wheelchairs all over the place and it's never difficult to find one.  They also have chairs, couches, recliners, rockers, etc., all over the place.  Since there's often a lot of waiting between tests they really try and make things as comfortable as possible.  There are also tables and chairs spread throughout the buildings with jigsaw puzzles.  You often see patients curled up on couches or in comfortable chairs sleeping.  For Reid one of the recliners yesterday with back support made him a little more comfortable while waiting.  I really think they've thought things through and try and make things as comfortable as possible.

This week while we were trying to get pain medication for Reid I got an E-mail alert from our local police department.  A drug dealer was arrested with 200 of the pills that Reid could have really used for pain.  It makes me so mad because people like that make it difficult for someone that really needs the medication to get it.  I totally understand why the prescription needs to come from his doctor.  Ever since I signed up for the E-mail alerts I've been surprised by how many arrests are made in this little town and so often it's for someone with prescription medication without a prescription.  It's definitely a big problem.

For now Reid is using the medication that the PA prescribed.  His doctor was there yesterday and we could have gone by and gotten another prescription, but Reid decided he'd go with what the PA prescribed.  I hope he'll be somewhat comfortable over the weekend.  We know his doctor will be in the clinic on Tuesday, so if necessary I'll go down and get the other medication then.

I feel so bad that he didn't call MD Anderson within a week of the pain appearing.  I know he didn't because he knew I was busy running back and forth to the nursing home while my Dad was dying and he was trying to make things easier for me.  I could cry when I think about him suffering now because he was trying to spare me.

The Oncologist told us in August that he has a "Plan B" for Reid if there was a recurrence, so we wait now for word on "Plan B."