Elder Pain Management

techmom99
Wed, 21 Nov 2018 13:05:35 +0000

MIL’s ankle pain is the residual effects of a fracture years ago. Her ankle was actually surgically fused more than 20 years ago but she is now having pain again. We found a brace and H took it over yesterday and put it on her. She liked the slight pressure feeling on the ankle so for now she is going to keep it and wear it during the day. She probably could walk but refuses to try. If we can get the ankle pain under control, we will try in home PT again.

She isn’t taking just 3 tylenols a day, she’s taking 3 at a time several times a day. We are going to give her Motrin today and explain to the aide about using one Motrin and one Tylenol together, instead of three Tylenols. Given her prior problems with opioids and alcohol abuse, H jokes that she has a titanium liver, but I still don’t want to test it.

I don’t live in a state with legalized marijuana. There is medical mj, but I don’t know that her condition would qualify.

H asked her yesterday and she denies pain anywhere else in the body, even the hip. I believe her because she has no incentive to lie about it.

In addition to the salonpas, I am going to look into Lidocaine patches. Anything that will avoid the possibility of bringing narcotics into the home but will address her pain issues is on the table. We tried a small safe once before. My SIL stole it and got it smashed open. We are stuck with her in the house till MIL passes. As noted upthread, we had her evicted twice and both times, MIL welcomed her back. SIL now knows that because she is over 65 and disabled, that it’s not as easy to evict her, not that it was easy the other times.

Thanks so much. The ideas and suggestions here have given H and I some hope that his mom can live out the rest of her life as pain free as possible.