My aunt and Uncle went home today and since they arrived last Thursday mum has appeared to be in good form. I say appeared because she has not gone for a sleep during the day and has stayed up well beyond her usual bed time. I did suggest on the first evening that she would struggle if she kept staying up late and didn't sleep at all inthe day but she said she was enjoying having them here and felt fine.
They set off home at 11am today and at lunch time mum sent me a text saying she was going to bed as she was really tired. I text back saying I wasn't surprised as I knew she would be really tired. She then rung to say not only was she tired but her back was in agony! She has suffered from lower back pain for years and, though, initially had pain in her lung area the docs had sorted out her pain meds and she has not been suffering pain. Whilst my aunt and uncle were here she insisted on doing the cooking etc. and had mentioned to me once or twice her back was sore but hadn't indicated that it was worse than normal. I told her she was doing too much and I didn't think it was cancer related but her lower back problem from previously.
Her district nurse came today so mum told her how much pain she was in. She told the nurse I had said I didn't think the pain was cancer related as it was not in her lung area and the nurse said the cancer can cause pain anywhere and told mum to step up her oramorph to every four hours and said they may have to step up her MST! I'm ot happy about this as she is not a cancer nurse and has no knowledge of mums previous medical history before her diagnosis.
Obviously I do not want mum to suffer pain of any description but I do feel she has the pain as a result of doing too much and needs to rest and take her current pain meds properly before they up her MST. She has also slept in my bed whilst my aunt and uncle were here as she wanted them to have her bed and I slept in the spare bed in our loft conversion above my bedroom. She is not used to my mattress and did say that she felt it was affecting her back but is now saying it is nothing to do with the mattress because the district nurse says......! This is a district nurse who is filling in for mums usual nurse who is on holiday.
Of course I questioned how the nurse could say it was related to mums cancer when she had no knowledge of mums medical history. Mums xrays show the cancer is shrinking so why would the back pain be increasing? Am I wrong? Anyone know? I'd appreciate anyone who has perhaps had a similar experience. I know I've upset mum because I was angry that she said she didn't need to rest at the weekend and was fine when she clearly wasn't! My aunt and uncle are used to mum going for a sleep and would not have bothered if she'd gone to bed for an hour or two whilst they were here. She was the life and soul whilst they were here and now that it's just me and her she's really exhausted, down and in pain! I'm really annoyed with her but shouldn't have had a go at her. I now feel really guilty for probably making her feel worse than she already did! She's now gone to bed for a sleep.
