Pain Management

The two biggest questions asked the past few days have been: 1) "On a scale of 0-10 with zero being no pain and 10 being excruciating pain how would you rate your level of pain?" 2) "Have you passed gas?" The main exam is listening to her abdomen for signs of activity.

Until about six hours after the surgery Faina's answer to the first question was consistently nine or ten. It was constantly insisted that she could not be given a steady IV dose, that she would have to push the button on the pump. That meant a cycle of pain, push the button, 2 minutes later feel relief, fall asleep from the dose, wake up in pain, push the button ... The pain management team visited Faina Friday morning and put her on a steady base dose of morphine that she supplements by pushing the button. Yesterday she infrequently pushed the button although she reported the pain level to be about 5-6.

Another hospital team inserted a PICC line so Faina is now taking her nourishment through a line that goes into a vein that goes directly into her heart. She has swollen up a bit from all of the fluids.

Faina placed an excited call in the afternoon, "Guess what I just did?" It was a yes to question number two. On a scale of 0-10 it was not quite Blazing Saddles campfire scene, but a start.

Her intestines gave off minimal signs of activity. The latest buzz is possibly real food tomorrow and expect three-four more days at Hopkins.

All of this gives special resonance to the Asher Yatzar.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who formed
humans in wisdom, and created in us all manner of openings
and cavities. It is manifest and known before the throne of your glory
that if any one of them ruptured or were blocked,
it would be impossible to survive and stand before You.
Blessed are You, Adonai, who heals all flesh and is wonderful in Your acts.