73 Medication and Food

22 January 2017


Today was a day of contrasts. This morning we had a great visit with Richard & Christiane from Ottawa with a walk around the island followed by refreshments. I had a few sips of coffee and a tiny nibble on one of Mattea's delicious cookies.  After our friends left, I set up my lunch drip feed and near the end I was very sleepy so lay down in bed to take a short nap at about 1:00pm with my drip feed still running.

That was a mistake!

Now that I am on a low dose Fentanyl patch I need to add morphine to maintain the right level. So I woke at 3:30pm from my nap, missing my noon morphine dose. The result was a state of sudden withdrawal. It was like falling into a pit of pain, misery, confusion and disorientation with no escape. With great difficulty I found the medication and 15 minutes later I was feeling much recovered.  It convinced me that withdrawal from pain medication must be slow. I'm on a low dose so withdrawal for addicts must be the worst feeling.


23 January 2017

Today I had some further thoughts about the delights of eating. I still have pangs of mourning about my current tube feeding fate and I am trying to find ways to cope in case it doesn't resolve itself. Yesterday's experience with friends along with sipping coffee and cookie consumption was so pleasant and it reminded me that much of our past social activity is associated with eating. The one thing I really miss is the Waterview restaurant in Long Sault where they serve the best Chicken Souvlaki and perfect breakfasts! 

Thinking that I can't eat is too simple an analysis because eating has at least four separate components. As well as the social part, the main pleasure is enjoying the aroma and flavour of good food and this is all completed while chewing in the mouth. Swallowing comes next and finally digestion for the body's energy needs. Swallowing itself isn't a pleasure laden activity. It is just the brief but essential movement of the food to the stomach. This makes me realize that I can chew all my favourite foods and enjoy the delicious tastes so long as I don't swallow! So, when I join you for meals in the next while I will bring a fork and a spittoon and sample all the dishes that you have ordered while enjoying a good visit. I hope you don't mind sharing and, the spitting!