Limegreen

At the health care center at which I work, there are two volunteers that play the harp for our dying patients. It brings comfort to the soul and also benefits the staff that hears the music also. I don't know the details, but they attend special classes to learn this type of music.

This sounds very interesting, we use scop patches for tracheal congestion, but haven't heard of it used this way. I'm going to bring this up at our next IDT meeting. Thank you.

He lives at home, recent diagnosis of Pancreatic cancer. He was using a Duragesic patch incorrectly--on 3 days, leaving off for 3 days and Vicodin tab1 at H.S.When he entered Hospice, increased patch to 50mcg, and at this time is using Morphine 10mg tabs 1-2 prn breakthrough pain. Knowing that it takes the patch a few days to become fully effective,encouraged him to take the Morphine and Tylenol on a regular basis which he did for one day with total relief of the pain, but the medicine is clouding his thinking which he doesn't like. I hope this effect wears off as he becomes accustomed to the Duragesic and then may be able to back off on the Morphine, or may need to increase the Duragesic. He is ambulatory, has little appetite. Using Glycolax daily for constipation. His pain is at the L waist goes around to the L flank rates from 0 to 8. 79 yrs. old.

Have you found any specific medications or adjunct therapies that help with pain relief for the pancreatic cancer patient in hospice?