Because she had had the surgery and she was recovering from the surgery, it was so hard for her to not be continuously reducing her medication all the time. I think she felt both that it was a failure of her recovery. Also, she was really afraid that she would become addicted to this medication. The doctors explained she should get all the pain medication she needs. Worry about it later. We all wanted to think the pain was getting better. We didn't want to face that she had this pain. We all wanted her to be cutting back on the medication. In fact, I think that we pressured her a lot. I feel bad about that now. I wish we hadn't. Because it took months before the family was everybody together saying, okay, Jo Ellen is in charge of her pain medication. It is up to her. It is not anybody's business.

Additional Medical Information:

• Concerns about addiction