Thanks for posting this (I just got a chance to read through it).

I can definitely relate to the "getting chastised for not getting the doctor to take care of the pain properly" part. I had the pharmicist get on to me for my wife being without pain medication when I explained what was going on. He said I needed to be more comunicative with the doctor. I was doing my best of course, but often you get stuck between someone making you feel bad for taking so much medication and somone telling you you shouldn't be in pain and that you're not taking enough.

Probably the hardest thing about this for my wife is the stigma associated with pain killers. She can't go for anything beyond a few hours without taking Vicodin (or a comprable generic), and this makes her feel like a drug addict. Often she tries to second guess herself, wondering if she's somehow making up the pain to feed an adiction. The doctors don't help with this either- they are all paranoid that she's manipulating them into giving her drugs she doesn't need.

And then there's our friends, who I think are convicned she's a hypocondriac. She never wants anyone to know she's in pain because out of pride and not wanting people to think she a constant complainer.

I guess I'm just rambeling here, but it's amazing how complex a life can get when you have to deal with pain management. It's not just about being able to treat the pain, but all of the social implications that go along with itt.