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Hi, I recently divorced my wife of 10 years. Due to severe and chronic back pain, she became in my eyes a complete and nonfunctioning addict. Pre-pump she was prescribed up to 365mg of Oxy a day on top of a slew of other medications. 9 different pills a day, and endless marijuna smoking. Needless to say our married life became a living hell. I left her for a month. I then took her back, with the one and only condition, and that condition was that she get a morphine pain pump. For a short while, she came back to me. But then it was back to BT meds on top of the pump and the madness started all over again. I left her for good for my own sanity. We are now in a huge custody dispute over my two small children. I live in CA. and they always give custody to the mother much to my horror. Now my questions. 1.) How long can someone live with a pain pump? She got hers when she was 36. Isn't the reality that the pump just masks the pain to the brain and that it doesn't really go away. Could a person live to a 'ripe old age' with a pump. Or would years of drugs at somepoint take it's toll on her mind her liver etc... 2.) What is her ability to take care of children on her own without assistance? She couldn't do it on her own when we lived together. What would a long term prognosis be? 3.) Should a person with a pain pump even be driving a car? Especially with children in it?
4.) It has been my experience that opaites of anykind change a person soul. Now I know I am generalizing, but my wife had a long and storied history of drug and alchole addicitions before any of the back problems kicked in. And no, I'm not a coward for leaving her. Trust me when I say it was madness and I had to do it for my own sanity.
5.) How many people with pain pumps countinue to work after they get them? Is the disablilty thing a scam?
Really, I would like for someone to explain to me the effect of having a pump and living on drugs for the rest of their lives. How can it be done?
The questions you ask are difficult and most are specific to your particular situation. They can and should only be answered by medical and/or legal professionals who are familiar with your ex-wife’s case. For us to try to answer them here would be practicing medicine or law without a license. Your doctor or pharmacist should be able to give you the general information about the various opioid medications; and you would need to talk with a California attorney to find out what your rights/options are regarding the safety and well-being of your children. I’m sorry we can’t be of more help.
