My wife has been in traditional pain management for over 30 years. First NSAIDS, then when she couldn't tolerate them after our daughter was born 25 years ago, she switched to opiates and they have worked pretty well, she has not significantly increased the amount until recently when she had broken ribs from a fall.

Then she started to get very sick, her condition deteriorating over the last 1.5 years, with what looks like a moderate case of Stevens Johnson syndrome causing skin lesions and ulcers. I thought they might be from the Tylenol, and now I know her liver was also compromised.

She has frequent migraines and cluster headaches, sometimes multiple times a day, and at age 63, she has aging pains, as well as 3 fractured ribs from a fall in February.

Now she is diagnosed with a rare auto-immune condition that has destroyed most of her liver. Doctors in the hospital say they are afraid to give her any opiates because they might shut down her liver completely.

She has always worried about what she would do if she could not take the opiates, or they stopped working. Now, resuming her pain management routine will kill her.

I massaged her neck and back and cuddled her and she was able to relax, finally. But she is suffering terribly, and the stress has affected her breathing to the point where she is not intubated for the 3rd time in 3 weeks. It must be awful to lie in bed with nothing to do except suffer from pain all over your body, and try to breathe deeper, which also hurts. I brought magazines and books and games, but she barely has the concentration to watch tv.

When I discussed massage with the nurse and doctor, the doctor said "We do not have a massage spa here" and the nurse said she would be worried about loosening a clot in a bed-ridden patient. I also asked about PT, and the doctor said they only give it to ambulatory patients, not bed-ridden ones.

I want to give information about non-prescription pain relief to the resident doctor, he has indicated he is willing to learn about new things. They don't teach that kind of stuff in medical school.

In the past my wife tried bio-feedback and acupuncture with little relief.

I know certain foods, especially spicy ones with capsacin have helped some. My wife likes spicy foods, and has told me she has considered pickled hot cherry peppers an anti-depressant for many years.

The hospital has her on bland pureed foods - when she is not intubated with a feeding tube. I asked the doctor if I can bring some guacamole, but he said she can only have mashed pureed foods (?!)

I have also discussed medical marajiuana with her, but she is skeptical that it would help.

An Indian friend gave me a tulsi plant (Indian basil) and told me there are reports of miraculous recoveries from extracts and teas of tulsi.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, and helpful to the community as well.