I am a bit (very) late to this thread. I am with rowan, why do doctors misunderstand morphine so much? Is the pain constant or just at dressing changes? if the latter, Has she ever had fentanyl lollipops for dressing changes? They are brilliant - quick to work and quick to go - ideal for incidental pain. If the former, she needs a long acting pain killer. People are sometimes their own worst enemies - they hear "morphine" and think either they are dying or they are a junkie. Morphine (and the like) is a very good painkiller. Befroe i had my first hip replacement i was on long term morphine (patches), and drove, worked as a nurse and had a normal life - the morphine was all used up by the pain, so none left over to make me into a junkie :) When the pain was better, i reduced the patches.