I too have had doctors/surgeons tell me to not be afraid of taking pain meds. Never let the pain get ahead of you, because then it is twice as hard to relieve. And I've had some surgeries. I won't bore you with the gory details.

That sounds like a great children's story idea. I can see in my mind's eye: the two swimming in the ocean, climate change, oceans warming, schools of fish, coral dying. Yep, it could work.

You go! You crazy ambitious writer you.