Late last year, my mother-in-law, Marie, lost her long battle with colon cancer. A few months before she died, I remember visiting her in the nursing home on a particularly bad day in September.

Marie was in pain—a lot of pain. I checked with the nurses station. The evening nurse was sympathetic, but unable or unwilling to help.

Fast forward one week. Marie seemed to be doing better. But not before my wife, Pattie, and I "rattled a few cages" and convinced Marie's physician, nurses, and nursing home personnel to take …