I wish I could wave a magic wand and everything would be perfect.....BUT...there were some things that you said that struck me; things that I may be able to address, so here goes..........
"...Not only do I live with an addict, he is dying and very sick....he is bedridden and in constant pain as it is..."
"...he says because he’s on methadone they won’t give him painkillers (it’s true, methadone is so lucrative for doctors they put anyone in chronic pain on it now, even if they have no drug history, it’s awful)..." ---- well, yes, methadone is used to aid addicts through withdrawal and early recovery,methadone IS also a pain medication.....just a li'll fyi....
"...It’s been months he won’t heal and no matter what I try, he won’t go to a doctor, he just says there is nothing they can do, he has a staph infection that has spread to his blood. He says it will get worse and he won’t live too much longer...Now I just found out he told someone in our building he has cancer and they have given him until Xmas..." ---- he says, he says, he says, etc., etc., etc. but like ladyamalthea said, how do you know what he's saying is the truth.....addicts lie ya know (lol), and I do believe I smell some porkies in his words....
"...He takes knives from the kitchen and slices his wounds (he says he is cleaning them). There is blood on knives and blood elsewhere. I was trying to keep the knives hidden, he uses scissors sometimes. He says he has to clean the wounds. But he won’t properly bandage them, though I have bought bandage..." ---- this one to me is the most alarming.....here is something against which you can work.....if he truly is harming himself, do you not have commitments procedures over there that allow family members to have someone else in the family committed; for a 72 hr observation time, at least....this may be very helpful, for both of you..... (o:
"...I am sick of hearing the hard line let him die that is WRONG..." ---- Unfortunately, with the exception of my last paragraph, we really don't have any power over others, especially addicts. I know that line comes off as very callous, but sometimes we have to back off and let the person do what they need to do, even if that is to die (....our own lives and sanity are involved too).
As other have said.....we didn't cause it; we can't control it; and we can't cure it.....
Thoughts & Prayers off 2u
NoelleR