Like everything else revolving around the “war on drugs”, I suspect that there are no statics kept – or divulged – on how many families are NOT VOCAL ADVOCATES until someone in their family has died/OD’d. It doesn’t make any difference if the family member OD’d on illegal drugs or killed driving drunk or killed by a drunken driver.
How many times have we read where a person had gone thru numerous rehab programs and the family is doesn’t starts being a vocal advocate until the family member once again returns to using/abusing opiates and OD’s -or commits suicide… which … according to reports… people that are using/abuse various substances .. .never seems to be reported as committing suicide when they die from a multi-substance overdose.
The family members comes out declaring that they “don’t want this to happen to any other family”
Of course, the chronic pain community also has many pts/families that are sitting on their hands with tape over their mouths until the pt’s prescriber, insurance, legislatures and others..causes the pt’s pain medication(s) to be reduced or eliminated all together.
A successful advocate program takes people with many talents and areas of knowledge/expertise. It needs people who are organizers, fund raisers, motivators, educators, strategists and all those affected being active in advocating to the best of their ability.
I am closing in on my FIFTH YEAR of blogging and trying to be a advocate for the chronic pain community. I have seen many people try to advocate and organize the chronic pain community… all too many have come and gone… because it would seem that the chronic pain community is divided into several areas…. those that have their meds cut back to where the pt is has little/no quality of life, the spouse and their family has abandoned them, and those who believe that if they keep their head down and their mouth shut…they will be alright… otherwise they are in the state of denial.
Filed under: General Problems
yes,,,contact fda,cdc,,all of them, hhs,,,I forward a lot from here ,,,Mr.Lawhrens,,I write our medical board,,,but most I do a lot of forwarding,,soo it not just MY,, opinion,,,,type dea;l,,,,,,maryw
I have written formal letters, faxes, and emails concerning the “shortages”, heavy metals in medication, advocating for sister with late stage Lyme, and opiate pain meds. I have called politicians offices, human rights watch, Empire Justice, personal injury lawyers….who never call back. Your idea about all of us chipping-in for legal representation was a great one. I believe this is the only way we will get results. I am preparing to fax and respond to senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s recent email to my sister asking for letters to “How we fight back”. I also subscribe to other blogs focused on chronic pain like Facebook, National Pain Ins. What happened with the contribution towards buying legal representation ? I don’t know what else to do. Contact the FDA, CDC, IDSA ?
Ditto Steve,,,heres the thing about using your real name,,I do,,,when I /we filed a formal complaint w/the
U.N,
1] they will not accept ANY anonymous claims,,
2]They will NOT communicate via the Internet,,why???,,,”our government,” remember when the N.S.A, got busted spying on the red cross,human rites watch etc,So,,the U.N will not use the internet
3] The U.N will only respond to formal complaints that use their formal paper work to file your complaint,,via snail mail. and YOUR NAME!..
4] You can send them a email,,they will record it.,,but they will not respond via the Internet..
5] The U.N will send out ,”representatives,” unknown to all,,,to watch and observe your claim,,,they maybe here now,,,watchen for now,,,what our Government is doing to ,”prove harm,”,then confront thee accused ie meeting at the U.N where the united states refused to sit down??.
My point in bring this up,,is,,unless you have the gonads/the steel to stand up,,via stand behind your name,,,to not be shameful of what our ,”cause is,” ,,which is humane treatment to all human beings who cannot literally live life w/out MEDICINE,, that effectively lessen physical pain,,which for MANY,,IS Opiate MEDICINE,,,why would ANY TRUST U to fight back or to not bail out when the going gets tough??!!Why would u be ashamed to attach your name to humane care??Goes back to facing your accuser,to have a legal rite to seeee our accuser in a court of law,,Would any of these ,”anonymous,” be willing to sit in a court of law??I have literally ask 2 men from this site,,,,both said yes,,they will GLADLY ,, sit in a court of law,,to confirm this inhumane ,cruel treatment,,no fear!!men of steel,,jmo,,However,,these anonymousness’ do give us knowledge,,,on how they other side thinks,,,which aids in the defeating the liers,,,etc ,,on thee other side,,thee opiatephob side,,thee arrogant side,,thee inhumane side,,,,,,
IF WE DON’T CONTINUE TO FIGHT BACK,,WE WILL BE LOCKED UP IN THE WAREHOUSES OF DAYS OF OLD,,THEE PENNHURST’S,THE EUGENICS,THE SANATARUIMS,
,FOR INSURANCE WILL BE-ABLE TO DENY US CARE,AND IF U AINT GOT THE MONEY TO PAY A 20,000 DEDUCTABLE,,THEY WILL USE RESTRAINTS ON YOU , THE 4 POINTS,LIKE THEY DID TO THAT POOR MAN WHO WAS IN PHYSICAL PAIN FROM CONGESTIVE HEARTFAILURE W/HIS HEART PUSHING ON EVERY ORGAN IN CHEST,4 POINT RESTRAINTS DON’T STOP PHYSICALPAIN,DAH,,,BUT THIS IS OUR FUTURE A PSYCH -WARD ANDS BEING TIED DOWN LIKE A ANIMAL IN A TRAP/
IT HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE AND THEY ARE DOING IT AGAIN NOW!!!! ,,MARYW
This is so true. But quite a few “support/advocacy” groups need to stop making us use our real names online in order to be a part of it. We can’t risk losing our dwindling medicines because many pain docs DO scour social media. Same with publications that want editorials/stories. I’ve been snubbed more than once after the owner was gung ho on having me write something after I politely explained that I’m already in danger due to not having any other options besides the hospital that was abusing me. This is the tech age. We need to be careful as well as utilize it ie record your appointments if it’s a single party recording state and get the abuse out on the internet. Screw local media.
Thank you for all you do Steve . Your absolutely right .