DEAR ADVOCATE ARMY

Calling all Texans!

Congressman Weber’s assistant has requested to hear from the residents of the great state of Texas.  This is a golden opportunity for pain patients to bring the plight of untreated/under-treated pain patients in front of the Congressman.  Specifically your pain story as well as any stories related to illicit fentanyl (i.e. whether you or someone you know has suffered from an illicit overdose) and suicide related to pain.  In addition, the Congressman is interested in examining Texas state policy and its current is impact on pain patients (has Texas policy served as a detriment or interfered in your care).

The reason for this request is that I will be meeting with Congressman Weber’s office in the near future.  I have been asked to gather the above requested information in preparation for this meeting.  I am requesting that anyone who lives in Texas, who would like to participate, to please email their stories to me at: lrlonebear@ciaag.net by January 20, 2022.

I would like to reassure everyone that your information and any stories that are shared will be kept confidential and only used for the purposes of this meeting.

I am requesting that submissions are kept short and concise.  While I recognize that each person has a unique story to tell, I am requesting that submissions are one page in length to include the following:

• Your diagnosis
• Are you currently receiving pain treatment?
• Have you been force tapered/completely withdrawn from medications or tapered down to an ineffective dose?
• Were you forced into using ineffective alternative/complimentary modalities?
• Were you forced into taking medications or having procedures to justify receiving pain management?
• Had any practitioner imply that the pain is “all in your head”?
• Do you feel you have been harmed by Texas pain laws as they currently stand?

Thank you in advance for sharing your stories.  Feel free to email me with any questions or comments.

Leah R. LoneBear

CIAAG Director and Proud Texas Resident

reply to: lrlonebear@ciaag.net

responses due by:  Jan 20th 2022

all responses will be kept confidential but shared with Congressman Weber’s office for the purposes of this meeting only.