Beyond Midterms
What’s Next?
Midterms are behind us. You may be pleased or displeased with the results. Either way, the newly elected, and the reelected, senators and members of congress will now determine healthcare policy.
They will take office in January. In the meantime, do your homework. When you’re worried that your doctor might be pressured to abandon you or taper your drugs, you may be tempted to believe that the elections don’t matter. You may believe that no politician would empathize with people in pain.
Newly Elected Officials Provide Hope
That may not be true. Newly elected politicians represent another chance to make your voice heard. The freshman representatives will be looking for ways to help their constituents. Please consider leveraging that opportunity. Be the first to reach out to them.
If you haven’t yet learned the results of your local elections, check here. Then research the winners. They each should have their own web site and social networking accounts. You may be able to learn their current positions on handling the opioid crisis.
Don’t Wait Until January
Get to know their concerns, and make copious notes that include what they’ve gotten right and what they don’t yet know. Be ready to hit the ground running. Don’t wait for January. Contact them now, and share your story and concerns.
Expect them to be open to what you have to say. It is a new day, and there is reason to hope.
I read your blog religiously, find important information. I read your book, THE PAINFUL TRUTH, which has comforted me. I like the coping mechanisms. I would like to share one more, journaling. Put the pain on paper, examine the words, personalize the pain. Helped me to understand my pain and and relieves my pain.
The AMA finally started doing their job this week and officially opposed the CDC guidelines. They recognized that the MME guidelines should not be Stan dardized and, that it’s up to the doctors to prescribe our meds instead of the insurance companies monitored by the pharmaceutical companies who monitor the insurance companies! Now everyone needs to comply after they’ve taken meds away and written up new policies.
DoctorsofCourage will have all the reps email addresses, FBpages, health staff names and addresses (the best people to communicate with), and personal information on the membership pages for both House and Senate. We want to start up a regular campaign of communication so that all reps are contacted, and also specific ones that should have a vested interest in our situation. So please, consider joining DoctorsofCourage. It is obvious over the last two years that individuals mean nothing to the legislature. We must unite and be a recognized group.
It’s no use. My pain management anesthiologist quit and in his place is a new doctor from out of town, who has completely bought in to the legislative program. I have been a patient at this particular clinic for 17+ years. In the period of time from September to November, 2018, my E.R. was decreased from 90 to 15 mg Q 12 hrs. and I had to quit the 1 mg benzodiazipine for sleep. I now cannot sleep, have a difficult time walking and am still employed full-time, but have no brain for work. Excuse me, why was I singled out? Just another chronic pain patient left by the wayside.