International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) - Washington, District of Columbia

Faith

It’s a blessing to see someone advocate. By far there is still people going unheard. These are people imprisoned in their homes because they can’t function because and no quality of life. It’s horrible to ask for help and be dismissed or profiled. I deal with fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, scoliosis, stenosis in entire spine. Degenerative disc disease,Spondylitis, bulging disc and a pinched nerve to list a few. You can’t imagine! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been treated like a drug seeker. The quality of life is poor. You and your health along with your physical attributes become diminished. I’ve lost my career. I’m barely hanging on to my family. I’ve developed migraines. And, no one cares! It doesn’t matter what is wrong with you you’re disposable. It’s a nightmare. This last dr didn’t even care enough to look at the mris. I worked many years in healthcare and I would have ever imagined physicians and government would have ever let you suffer. It traumatically affected every part of my life. It’s even more traumatic when you leave begging for help and dismissed as a piece of trash. I’ve never had a drug problem. How do you get help? I honestly feel like if it was left to the gatekeeper that we would be sent to gas chamber. It’s childish but we are dying in agony. The only thing I haven’t lost is my son. And I’m barely hanging on while no one cares. I live in Waycross Ga. If you don’t look and sound the acceptable norm then you might as well write junkie on your forehead. How are you supposed to ack when you have gotten to this point. All you have to say is opioid and the professionals are declaring people drug seeker. You say pain and most people assume addiction. It’s in the professional institution across the board. It’s because so stigmatized even in the professional world. Not all doctors understand the realities. You battle them but it does no good because their words are the Devine. The government doesn’t either. What do we do? We can’t function anymore. We can’t stand up for ourselves. Mentally it feels like you’re being tortured and you feel like dying. Being educated doesn’t mean anything.

Nick G.

Yulanda G.