Nurses proclaim to be the ultimate patient advocate. Yet very few protest as the federal government with all its attendant agencies wages war on those who would treat pain.

I know of what I speak here.I skied off a short cliff at Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado in November 1981. I suffered comression fractures of T-8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and L-1.

I will forgo boring you with how I was denied welfare even though I could not work for almost 2 years because I am "white" (true story as explained by the Hispanic social worker who explained how welfare works and why I was denied). Write an IM if you have any interest in that.

I lost over 2" in height, was blessed over that time with scoliosis and kyphosis due to interverteral compression and vertebral malformation on healing and am in almost constant pain to this day. Worse yet my pre-nursing escapades as a horseshoer and cowboy have left me with predictable pain and arthritis. Bareback bronc riding is hell on the spine and let me know it was there after I "broke" my back skiing.

Reasonable patient for pain meds and pain treatment, right? WRONG!!!!

The doctors, a**holes nearly all, do not care to take a stand against the feds and their drug freaking heads. Oh they will squawk about universal healthcare and social medicine. Of course, that affects their pay.

But stand up to the DEA and state that they are physicians and can treat pain and will treat pain?

Don't bet your kids' lunch money on it. Your "caring and loving" physician cares not or they would do something. And of course it is all for your good.

• You might become dependent on them


• They constipate you


• "Drugs aren't the answer"


• You can't use effective pain meds and work

See how concerned they are for your well being? Had we only known all along they cared so much. BS!!!!! At one point a few years ago legislation was introduced making pain a medical problem that had to be addressed. This legislation freed the doctor of the decision of treat or don't treat. The Bush administration put the quietus on that and it died.

I have posted several articles in the "Nurses In The News" section here on NL on pain and the Fed's aggressive actions against treating it. You old goats should read them and do something. Do something if you need pain control now. Do something because you will need it sooner or later for chronic pain or an acute episode.

You young'uns - do something. If you don't do it now by the time you're old and need it it will be too late. Uncle Sugar will have done shut down the pain pill factory!

hell and now there won't even be the ol colt 45 for me i guess i will have to settle for a tall bridge.  geez

Have you visited a chronic pain clinic?