The unfortunate bias against chronic pain/chronic illness sufferers.

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cpa
Living with chronic pain/chronic illness is not easy. We wake up each day feeling as if we've been run over by an 18 wheeler. Throughout the day, those sensations never go away. It takes great might for us to do even the most mundane of activities (showering, brushing teeth, getting out of bed, pouring a cup of coffee, etc).
Our lives are in the hands of doctors and medication.

What happens when we are unable to speak to our doctors, and get our hands on medication, especially in an emergency?
My friend Miriam unfortunately knows the answer to that. Miriam suffers from Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD). MCTD is a mixture of Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Scleroderma, Raynaud's Phenomenon, and others. All of these diseases are painful on their own. Can you imagine what it is like for someone who suffers from MCTD?

Recently, Miriam was unable to contact her Rheumatologist, as they were on vacation. Miriam was suffering a substantial flare up of symptoms. She contacted her primary doctor, who then insisted she was crazy. When she was on her last dosage of medication, she went to the ER. The ER doctors turned her away because of her illness. They accused her of being a drug addict, and told her to never return to the ER for chronic pain.
Miriam, like many others, was left with no choice but to use marijuana to help relieve her severe pain.
Folks, I have known this woman for 13 years. She is not a drug addict. She is a spunky and strong woman who has barely drank alcohol.

You might be wondering why she was turned away so rudely. Well, in many cases similar to Miriam's, it's mainly because she is of low-income status. When you are of low income status, and are chronically ill, you are seen as a pill pusher. You are seen as a crazy drug addict looking to get their next fix. It's an unfortunate truth that even I've been a victim of.

When I injured my back, I went to the ER for help. I wasn't there to get medication. I just wanted to know why I was in pain. I was bawling my eyes out, nauseated from the surge of pain. ER doctors still laughed at my face and told me there was nothing they could do for me.

Miriam sent me a petition entitled: "Petitioning Women Challenged by Chronic PainEnd Pain Care Bias Toward Women In Chronic Pain The creator of the petition, Cynthia Toussaint, needs 1,000 or more signatures. As of this posting she has 912 supporters, including me.
Please sign the petition for every chronic pain/chronic illness sufferer that you know.

The bias against chronic pain/chronic illness needs to end.

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