Listening to the Legions....

I recently joined a couple of email groups for people with chronic pain. I wanted to see what other people had to say, and how their chronic pain affected their life. It’s been interesting, and stirred up some pretty strong feelings.

On the positive side, it’s a comfort to know I’m not alone. Though I wouldn’t wish anyone to live with pain all the time, since they are, it’s nice to have someone to talk to who understands exactly what you’re saying, no explanation needed. They’ve been there, done that.

But it also makes me sad, not just to know there are legions of people with chronic pain out there, but it seems to be the norm to have a horror story connected to getting help.

I’m angered by the way people desperately seeking relief from debilitating pain are treated. So many are dismissed as hypochondriacs or drug addicts. If the doctors can’t see an obvious reason for the pain, it MUST be “in your head." There couldn’t possibly be a problem if they can’t diagnose it. Yeah, right…

It seems many doctors have such an inflated ego they can’t admit THEY might be the ones with the problem. Just because they can’t figure out the cause doesn’t mean there isn’t one, or that the person they’re supposed to be treating doesn’t have legitimate pain problems.

And the horror stories are legion. Doctors who won’t prescribe pain medications. Spouses who can’t take living with a chronically ill person, so pack up and leave. Nurses who refuse to schedule earlier appointments, “You can just wait,” when the appointment is weeks away and the person without pain medications. Insurance companies refusing to pay for treatments. Doctor after doctor who insist they have “the answer” but it turns out to be just another misdiagnosis.

And getting a diagnosis is often a nightmare. One woman told of living with an eye swelling and bulging out of the socket, nausea and pain, and how could any medical person not recognize there might be a problem with pressure on the brain and order an MRI or something? No, the problem went on for years before one doctor got smart enough to think “brain tumor” and did something about it.

The list goes on and on ad nauseum. There is story after story after story of misdiagnosis, unrelieved pain, and downright insensitive, cold-hearted treatment.

The biggest feeling I’m left with is depression. So many people are hurting and having such a difficult time getting help. Admittedly, sometimes there’s no cure. More often than not the best that can be done is to bring down the pain levels. But even if there’s no way to make the pain go away entirely, every bit of relief is a step in the right direction.

Every person seeking help deserves to be treated with dignity. Where is the compassion in our society? When are medical schools going to start teaching doctors about chronic pain, and to treat ALL their patients as real people, not just a “case”?

Listen to the legions. We need your help.
Listen to the legions. You might learn something.
Listen to the legions. We need your understanding.

Listen, please… just listen.