What Can We Do?

[+JuztBudz]

We have to do something about these pain management doctors who deny folks in real need, the medicines that they need. I have a client of the BACC that was in a terrible accident a couple of years ago, breaking nearly every bone in his body. Needless to say, this man has suffered enough in this lifetime. Now he is being denied any pain medicine whatsoever, simply because he is trying to lower the amount of narcotics that he needs to get him through. These doctors cannot be allowed to go forward in this manner, they have to be made to realize how much pain they are causing with these tactics. There is nothing in the law that says that this type of behavior is mandated. They have choices to be made, sure, but to cause a patient to contemplate ending his own life to end the pain? I can only hope that we, as a community can find some answers to this very difficult question before I lose this friend by his own hand. I always believed that the doctors were sworn to an oath, the Hippocratic Oath...the modern version follows...

 

“I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant: I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.

 

I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures [that] are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism.

 

I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug.

 

I will not be ashamed to say "I know not," nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient's recovery.

 

I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given to me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.

 

I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person's family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick.

 

I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.

 

I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm.

 

If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.

 

 

Written in 1964 by Louis Lasagna, Academic Dean of the School of Medicine at Tufts University, and used in many medical schools today.

 

There is nothing in here about being required by governmental intrusion to violate this oath. In fact, while the feds do suggest that pain management specialists require patients to sign an agreement about their use of other methods of pain control, there is nothing mandating the use of these agreements. It is a choice that each pain management doctor makes of his own accord.

 

I believe that we are protected from this very type of action, by the MMMAct, and that the time has come for us to sue the pants off doctors who act in this manner...

 

What say you?

 

Needless to say, this is a call to all of you...Do you know of a doctor who is willing to allow a patient to continue to take, and will prescribe, pain meds while using the benefit of cannabis? If so, please contact me at (810) 229 8053 (home) or 517 304 9252 immediately...Thank you!!!

 

p.s. we are in the southeast area of Michigan, the closer to home the better, my friend does not do long car rides well...thanks

 

Peace....j.b.

[+SSP]

This is a sad story I hear often as well, JB. Thank you for bringing it to the attention of all. I whole heartily agree with you. Luckily, I am fortunate enough that cannabis eases my pain enough for me to rarely need the narcotics at the moment.

 

I hope your friend finds a doctor to care for him, no one should be made to suffer.

Please if you know of someone who can help, contact JB!