To the editor:
I just finished reading a letter to the editor (‘War’ against opioid use ignores those in pain,” June 10, A4) that in my opinion is quite possibly one of the best ever printed.
Diane Brow of Greenfield hit the nail on the head regarding war against opioids. If those so strongly committed to eliminating opioids altogether had to attempt to walk a mile in a person’s shoes that suffers from chronic, degenerative pain from the moment they wake up every day, feeling like they have been run over by a truck due their chronic, incurable severe arthritis, fibromyalgia with constant shooting nerve pain, spondylitis with degenerative discs in their spines or a host of other incurable neuromuscular diseases or severe injuries, maybe they’d feel differently.
The only thing that comes close to making life tolerable is a few low-level opioids like Vicodin every day. Without these meds, a suffering human begins an existence with no rest or relief.
I understand most doctors are directed by the corporations they work for, coerced by the giant insurance companies or possibly even harassed by the government.
But no one, especially those older folks who have been injured or developed chronic neuromuscular diseases, should have to live in constant, severe pain; and those that are warring against low-level, doctor-prescribed opioid pain relief are terribly misguided.
Sure, go after the illegal sale and abuse of the high-level heroin and fentanyl, but maintain some common sense and compassion for the people that struggle to get through unrelenting pain 24/7.
I’m sure if it was your father, mother, grandparent, spouse or sibling that deals with chronic unrelenting pain, then your illogical, high-horse effort would be greatly tempered if not totally reversed.
Dennis Dunn
Greenfield
