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Corvallis, OR, United States
My personal obsession with prion diseases with smidges of music I like and rescue dog advocacy from a disabled Oregonian.

12.02.2008

"I'm Not A Thug"

That's a (partial) quote from a man in Michigan who has tried various prescription drugs to alleviate the chronic pain from Nail-Patella Syndrome, of which I share.

"For seven years, doctors tried to find the right formula of pain pills to help me lead a more normal life," said the married father of a toddler daughter. "They never found the right combination or dosage amount that didn't make things worse. It's not about getting high. I'm not a thug. I'm trying to ease my suffering."

Snyder estimates he's one of approximately 50,000 Michigan patients struggling with chronic pain who rejoiced when citizens passed the controversial Proposal 1 in the Nov. 4 general election.

When the proposal takes effect Thursday, Michigan will join Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington in permitting medical marijuana to treat cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic pain and HIV/AIDS -- without fear of state prosecution. MLive.com Link

Which brings me to this article, via The Sideshow, which just burns me, as a frequent medical consumer.

The outgoing Bush administration is planning to announce a broad new "right of conscience" rule permitting medical facilities, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare workers to refuse to participate in any procedure they find morally objectionable, including abortion and possibly even artificial insemination and birth control. Los Angeles Times Link
Lets include medical marijuana in this list which I object to for moral reasons. Do.Your. Fucking. Job.

Why does this piss me off?

Several weeks ago I bravely announced to my neurologist that I was DONE taking various pills she has prescribed for me because I was feeling over-medicated and that I preferred a different approach to deal with my frequent headaches, pain and fibromyalgia. Well, that opened a can of worms. I don't remember her(the doctor) exact words but the gist of her refusal to sign my annual medical marijuana papers was based on her morals. I politely reminded her that I was the customer by stating, "just do your job, based on sound science". As you can imagine this didn't go over well to a person with a higher stature than me.

Here's the deal...if we are going to start examining morals... lets go for it all, docs. How do you feel about prescribing placebos, which is like lying to your patients? What about infidelity? What's your views on homosexuality? So many moral issues..so little time. There are several immoral episodes I have experienced in doctor's office over the years.

~the same doc canceled my anti depressant medicine's refills and left me without much needed medicine. Very dangerous.

~How about upholding the Hippocratic Oath?.."First do no harm". All these prescribed meds are hard on my liver and kidneys which are vulnerable from Hepatitis B and Nail-patella syndrome.

~How about doctors reading my whole medical charts before they prescribe any new meds for me?

~Do you perform unnecessary medical procedures (c-sections, surgery) ?

~Do you prescribe any pharmaceuticals that you own stocks for?

See how inane this moral game is?

I reserve the right to make my health care decisions, with the guidance of a trusting doctor, without the moral police judging me. I reserve the right to make mistakes which I will take full responsibility for. I reserve the right to use sound science, rather than opinions, to keep myself well.

That is all.


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