Every dog has his day, right?
In our culture, groups, individuals, and even inanimate objects are frequently honored with their very own special twenty-four hours. These days of recognition give us pauses to examine their meanings and further their causes.
But there’s a compassionate and deserving group of people who have not yet made the list…the caring people who treat our pain.
For now, National Pain Care Providers Day is only a dream.
It doesn’t exist.
It should.
It can.
And it will…with your help.
National Pain Care Providers Day
March 20, 2015
It’s time to recognize all who generously and selflessly strive to alleviate suffering. This includes physicians, dentists, nurses, therapists, emergency responders, trainers, masseuses, pharmacists, caregivers, mothers and anyone who gives of her or himself to ease pain.
Why is National Pain Care Providers Day necessary?
Pain is universal. It is the most common medical complaint. There is no escaping it. Pain touches every life. And as our population continues to age, pain is occurring in epidemic proportion.
Pain care is sometimes simple and sometimes extremely complicated. Caregivers can feel tremendous pressure from government agencies, police, lawyers, administrators, addicts, abusers, patients, families, administrators, insurance providers, and the media. As a result, caregivers are too often reduced to feeling “You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.”
In reality, they should be praised because of what they do.
Caregivers who persevere deserve our support, gratitude and, at the very least, a day of recognition.
Popular opinions regarding pain care and treatments are evolving rapidly. Taking a special day to spotlight best practices and inspire possibilities would not only bolster the advancement of this vital field of medicine, it would encourage the legions of those who suffer in lonely silence. Less suffering and better lives for all are the goals.
Celebrating National Pain Care Providers Day on March 20, 2015 – the first day of spring – is akin to celebrating hope. From this day forward, the vernal equinox, light overcomes darkness.
So let’s join together and recognize the first day of spring, March 20, 2015, as National Pain Care Providers Day. Let’s make this day special for the special people who treat our pain. Start by sharing your comments and ideas on this blog and/or emailing paincareprovidersday@gmail.com. Pass along the message on social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) and contact your civic leaders. Be a vital part of this movement.
Let Hercules himself do what he may,
The cat will mew and dog will have his day.
~ William Shakespeare’s Hamlet
You are the playwright now.
The parchment is blank.
Imagine.
Create.
And celebrate!
National Pain Care Providers Day
March 20, 2015
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Confluential Truth 
Why Pain Care Providers Day?
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REFERENCES AND LINKS:
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AAPM Facts and Figures on Pain
http://www.painmed.org/patientcenter/facts_on_pain.aspx
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Pain epidemic (Boston Globe article)
http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2013/12/08/crackdown-prescription-drug-abuse-treats-wrong-problem/Sj3FrZvDKeaMOykCHSswjK/story.html
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Dr. Lynn Webster’s article on physician intimidation
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2014/08/intimidating-doctors-wont-solve-chronic-pain-epidemic.html
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Silent sufferers
http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/voices/hear-silent-sufferers-palliative-care-and-pain-relief-human-rights
Since your a Kentucky MD I have a question on this subject. My last visit to my pain care Doctor was a bit worrisome. While waiting in the waiting room i overheard a nurse tell a number of patients that the doctor was removing them from any breakthrough pain meds and going to only extended release. Some poor old lady in a wheelchair who was half deaf was really confused. During my visit I mentioned this to the Nurse Practitioner (I usually see her instead of him) and she repeated what the nurse had said. She made a few changes to my meds I was totally ok with and that was that. Then a month later I tried to pickup a script and was told by a nurse or secretary (I’m not really sure if the front desk girls are nurses or not) that the doctor was changing my meds (lowering them). After taking the same dosages for 18-24 months he changes them in between visits with no new information from me and for what looks like no patient related reasons.
I strongly suspect he is being pressured by state LE, or the DEA or possibly the state medical board. I’m don’t really know. I do know that consigning your patients to pain is unethical and just plain sucks, but I can’t say I’d do anything different if I was being pressured by law enforcement. Just watch season 2 of “House MD” if you want a reasonably realistic idea of what they can do in the name of the “war on drugs”.
My question is, what can I do? Will I face this same problem with any other Kentucky Doctors? I’m close enough to Ohio I can go there if this is a state issue but it all seems terribly unfair and random. Why is it I have to pay for the sins of addicts and people too stupid to read a label or do even a tiny bit of research on the medications they take? Apparently the country is ok with punishing people in chronic pain in their rabid attempt at prohibition.
September was Pain Awareness Month.
Here are my September 2014 tweets with #PainAwarenessMonth.
I hope you find them comforting.
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September 2nd
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September 2nd
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September 3rd
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September 9th
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September 10th
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September 12th
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September 12th
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