Make Medicine Better

No matter what kind of help you have available for low-income, indigent, disabled or whomever, always – ALWAYS – someone falls through the cracks, slides between the bars, just plain doesn’t fit any category – and does without. I’ve a friend I met as a Chronic Pain treatment advocate who is now dying. He (self-administered thru the City) insurance’s medical manager believes anyone on long-term opiates is “junkie slime” and needs detox; nothing else. She’s had relapsing polychondritis for 12 years, and until the Med Mgr forced her to try a foundation pain med ‘just as good but cheaper,” directly opposite to her doctor’s letter saying ANY regimen change would cause “severe consequences up to and including death,” she lived a near-normal life. Her health was good. After the change she threw four clots, lost the use of her left arm, and is now mostly restricted to her bed. The City changed her (and ONLY hers) co-pay to 50%, which is $4,000 per month and totally out of her reach. If the pain isn’t controlled, the RP goes out of control. Her local hospital has told her not to come into ER unless she’s having a heart attack or a stroke. NONE of the doctors has read up on RP. The patient advocate told her, “Oh come on! Cheer up! You’ve got to get out of that bed and EXERCISE!” and then tried to do ROM with her there in agony. She also suggested detox. “Opiates can’t save a life! They’re not that kind of medicine!” So much for advocacy.

There are at least a few patients in any given area that fall through the cracks, like my friend. There’s no help ANYWHERE for her. Her kids are watching in horror as this always healthy, active and involved mother dies and they’re falling apart. Perhaps a discretionary fund with NO guidelines save that the patient has no other help. When it’s a life-or-death matter, you’d think there’s something, somewhere. There isn’t. Not for Mouse, anyway.

Ian