Them not You

I’m in pain and I’m blaming you. Well, not exactly you, but them.

For thirty years I took a small dose of an over the counter mild anti-inflammatory every morning and it was enough to keep my arthritis at bay and allow my body to function. Then – under doctors’ orders – I had to stop. Their logic made perfect sense.

Six weeks later I was off to see a specialist for an unrelated matter. She was surprised to see me struggle to get out of the waiting room chair and make my – obviously painful – way to her office. I explained. She authorized a prescription anti-inflammatory drug.

Within days I felt much, much better. One of the other doctors said to me, you will regret this.

Fast forward through ten months of freedom of movement, strength, and agility – and no pain. And because we were renovating, I was working from sunrise to sunset with no problem. Life begins at seventy.

And then it happened. OK. I get it now. And yes, I regret it. But I had things to do and I did them and for that I have no regret. OK. I regret the time I have lost since. OK. I regret costing the health care system such expense.

So, where does that leave me?

The doctors say, ‘take acetaminophen’ (ie Tylenol) and I say that does nothing for the inflammation and stiffness and they say they know that but it will keep me out of the hospital.

Given that probably eighty per cent of the people who die do so in a hospital, I want to stay out.

I’m willing. I acquiesce. I accept. I am compliant. If it keeps me out of the hospital, I’ll take it.

BUT – great, big, capital BUT. You, well maybe not you, but them, are making this difficult.

On the rare days when a few extra-strength Tylenol were not enough, I would move up to T-1’s. A little bit of codeine but no prescription needed. Most of the time, that worked. And for the really bad days, doc had prescribed some T-3’s – a little more codeine. I hardly ever took one; a few would last forever.

But you can’t get T-1’s anymore. I’ve been told that they are no longer made.

But you can’t easily get T-2’s or T-3’s by prescription anymore because the government has put up a paper wall. Besides, I don’t want to take that much – I just need a little bit of relief.

So, on days when I really hurt and I am really irritable and I am in a mood, I blame you.

Well, not exactly you, but them.

You know them – every policy wonk and legislator who thinks one more requirement, one more rule, one more regulation, and one more restriction will solve all the problems of society and not create any unintended consequences.

They – them – can’t feel our pain, can they?

 

Stuart Syme