Published: October 29, 2009 12:02 am      

Our Readers Speak, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

Suffering from chronic pain is not a crime



On behalf of those of us who suffer from chronic pain I would like to thank the doctors and emergency rooms in Beckley for their prompt, courteous and compassionate care. I’d like to but can’t.

It appears that having chronic pain is seen as a reason to deny people medical care that they need and deserve. Those among us who are affected by chronic pain live inside bodies that can be our worst enemy. Living with chronic pain impacts all areas of our lives and the lives of those we love. We do not need the extra added frustration of being told over and over that we are not worthy of medical care.

No individual should have to call 28 doctors in an attempt to find care. Yes, there are those who abuse the system but punishing the innocent along with the guilty is simply wrong. There are people who every day decide to end it all because they can no longer stand living in pain without relief; this is not only wrong, it is unnecessary if they are treated properly.

To the doctors of Beckley, having chronic pain is not a crime, it is a medical condition that needs treatment and those who suffer from it need to be treated with respect and compassion. No human being should have to endure unrelenting physical pain simply to save doctors from having to do some extra paperwork.

No human being should ever be pushed to the point of suicide because no doctor wants to help them live with a degree of dignity.

If you think I am being overly dramatic try living inside a body that does what it wants to do, try living in pain that never stops, then try doing it without proper care for that pain.



Lisa Gunther

Beckley



Rate increase reason makes no sense



In response to the Mountaineer Gas rate hike article on Sept. 27, one of the reasons listed for rate increase was low customer consumption.

How much sense does that make? We are told/asked to go green, conserve energy, buy smaller cars, drive less, insulate our homes better, turn the thermostat down, take shorter showers; all this is supposed to lead to a cleaner planet, make us energy independent from foreign oil. In reality foreign oil is more affordable than our domestic oil and energy after the greedy gas and oil companies demand the ridiculous high profits.

Everyone knows or feels that the PSC is a joke and they rubber stamp approve every increase that comes by them.

It’s so sad that this country is ran by the elite and powerful, fed by corporate and personal greed.

Thanks for listening.



George Austin

Mount Hope