Voices Across America

They took his opioids, he took his own life

mountain avatar

Ginger K

State: Arkansas
Congressional District: AR01

Diseases

Chronic Pain

Issues and Challenges

Ginger K has encountered: Addiction / Substance Abuse, Suicide / Self-harm

My Story

TW: suicide

My dad had been on hydros Watson 10s for over 20 years after a back surgery that left him in chronic pain and unable to enjoy the life that he once knew, working in the yard on mowers and being helpful to others.

In the past 5 + years due to the transition of the opiate epidemic and those that have abused it and the limits put on Drs ability to prescribe as needed, he lived in fear daily, fear that the doctor was taking away his medicine, medicine he had to have, because people who didn't live his life to understand it continued to make the rules / restricting & reduce the count that he received each month.

So the hydros and the fear caused by those who created his fear won May 30, 2022. It got to the point to where he took his own life. The letter he read to 911 and the letter he left behind it was strictly due to the opiates that he lived in fear of losing and the chronic pain he dealt with hourly caused him to hang himself and used a .38 so not to accidentally survive. He was 79 years old and its those hydros and those who chose to over rule what Drs went to school to do - help those in pain get better - cuz my dad is not better!!!!

My Motivation and Inspiration

Well it's not those who put restrictions on what Drs can do to treat patients ...

Share This Story

Find More Stories

Browse the map or filter by:

Click on pins to view stories.

ZOOM IN OR OUT TO CHANGE THE VIEW.

Get the most from every Story

Find A Compelling Patient Story

Share it on social media.

Share Your Story On Our Network

Share your insights, challenges and what keeps you going.