The up is down and wrong is right crowd is forcing their vision on society. It will spread to other states when the sociopaths see how much fun the Oregon/Washington sociopaths are having.
Around two months ago I came down with sciatica, something I have dealt with twice in the past and both times was able to work out on my own with NSAIDS and stretching -- mostly Piriformis in those cases. But not this time around -- the pain was considerably greater and what I did before this time just wasn't working; I suspected foraminal stenosis. So after two weeks I finally called the VA, and it took two weeks just to be "seen" via a "telephone consult". While those Covid-safe methods might work for some things, other times the doctor has to actually see the patient, this being one.
In any case, the first thing they wanted was an MRI of my lumbar spine, the dermatomes affected indicated T4, T5 & S1. FIVE WEEK WAIT for that. Bear in mind that, by this time, I have already been a functional cripple for a month already; the pain at times was actually debilitating -- couldn't do my job, could not find any position where I was not in pain. Sleep deprivation was also severe and had me in a fog.
So, ok, I get to wait more than a month to get a picture taken. I asked for pain meds so that I could function in the meantime, and all they would do is recommend NSAIDS, which had zero effect, then they threw methocarbamol and gabapentin bottles at me after that. No effect from those, either.
I don't like opioids -- but when you're in so much constant pain with no respite, you will do anything for relief. My wife had some hydrocodone left over from a knee replacement last year, and my daughter had some from getting her wisdom teeth pulled a couple months ago. One pill -- just 325mg -- took the edge off sufficiently to where I was at least functional again. No mental effects noted. I candidly told this to my doctor, but even then would the VA prescribe this? Not a chance. By the way, I was a USN HM2 in an earlier life, so I do have some knowledge on these matters, but that counted for zero in this case. So the VA and its doctors, who are just following CDC guidelines no matter what suffering they cause, know what they need to do and simply don't do it.
It's only too ironic that 20 years ago these docs were tossing these pills out the window like candy at a parade, and a number of people did abuse them. So what do the 'authorities' do? What they always do -- let the criminals determine what rights are allowed the rest of us who do play by the rules.
After two months now, my condition is slowly improving through my own efforts -- stretches, heat, inversion table, acupuncture. I finally got the MRI done by a local imaging center; I was seen in two days and it cost $250 (so much for the VA's complaint of how expensive it was). The result? At L4-L5, I exhibit "severe foraminal stenosis and compression of the L5 nerve root, accompanied by left posterolateral disc protrusion".
I supplied these test results to my VA doctor, and while they were very quick to cancel my MRI appointment in November, it's been three days now and I have not heard back yet as to what course of action they want to follow.
At this point, I am approaching this whole thing as if I am completely on my own. Which evidence to date indicates I most certainly am.