Regional Chronic Pain Chapter Reformats Meetings with Zoom

The regional Chronic Pain meet-up chapters found themselves out of operation when their free public meeting locations were closed due to COVID-19 rules. Today reopenings of these places still seem tenuous with some people feeling reluctant to do live meet ups.

In early June Lester Zaleski (Cofacilitator of the Newton Area Chapter of the American Chronic Pain Association ACPA) was assessing free virtual meetings in its place. To restart the chapter from its forced hiatus, he introduced a few free Yoga Therapy Zoom sessions. They were hosted by his daughter Marina Zaleski of Montana Yoga Therapy. She donated her virtual time resources to Zoom host it. Yoga Therapy is another palliative tool that can help ease discomfort without medication.

Lester now wants to regain the momentum of what his chapter set off to do - connect with those who must operate in life with chronic pain. For many their continuous intense pain is from physical trauma often to the neck or spine where there is no foreseeable recovery. They are pain warriors focusing on coping with the aftermath of their injuries which also necessitates solid pain blocking pharmaceuticals to function every day. Unfortunately, these drugs have added new regulations when some major pharmaceutical companies indiscriminately promoted opiates and other controlled pharmaceuticals leading to a prescribed nationwide drug addiction for many. Those who rely on these drugs find it stigmatizing when they need to justify their prolonged use of them.

The Chapter now has a dedicated zoom agenda that enables a roundtable of discussions with input from all. It welcomes those to interactively join both on zoom video or anonymously with just an audio voice and a displayed name they wish to be identified as. It will meet Tuesdays at 10 am starting July 14th. People who just what to listen before they share their experiences with chronic pain are also encouraged to join in. It is free to enroll in these Zoom meet-ups but you must email Lester Zaleski first at lesterzaleski@embarqmail.com who will provide further info.

This roundtable formed under these Zoom meetings can help to advocate for a united voice with our regional, state, and federal legislators to be recognized and included in new legislation. Legislators should be proactive in their response to our quest to end the discrimination of pain care methods that are complementary treatments for pain, such as mindfulness meditation and stress reduction, acupuncture, yoga, tai chi, and massage. There still exists public and private insurers who mandate that before they will cover these treatments, they require more scientific proof.

Lester Zaleski as a Cofacilitator concedes that the Chronic Pain population does not get the dignity and respect they deserve from the greater public. Too often this population has been relegated in the shadows of legislative representation and rights. He believes that we need to find our voice and acquaint ourselves and others to the guiding principles of the ACPA which are:

• Act in a way that promotes dignity and self-respect.
• Be treated with respect.
• Make mistakes.
• Do less than you are humanly capable of doing.
• Change your mind.
• Ask for what you want.
• Take time to slow down and think before you act.
• Ask for information.
• Ask for help or assistance.
• Feel good about yourself.
• Disagree.
• Not have to explain everything you do and think.
• Say “no” and not feel guilty.
• Ask why.
• Be listened to and taken seriously when expressing your feelings.
• Read and reread these rights so that you not only know them by heart, but so that they become part of your daily life.

Individuals can also consider becoming a national member ($25 donation) and learn more of what ACPA is doing https://www.theacpa.org/ For 40 years they have provided education and support for people with pain.