Understanding pain versus drug fun

Early this year Senator Ray Mossey of Papillion, Nebraska was arrested for fraudulently trying to obtain, Hydrocodine, a prescription pain killer.

Ray Mossey was a cop
At one time Ray Mossey was a dedicated Sheriffs Deputy with Sarpy County and later an Omaha Police Officer. Ray was forced to retire in 2001 after a drunk driver hit his police cruiser. Mossey received career ending back injuries as a result of that crash.

Appointed to the unicameral
Filling a vacant seat Republican Governor Mike Johanns appointed Mossey to the Unicameral in 2002. Since his arrest the Governor has turned his back on his once political friend, calling on him to resign.

Pain management
Ray Mossey explained that his drug abuse was an attempt at pain management. Senator Ernie chambers compared Mosseys pain management to a back robber calling his robberies "budget enhancement".

As usually Senator Chambers, like a lot of people just do not get it.
Ray Mossey has applied for the diversions program in order to put this behind him. Senator Chambers is challenging his elligibility for that program. Ernie Chambers sent a letter to the county attorney stating that Mossey is not and should be deemed ineligable from participation in the program.

Pain versus being with the in crowd
The difference between Ray Mossey, Rush Limbaugh and others like them, is that they are in pain, levels of constant pain that the average person probably can not comprehend. A kind of pain that rules your life. A kind of pain you just wish would ease a little so you can run errands or just sit and talk. A kind of unbearable pain that grates on you affecting what you can do and how you relate to people.

These people want and need to take pain killers for very different reasons than recreational drug users. The kind of pain they suffer is the kind of pain that makes it difficult or impossible to perform everyday functions, like going to the bathroom, making a sandwich, getting dressed.
Recreational users, do not have that kind of pain, they are looking for something, a mental escape, a high, an enlightenment or what ever. They don't need to do it, it is the hip, fun, fit in with the buds kind of thing.

It is wrong to compare the drug use of the Mosseys and Limbaughs to people like this. The pain they have is real, they carry it with them every every waking movement of every waking day.

Mossey refuses to quit
Ray Mossey is not giving up his seat in the state Senate, Ray Mossey is seeking election to the seat he was appointed to two years ago.