Angry in the UK

[Mr Black]

Saw the article in the second link today, prob cause I'm tired but it really p****d me off.  It's bad enough living like this and putting up with Docs that aren't on your side but people like Rod Liddle are asking for it 

I've heard some are deliberately complaining of FMS rather than bad backs when their fine.  Between them and a**h***s like this guy it makes things that much harder for us.  He's had a few complaints, I'll let others deal with him, I've no more patience

http://www.latentexistence.me.uk/reply-from-pcc-about-rod-liddle-on-fibromyalgia-and-me/

http://politicalscrapbook.net/2012/01/rod-liddle-disabled-the-sun/

[Zathras]

Having read the article and the response my take on this is that the author of the article seems to be a right wing provocateur along the lines of the shock jocks that we are cursed with in North America. Because of the myths about welfare recipients and those receiving disability payments they make easy targets for people like this. The fact that these groups also have less ability to fight back against these attacks makes them an even more attractive target.

Are there frauds claiming to be disabled when they are not? Of course there are, just like there are frauds who abuse every other program where the government is providing money. But to single out specific groups and state that their conditions are not real is irresponsible. It is hard enough trying to live with something like FM without having to deal with the idiots who spout nonsense like this.

What is even more appalling to me is the unwillingness of that agency to take the author to task over the blatant errors and maliciousness of the article that he wrote. Their reply to the complaint filed was pure BS! If the author wants to take the government to task over wastes of money he should take aim at agencies like this, ones who collect their wages and do nothing to earn them. I have dealt with several of these over the past few years and in my opinion all that they are there for is to act as a shield for the politicians. Nothing gets done but the politicians can point to the agencies and blame them for that when in reality it is the governments who have told these bureaucrats to do everything they can not to prosecute complaints unless the offense committed is something that will tick off enough of the public that it might cost them support at the polls.

I wish that it was possible to make people like this author and these bureaucrats live in our shoes for a few months. After that we can ask 'how imaginary do you think FM is now?' and ask the bureaucrats if they understand exactly how damaging ignorant rants like this column are to people trying to live with these conditions. 

[willie]

After reading this BS from someone that obviously has no clue, I can only say that if I ever have the misfortune of meeting this poor excuse for a human being, Ron Liddle, my ass will end up in jail! It's been a while since I have read something that made me want to hurt the writer but this guy has hit all the right buttons. I guess it must be easy to sit back and villify a bunch of people that are unable to do anything about their situation. Yeah, there are people out there ripping off the system and they need to be caught and made to pay for that. But we are not those people! It's enough having to deal with this disease without having some lowlife scumbag spreading his BS and lies. As screwed up as the world is right now, people are always looking for someone to blame, and it really pisses me off that this jackass is putting this on us as if we are the cause of the world's economic problem. No matter how wrong he is, there are those that believe his every word. Those are the people that worry me! 

[Mr Black]

Well said guys, you put it better than I can.  He is a right wing goblin, there are others who get away with this kind of thing in the press too.  It's no wonder the news of the world paper was scrapped, they got way out of hand.

After leaving school, rather than live off my parents and wait to sign on the dole, I signed up to a training scheme in construction for £30 a week.  I was quite happy, worked hard, played the drums, kept fit but FMS took hold and chipped away everything I had over the years.  I'd tell Rod Liddel that but after reading his column I'm afraid, sore as I am, he'd be out cold before he hit the ground.

[mark2714]

This guy is a no talented pseudo-journalist that plays on the absurd to get readers to pay attention to what nonsense he has to say.  He's not a right winger or a left winger...he's an idiot.  When you waste your time getting upset at uneducated people like this it takes you to their level and gives them exactly what they were looking for.

[willie]

If he's looking for a punch in the face, I'd be more than happy to help him out!

[tojo]

@ Mr Black are you still able to play the drums? I play once a week at church as opposed to all the years I worked four nites a week or more in the club scene. I had to quit that as my arms would not let me play anymore. Now i have to spend most of Mondays on the couch after play after church as i am so wiped out

[Mr Black]

No unfortunately I had stop maybe five years ago.  It got to the point where I was too sore to manage, just playing a simple 4/4 would have me shaking.  I picked up one or two injuries from playing but for the most part it was pain in general that stopped me.  Towards the end I did manage to have a few months jamming with a bass player friend of mine, just improvising, playing some Led Zep and creedence.  It was the best and only time I played with confidence.

I know where your coming from having to rest after, so long as you don't stop playing before it's time, not nice when you realise you need to scale back a bit.  Hopefully you will manage for a while yet, there's not enough of us drummers to go round 

[tojo]

Yeah the drum machines and computers are putting us out to pasture i am afraid. I know thae last year or so I was playing full time was very very hard on me physically even with alcohol and other substances i had a a hard time getting through the nite. Then would sleep it all off the next day. Even tried mega doses of potassium for a while, they actually helped but I ran out of the scrip that my mom had before she passed away and i could not get anymore of the tablets. Even went to Mexico looking for them. Did not have any insurance so the trip to a regular doc was out of the question. Besides how would I explain using my moms script and if the ran too many blood tests they might find all kinds of other things. So I just had to quit, the fire in my arms and legs not moving when they needed too was just too much and I thought that I would never play again.

[Mr Black]

Sounds like you had a battle on your hands tojo, fair play to you for trying to keep going.  I had only thought of trying magnesium and plenty of water, well at least after one or two gigs and a few pints  

I persevered, trying to relax, pick up on Jazz druming and the Moller Method.  Players like Jean Paul Gaster make it look so easy.  I actually still have my kit with no way of moving it, never could find a buyer.  Funny thing is it's worth maybe £50/$30 (I spent £400 on cymbals etc.) but with decent heads tuned properly ppl thougt it was an £800 Pearl.

[tojo]

Yeah it is crazy how much your drums can cost you. If you buy pro grade stuff which is the only way to get the best sounds you have to spend a fortune. Especially cymbals nowadays with the price of brass. There are a lot of them being made out of all kinds of different metals and combinations of metals but they still do not sound as good as the old all brass ones.

I do not have my own kit anymore I use a kit that the church bought from a friend of mine. I need to put new heads on them and that is going to cost around $300 for the remo renaissance heads which are fairly new. They remind me of the old calfskin heads of days gone by. And all the cymbals need replaced as they are mid grade and do not sound that good.

I would love to get a new kit but I doubt that will ever happen living on a fixed income :(

I hope you can set your s up and give em a whack or two.