Hello folks, I am John Burchardt. I am a son, husband, father, grandfather, business owner, coach, navy veteran, and sadly a #Disabled #chronicpainpatient . Ten years ago I was poisoned by the generic version of Zocor, (tm), a Statin medication. The ending result of this poisoning was the gift of a Toxic Myopathy known as Inclusive Body Myopathy. A denigrative muscle disease with no known treatments or cures; all I can do is TRY to focus on my quality of life.

Just like millions of you, that life quality was dependent upon the use of prescribed opiate medications. We all know what has happened to patients like us over the last several years with the alleged opioid war and I have decided to utilize whatever time I have left to END this war on us! And STOP the culling of #disabledAmericans .

The first step to victory in this war is to become one of the powerful few by running for political office in my home state of Illinois. Given the new census data, states are redrawing their political districts. While IL's new congressional districts has yet to be established, we do know that democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth is up for re-election. A federal election campaign would provide much more media coverage, but a US Senatorial campaign can be very very expensive. A congressional race would be cheaper, but depending on how the districts are laid out, it may not garner the media attention needed to make #ChronicPain a true political issue for the masses.

The state's legislative house & senate districts have been established and these new local boundaries have created a non-incumbent opportunity in the Senate's 40th district & the House's 80th district. Unfortunately, these political campaigns will garner only local media, which in these rural areas outside Chicago is regulated to local newspapers & radio stations, but for residents of these districts and the rest of the state we would have the opportunity to stop the madness being imposed upon us!

If you are an IL resident, please let me know. Never forget #wearethegovernment - it belongs to US because it is US!