Just Sayin’: Don’t risk death in an overheated car

Recently I saw a father who left his child in his black car, with the sun shining onto front window. The toddler sat in front seat. The temperature outside was about 85 degrees.

I followed the man into a restaurant and told him to take his child out of the car. His said his child had just fallen asleep, and he said he had cracked the windows. I said, if you don’t attend to your child he might sleep forever.

I’m shocked that people are unaware how quickly children and animals can succumb in a hot car.

Ruth Rausch, Manorville

Reroute Jones Beach traffic for safety

Jones Beach should reroute traffic to make Ocean Parkway safer.

I often drive east past Field 6 on late summer afternoons, when there is considerable traffic on the parkway and an exodus of beach-goers. A line of traffic cones borders the Field 6 exit, and departing drivers needing to travel west use a turn-around located one-tenth of a mile east of the exit point.

This requires a driver to cross three lanes of rapid traffic within a tenth of a mile. I’ve seen many near misses, but thankfully no accidents.

There is another turn-around for drivers needing to travel west, nine-tenths of a mile farther east. Using this as the turn point would allow beach traffic to move more safely across the three traffic lanes.

Jim McDonald, Massapequa

People in chronic pain do need opiates

I’m compelled to write because of the outrage I feel in being denied pain medications that I have been prescribed for nearly 15 years.

I worked as a registered nurse for 35 years and was injured in 2002 while working in a psychiatric emergency room. A patient threw a chair over my head, and I have numerous herniated and bulging discs in my spine.

I believed that I would return to work. I tried physical therapy and chiropractors, and I considered surgery. That would have stabilized my spine, but would have done little for the pain. After weighing my options, I chose to go on a drug regimen.

Eventually, my doctor retired, and I sought another pain management specialist. I’ve seen or called more than 50 who will not treat me on my current regimen or offer alternative medications.

This is because the federal government is threatening to pull the medical licenses of doctors if they overprescribe opiates. This is an insult and an outrage to people in chronic pain.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has set up guidelines. I’m not a guideline or a lab rat to be experimented on. All I want is care for me.

Judith Costa, Holbrook