A vent.

[mskafka]

If any of you are partisan hacks, and expecting me to post something of the like (which I often do) you're going to be disappointed. Tonight is just a very human post.

I had a friend who texted me and told me that she was at a bar, drinking, and wanted for me to meet her. Now normally, this would not be cause for alarm, but this person has had 6 months sober, and was recently released from and alcohol and drug treatment program. This was disturbing enough, by itself. But what is even more disturbing, is that I almost didn't go. I thought that I was not in the mood to drink tonight. But something told me to go ahead and meet her.

When I arrived, I quickly found out that she hadn't had a couple of harmless girly drinks. NOOOOOO. A few hits of cocaine, and at least 5 jack and cokes. She ordered another as I was there, and I slipped around the corner and asked the bartender to dilute the hell out of it. As drunk as she was, I didn't think that she would notice. Unfortunately, she did. She stood up and confronted the bartender, wanting to know why her drink was nothing but "coke". She began to swear, and I simply looked at the manager, and said: "We're leaving, soon. She was seconds from being arrested.

I took her home and waited until one her her AA sponsors arrived to further watch after her. She was more oriented when I left, than she had been for the previous 3 hours.

This isn't a partisan thing. She looked at me, while she was totally snockered and said: " I just don't know if I can handle this much longer." She was speaking of our job. She has worked 2 infant cardiac arrests in the last year, and she isn't coping with it very well.

Just some food for thought. How many of you have worked in an A and D unit? I worked in one when I was 19-20. I found myself wondering how many people on OWS are experiencing this same thing. How many people in general are suffering hard times due to an alcohol or drug issue? It's just not as simple as not drinking. These people could have a seizure if they were to just suddenly stop "cold turkey".

Sorry, just needed to vent. Thanks for reading, if you do.

 

[syrenn]

If any of you are partisan hacks, and expecting me to post something of the like (which I often do) you're going to be disappointed. Tonight is just a very human post.

I had a friend who texted me and told me that she was at a bar, drinking, and wanted for me to meet her. Now normally, this would not be cause for alarm, but this person has had 6 months sober, and was recently released from and alcohol and drug treatment program. This was disturbing enough, by itself. But what is even more disturbing, is that I almost didn't go. I thought that I was not in the mood to drink tonight. But something told me to go ahead and meet her.

When I arrived, I quickly found out that she hadn't had a couple of harmless girly drinks. NOOOOOO. A few hits of cocaine, and at least 5 jack and cokes. She ordered another as I was there, and I slipped around the corner and asked the bartender to dilute the hell out of it. As drunk as she was, I didn't think that she would notice. Unfortunately, she did. She stood up and confronted the bartender, wanting to know why her drink was nothing but "coke". She began to swear, and I simply looked at the manager, and said: "We're leaving, soon. She was seconds from being arrested.

I took her home and waited until one her her AA sponsors arrived to further watch after her. She was more oriented when I left, than she had been for the previous 3 hours.

This isn't a partisan thing. She looked at me, while she was totally snockered and said: " I just don't know if I can handle this much longer." She was speaking of our job. She has worked 2 infant cardiac arrests in the last year, and she isn't coping with it very well.

Just some food for thought. How many of you have worked in an A and D unit? I worked in one when I was 19-20. I found myself wondering how many people on OWS are experiencing this same thing. How many people in general are suffering hard times due to an alcohol or drug issue? It's just not as simple as not drinking. These people could have a seizure if they were to just suddenly stop "cold turkey".

Sorry, just needed to vent. Thanks for reading, if you do.

I'm glad that you were there for her and got her out before she got herself into real trouble.

If she is not coping with working medical, she needs to get out. What exactly does she do if i may ask?

 

[Si modo]

First and foremost, she needs to get sober. She needs to get back into rehab. Residential rehab. Long term residential rehab.

Without sobriety, nothing else is possible.

And, I do believe many of the OWS have serious addiction issues.

And, good for you for going. You have good instincts and you listened to them.

 

[foreversunshine]

Hugs to you mskafka for going to her rescue, so to speak. You're an angel and clearly she knew calling you was in her best interest.

I worked alcohol and drug unit when I was much younger. I've seen newborn babies come through withdrawal. It's heart-wrenching. It wears terribly on you mentally and physically to be the caregiver in these cases. I also worked in the mental healthy system, which is also a "trying" career. I couldn't handle it after awhile and eventually left to find a career less taxing on me. I'm not proud of that but . . .

Those who make careers in these fields are angels through and through. It's not easy.

 

[mskafka]

If any of you are partisan hacks, and expecting me to post something of the like (which I often do) you're going to be disappointed. Tonight is just a very human post.

I had a friend who texted me and told me that she was at a bar, drinking, and wanted for me to meet her. Now normally, this would not be cause for alarm, but this person has had 6 months sober, and was recently released from and alcohol and drug treatment program. This was disturbing enough, by itself. But what is even more disturbing, is that I almost didn't go. I thought that I was not in the mood to drink tonight. But something told me to go ahead and meet her.

When I arrived, I quickly found out that she hadn't had a couple of harmless girly drinks. NOOOOOO. A few hits of cocaine, and at least 5 jack and cokes. She ordered another as I was there, and I slipped around the corner and asked the bartender to dilute the hell out of it. As drunk as she was, I didn't think that she would notice. Unfortunately, she did. She stood up and confronted the bartender, wanting to know why her drink was nothing but "coke". She began to swear, and I simply looked at the manager, and said: "We're leaving, soon. She was seconds from being arrested.

I took her home and waited until one her her AA sponsors arrived to further watch after her. She was more oriented when I left, than she had been for the previous 3 hours.

This isn't a partisan thing. She looked at me, while she was totally snockered and said: " I just don't know if I can handle this much longer." She was speaking of our job. She has worked 2 infant cardiac arrests in the last year, and she isn't coping with it very well.

Just some food for thought. How many of you have worked in an A and D unit? I worked in one when I was 19-20. I found myself wondering how many people on OWS are experiencing this same thing. How many people in general are suffering hard times due to an alcohol or drug issue? It's just not as simple as not drinking. These people could have a seizure if they were to just suddenly stop "cold turkey".

Sorry, just needed to vent. Thanks for reading, if you do.

I'm glad that you were there for her and got her out before she got herself into real trouble.

If she is not coping with working medical, she needs to get out. What exactly does she do if i may ask?

She's a paramedic/firefighter.

 

[Liability]

That post was great.

You were there for her.

You have tried (and so far succeeded) at being a TRUE friend.

Just make sure that you don't make the mistake of assuming personal responsibility FOR the decisions she might yet make.

You can try to be there for her when you can. But you will obviously not always be able to be there for her. And in the final analysis, it's her life. If you can steer her away from the destructive path she's on, that's wonderful. But if you can't, bad things can happen to her and none of that will be or can be your fault.

Good luck to her and to you.

 

[Ropey]

Rather speechless.

Respect...

 

[mskafka]

She scares me. I just keep imagining an Amy Winehouse scenario.

 

[mskafka]

Drug abuse is rampant in the US right now. Especially hydrocodone or "hillbilly heroin", as we call it. This was Limbaugh's and Beck's drug of choice, for those of you who aren't familiar with it. They still act like they're strung out on it, in my opinion.

I don't say that simply because they are conservative commentators. If I think of any "left" commentators, I'll let you know.

The sweating, talking over people, scratching, hearing loss-all side effects of hydrocodone abuse. The talking over people would fall underneath the euphoria. Oh....and the irritability, when the peak begins to decline. And in both Limbaugh and Beck's defense, the stuff is HARD to withdraw from. I just hope that they have actually kicked it.

Recent article on this very subject:

http://http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203687504577004201196650054.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

 

[mskafka]

Sorry about the dud link. If you're curious, go to news and type in Florida Pill Mills.

 

[BDBoop]

I'm so glad you were there for her.

My sister ... we're estranged. Anyway. She has had two DWI's in the past two years. If she flunks one more time, she's going away for awhile.

The day she finished her first rehab, my mom's caregiver called my sister's husband and said "I just T's vehicle parked at the corner bar." He said "I know. She's here with me."

I quite despise him. I don't know what's going to happen to her.

 

[mskafka]

I'm so glad you were there for her.

My sister ... we're estranged. Anyway. She has had two DWI's in the past two years. If she flunks one more time, she's going away for awhile.

The day she finished her first rehab, my mom's caregiver called my sister's husband and said "I just T's vehicle parked at the corner bar." He said "I know. She's here with me."

I quite despise him. I don't know what's going to happen to her.

So sorry that you're going through such a horrible thing. Having an alcoholic or addict in one's family is something that slowly sucks the life out of every family member. We know that they aren't doing it intentionally. But they don't understand how hard it is on everyone involved.

I know that methadone and suboxone are given for opioid dependence. I'm not sure what is given with alcoholism.

When one is used to dealing with life impaired, they're not really sure how to deal with it clean or sober. That's why most of them have so much trouble stopping.

 

[BDBoop]

It's part-and-parcel of the disease. Denial. That alone does so much damage. The whole "I can handle it" routine. "They don't know." - the secretiveness, that's a symptom, too.

So much ugliness. Addiction. My family tree is riddled with it.

Have you talked to your friend yet today?

 

[mskafka]

It's part-and-parcel of the disease. Denial. That alone does so much damage. The whole "I can handle it" routine. "They don't know." - the secretiveness, that's a symptom, too.

So much ugliness. Addiction. My family tree is riddled with it.

Have you talked to your friend yet today?

No, I haven't. I'm afraid that she's going to be angry because I took her to see a doctor. She agreed to it, and when we arrived, she began to act belligerent. So when she could finally answer questions appropriately, she was released.

She was borderline intubation criteria. If you're not familiar, she almost needed to have a breathing tube placed into her trachea, and hooked to a ventilator. She was almost that bad.

 

[BDBoop]

It's part-and-parcel of the disease. Denial. That alone does so much damage. The whole "I can handle it" routine. "They don't know." - the secretiveness, that's a symptom, too.

So much ugliness. Addiction. My family tree is riddled with it.

Have you talked to your friend yet today?

No, I haven't. I'm afraid that she's going to be angry because I took her to see a doctor. She agreed to it, and when we arrived, she began to act belligerent. So when she could finally answer questions appropriately, she was released.

She was borderline intubation criteria. If you're not familiar, she almost needed to have a breathing tube placed into her trachea, and hooked to a ventilator. She was almost that bad.

Harsh. Yeah - she'll be mad. Until she snaps out of the black hole and realizes you probably literally saved her life.