“More Should Carry Narcan Antidote to Counter Opioid Overdoses”
By Chivis Martinez for Borderland Beat
Thursday morning, the U.S. Surgeon General, Jerome M. Adams,
while speaking at the National Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit in Atlanta, urged those at risk to keep the Narcan antidote on hand.
Further, he recommends family and friends learn how to use the antidote, saying you don’t have to be a first responder to save a life. Adams says more than half of all overdoses occur at home.
“Costs should not and in the future will not be a barrier to accessing Naloxone for anyone in America.” He is seeking additional federal help in increasing access.
One of the most outspoken Maine’s opponents of the request for federal help is Republican Gov. Paul LePage. His argument is that the antidote does not treat addiction and actually discourages people from seeking addiction treatment by addicts having a safe guard when faced with overdosing.
A personal story:
My only brother who I will refer to as “T” was an accomplished jazz musician, artist and followed our father into the profession of Heliarc welding.
He also was a heroin addict.
His passion was boxing, Golden Gloves, and was a sparring partner of a world champion. A man who he met when they were both teen addicts. The champion became clean in order pursue his dream. At “T’s” funeral he spoke, saying “T” was his toughest, most talented sparring partner he ever knew of and in his opinion a better boxer than himself because of his natural talent instincts.
We were incredibly close; he was loving, funny, compassionate, talented and smart. And he was so loved by all of his family. But strictly speaking on topic, I witnessed his addiction up close and personal when I was a Jr high schooler forward. In those days there were no treatment centers, as are today.
“Kicking drugs” meant cold turkey. Withdrawal meant nausea, vomiting, thrashing, freezing, shaking, sweats, etc. my mother and I helped him through. I was 13. Withdrawal continues for about 3 days with another 3 days or so to feel somewhat normal. “T” made us promise not to call an ambulance during a withdrawal or O.D. Because in those days that would end with a trip to jail, a place he would avoid even if there was a chance it could mean his life.
Witnessing an overdose is most frightening. I saw it once. “T” was in the bathroom when my mother and I heard a loud thud. I was clueless to the origin of the sound but my mother knew immediately what was happening. She raced to the bathroom and banged on the door shouting “T’s” name… no response. She ran to her desk drawer and retrieved a small Philips screwdriver, then manipulated the lock and gained entry. “T” was slumped sideways on the john, his head resting on a wall. He was wearing a tee shirt and summer shorts, a syringe was still inserted in his thigh. My mother tried in vain to awaken him. The two of us attempted to get him on his feet, at 110 pounds I was the “bigger” of the two of us, so it was not happening, his body fell to the floor. Too much for a 15 year old. I was shaking, crying, praying, screaming “Is he dead? Is he dead?”
My mother broke her promise to “T” and called for an ambulance. The hospital was only 5 blocks away. His life was saved. And he was then taken to jail. His “crime” was being an addict. Naloxone was available during that time, but only through a medical facility. The antidote was invented in 1961. FDA approved it a few years later.
The pivoting point in my brother’s life is when he met a beautiful, wonderful girl who he turned his life around for. She would not marry “T” unless he could become clean. He became clean, had a relapse, clean again for good. He married and had a daughter, who he thought was the most amazing thing on earth. He was 26 when she was born.
And he was 26 when he died, three months later.
No, not by drugs, he was murdered. After the journey he traveled, it wasn’t heroin that killed him, it was a bad guy. My father and I identified his body at the county coroner’s office. It was the first time I ever saw my father cry. He felt like such a failure. He wasn’t. I could not imagine a better father. His entire life and joy was his family, I don’t know a person who had a better childhood than I did, because of my parents. This can and does happen in the best of families, who do the best they are able to. It can happen in any family.
Adding insult to injury, his killer was acquitted when two witnesses were too scared to testify. My brother’s daughter was only 3 months old. She never knew her father, but I did my best to see that she knew him through me. She became a federal agent. She married a DEA agent and they spent a few years in Mexico City fighting the fight against drugs.
My brother left me a gift. He loved me very much and was continually lecturing me on drugs. Using himself as an example, and sharing horrific stories. It was effective; I never experimented with any illegal drug, not even marijuana. Oh, for sure many around me in school smoked, and in the 80s cocaine was passed around at parties, but I was never tempted. I was scared straight so to speak.
He was an addict. He also had value. Those two things are not mutually exclusive. “T” was loved by all who knew him, especially his family, and after all these years that have passed, his memory remains fresh, and his absence still matters. For those who think his life did not matter because he was an addict, I am here to say, you are wrong.
Read Dr Adams full JAMA article using this link
Source: http://www.borderlandbeat.com/2018/04/more-should-carry-narcan-antidote-to.html
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