Buried Another Kid Last Night

[ws23jrt]

I feel the pain of those that post an experience like these.
Many stories come to mind from my life with people close to me (family members included) that are gone now because of giving in to a drug that was just intended to make a day feel better than it really was.

I feel compelled to add that in many cases some folks just can't seem to get a firm grip on WHF they are doing here.
My older sister (for example) lived most of her life living -just-to play with life and help others. She tossed many opportunities to make a living and ended up needing an intervention from the family to keep her off the street.

Fast forward and we got her back on her feet and into her own place. The next thing was she had not changed the way she was and again gave in to letting herself go. (BTW not a drug problem). She passed in her sleep at age 63.

My point with this is that drugs may be involved and may be the final killer but they are not the whole deal.

We are very complex at birth and get more so as we age.

 

[Budnicks]

Sad stuff,
I really wish it wasn't that way...
What a waste, just for being/getting high...
Parents/family must be crushed, they have my deepest & heartfelt condolences...

IMO Must not have been too smart,
they killed themselves with illegal drugs, a needle or what ever else,
seems pretty damn stupid to me...
Sorry, I know that's harsh/callous, but that's how I feel...

I know people that have died because of stupid drug abuse crap too,
I have a younger sister Brenda that died @ 39 y/o
from complications from hepatitis, because of years of abusing illegal drugs...

Illegal Drugs &/or Alcohol abuse {or texting/distractions while driving}
all take so many young {or older} lives today...

Seems Heroin it's the cool/it thing to do for youth today,
really poor decisions or bad examples of role models that they
look up-to or have to do that crap, think it's smart or right choices...
You read about some young & old people celebrities dying
"from that crap every day more & more"...
New drug epidemic...

 

[monaco66coupe]

It has been going on a long time. In the Late 70's to the early 80's I worked Security nights at a large medical center. (In 1982) Half of my time was spent unloading the squad in ER or wrestling with Patients in the psych ward. To this day one episode sticks in the head, as a beautiful blonde 20 year old girl was brought in restrained to the cart. She was screaming, kicking and totally out of control. She had been drinking, and took some speed or something. . We got her on the table, but two of us not Including the doctor could hardly hold her down! The doctor had just put the tube down her nose and began to pump charcoal into it when she got her hands on the tube. She pulled it out just as the stuff was going in. I held her as she aspirated and died in my arms.
I'm 30 years old and expected to go home after that shift, and do it all again the next night. The memory of that haunts me to this day.

 

[Xp29h]

Sorry to hear this! Never good! Unfortunately it happens way too often. Also not hard to believe that it all started with marijuana. In all the heroin overdoses I covered, they too started with the so called drug that can't hurt you! Marijuana! Frikin dummies!! Yes, and these dummies in Maine just made it legal! So there we go more and more young people incapable of making good choices while under the influence of pot, they snort or ingest heroin somehow and then it's over! Hooked and they'll start injecting soon! Unfortunately for some, death will only be the way they can be at peace again.

 

[ws23jrt]

An old memory just came back because of this topic.
I and a friend heard a commotion outside one evening. Two other friends were trying to handle a guy that was out of control and on who knows what.
They pulled him inside and I recall holding this guys legs while the others held his arms. This went on for at least a half hour and we all were getting tired.
I called a local number for a free clinic and they said get him down right away. It took all three of us to get him in a car and I drove to the clinic.
The doc. came out to the car and gave him a shot of something that gave relief to all of us.
That deranged fool -that was near death- woke the next day fine without memory of the night before.
I woke the next morning with a lasting outlook on street drugs.

 

[monaco66coupe]

The big thing then was PCP(Elephant tranquilzer) A man on that is like wrestling three men.They can ve shot, and they keep attacking. Very bad.

 

[ws23jrt]

Sorry to hear this! Never good! Unfortunately it happens way too often. Also not hard to believe that it all started with marijuana. In all the heroin overdoses I covered, they too started with the so called drug that can't hurt you! Marijuana! Frikin dummies!! Yes, and these dummies in Maine just made it legal! So there we go more and more young people incapable of making good choices while under the influence of pot, they snort or ingest heroin somehow and then it's over! Hooked and they'll start injecting soon! Unfortunately for some, death will only be the way they can be at peace again.

It's a broad brush used to say- it all starts from pot.
I started with aspirin that my mom gave me when I was 6.
My dad smoked lucky strikes and I recall liking the smell when he lit one up in the car. He seemed to enjoy the smoking thing.
I started smoking tobacco about 13-14 and smoking pot around 17.
When I got a regular job at 19 I could see/feel the pot getting in my way with work. My moving forward at that job slowed to a holding pattern.
One day I came home and locked the door. I took the phone off the hook and lit up a joint to get high as usual.
The first thing I thought about that time -as I relaxed- is --how long is this high going to last??. How long until I can unlock the door and put the phone back on the hook?

I started to smoke pot because it was fun. Later I did it because it was -time- to smoke pot.--It was not fun --it was just time to do so. Much like smoking cigs.

In 1976 I started an apprenticeship in a construction trade and needed my wits to work in my favor. That was the last time I smoked pot.

Fast forward and I am pulling a very fat pension from 40 years working with a clear head. As a matter of fact I might start smoking pot again because at this point my future is no longer at risk from being feeble minded.

 

[steve from staten island]

My cousin was the baby of the family she was the center of attention and the apple of my uncles eye. What i never knew was she was using drugs when she got older. She could never hold a job, was always in a jam, wrecked another car. Her parents both died in there sixties of tabacoo related cancers. She blew her whole inheritance within a year. She then was using hardcore and was out of control. Her siblings tried to help and she got a order of protection against one of them. She eventually checked into rehab. She got out and was as far as we know living with her boyfriend in a cheap motel. Her sister received the call from authorities. . I guess she couldn't take it anymore. She lined up all her pill bottles, took them all at once and killed herself. They found her DOA in bed. If my uncle didnt die of cancer this would have killed him for sure. I remember her a cute bubbly little girl and thats the way i want to remember her. Like i said before, this country is capable of so many great things but we still cant win the war on drugs and no wall aint going to stop it.

 

[steve from staten island]

Great post WS, Maybe we were the lucky ones in life. I know when i started work in the Power House shoveling coal id come home tired, take a nap, eat and go out and see were the guys were. Well they were at the same place they were the day before and all day that day while i was at work. Always broke, always looking to get high. I was more into cars and started to get away from those guys.it just didnt seem like the thing to do anymore. That was the turning point and sad to say most are gone now.

 

[Riverdawg]

Sorry to hear about all these young people. I'm very lucky, my kids (to my knowledge) have not been into drugs. We've always stressed that with them. I know they both drink, more than I wish they would, but I'll keep an eye on that.

 

[conv67bdere]

So sorry to hear that kind of new Bru . . . and sorry that you have to live it . . .

 

[ws23jrt]

Great post WS, Maybe we were the lucky ones in life. I know when i started work in the Power House shoveling coal id come home tired, take a nap, eat and go out and see were the guys were. Well they were at the same place they were the day before and all day that day while i was at work. Always broke, always looking to get high. I was more into cars and started to get away from those guys.it just didnt seem like the thing to do anymore. That was the turning point and sad to say most are gone now.

I think we lived close lives in those days.
In my case most of my friends were hippies and I was the go to guy with a place to live and food.---And I was only making $1.25 per hour.
At age 21 I bought my first house and all my friends told me I was taking a crazy risk with my money.--But they came to me for shelter many times.
It's odd that I still got negatives from friends when I bought my second house in 1985. I borrowed money on the first to get the second.
So then I needed to rent the first house to make ends meet and was expected to let people live there for free.
The last renter I had (that was behind $2500)threatened to sue me beause the floor was not flat and she might trip.
I sold that house as the easy way out.
Today I still live in the place I bought for 95k (it was paid off years ago) and pay taxes on 800k value.

Sorry for rambling on about my doing ok --but the bottom line point on this topic has to do with focus on a path that leads somewhere and stay on the path.

Many of those that mooched from me were dear friends in the day. They seemed to enjoy living day by day and are no longer doing so.

 

[polywideblock]

he made it a year longer than all these people
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27_Club
I don't get this" it all started with pot" crap but and call , that's just an excuse for the weak willed to make themselves feel better
I've smoked pot ALL my adult LIFE .
since I was 18 ,its how I relax AFTER work . just like a lot of you have a few beers or a shot or two of whatever
I've held the same job for 27 years , own my own home , raised 3 great girls , married 24 years ( she left to "find herself" nothing to do with pot ) own 3 badass muscle cars and lead a "normal life" . I never had the urge to try heroin or meth or ice or any of that other ****
yea I experimented with LSD trips back in the 70's but "everyone " did but no needles for this little black duck
I'll get off my soap box now , as you were

 

[Superb Bee]

Sad stuff,
I really wish it wasn't that way...
What a waste, just for being/getting high...
Parents/family must be crushed, they have my deepest & heartfelt condolences...

IMO Must not have been too smart,
they killed themselves with illegal drugs, a needle or what ever else,
seems pretty damn stupid to me...
Sorry, I know that's harsh/callous, but that's how I feel...

I know people that have died because of stupid drug abuse crap too,
I have a younger sister Brenda that died @ 39 y/o
from complications from hepatitis, because of years of abusing illegal drugs...

Illegal Drugs &/or Alcohol abuse {or texting/distractions while driving}
all take so many young {or older} lives today...

Seems Heroin it's the cool/it thing to do for youth today,
really poor decisions or bad examples of role models that they
look up-to or have to do that crap, think it's smart or right choices...
You read about some young & old people celebrities dying
"from that crap every day more & more"...
New drug epidemic...

See Bud I always felt the same way, I promise I did, I was one of the guys that said "these people made their choices, just stop doing it", and anyone will tell you I am an old thickhead sob, hard to change my mind or ways. And holding her, shivering and sick and not knowing where here tears started and mine ended, begging me to tell her how to stop, I knew she was trying and I knew we were beat. IT HAUNTS ME, over a decade has passed, and I know she could have been taken from us in a car accident, and I'm not sure if its right or not, BUT I WOULD PREFER THAT, over what happened, because it destroyed us all for a long time, I regret reading this post, because I try to remember her how she was not how "she was".
This innocent, headstrong, pretty little girl, sitting legs crossed on our front lawn playing with a bubble wand, or how she knew she didn't have to knock to come in our house, or when she was 15 minutes late for curfew she knew she could sneak over and I would bring her home with a little cover up story, but she also knew if it was twice in a week I would let her fry for it.
Its hard to make you understand how this little girl was, she was all that is good in this world, she was perfect and without defect.
I heart of gold, she wouldn't hurt a big crawling on her shirt, I seen it, she may have been 7 and a lady bug was on her shoulder she said "look" and I thought she was gonna be scared, she walked over to the fence and pulled her shirt to it for the bug to walk off, then watched until it flew away and said "bye come back soon"... And all was going well, until...

And I felt like you, like these people are less than people, but she was worth more than a lot of people and turned into something that wasn't her, its a deep wound I carry with me, and for a long time I tortured myself over it, as did her father, we could have done more, we should have just locked her in a room and handcuffed her to the radiator, but we will never know now, if maybe I had one more talk with her, if maybe we just bashed that kids head in with a rock, or if we never told her to get into nursing, or if maybe we just paid a bit more attention, or maybe we should have explained that there are wolves out there, wolves that turn you like a vampire turns someone.

Heres the thing, its a chemical, that changes you, and you cant fight yourself, so once it changes you that's the new you, so all that is left is the memories your loved ones have of you prior to the chemicals grip. And with her it was strong, I didn't see a drug addict, I seen that little girl that when I had knee surgery cried real tears when she seen how much pain I was in and came and held my hand. When she got her first job raced through my front door and couldn't wait to tell me and my wife about it because she cared what we thought and she wanted to see us proud of her, and we were and I still am.

The real her would have died from seeing the pain she caused, but that pain was worth the price of admission to know her as a little girl and teenager, and young lady. I try my best to remember them, and I admit its clouded by some of the gross things she said while under that influence, and gross actions, but it wasn't her...

Its bad stuff, and I can talk about her all day, my wife cant talk about her for 3 minutes with out having to excuse herself, and my kids have a hard time too still to this day, so I don't get to talk about her much, its bitter sweet.

 

[steve from staten island]

That was a lot to share but thanks for doing so.

 

[steve from staten island]

I think we lived close lives in those days.
In my case most of my friends were hippies and I was the go to guy with a place to live and food.---And I was only making $1.25 per hour.
At age 21 I bought my first house and all my friends told me I was taking a crazy risk with my money.--But they came to me for shelter many times.
It's odd that I still got negatives from friends when I bought my second house in 1985. I borrowed money on the first to get the second.
So then I needed to rent the first house to make ends meet and was expected to let people live there for free.
The last renter I had (that was behind $2500)threatened to sue me beause the floor was not flat and she might trip.
I sold that house as the easy way out.
Today I still live in the place I bought for 95k (it was paid off years ago) and pay taxes on 800k value.

Sorry for rambling on about my doing ok --but the bottom line point on this topic has to do with focus on a path that leads somewhere and stay on the path.

Many of those that mooched from me were dear friends in the day. They seemed to enjoy living day by day and are no longer doing so.

Another great real life post. I guess i needed some guidance back then. My father and i didnt see eye to eye and he was not one to sit you down and explain things. He did his best and lived up to his responsibilities and expected me to do the same. I think in retrospect the only thing thats set me straight was Uncle Sam and my soon to be wife. Thank God for both of them LOL

 

[67Charger]

The really really sad part of this is that a lot of it starts at the Dr office with "pain" meds , pushed by big Pharma.

First, I really empathize with the OP, and as someone with a massive family involvement in Law Enforcement and First responders, I understand what an epidemic it is.

That being said, the latter part of the above quoted comment really rakes me. Yes, there are a lot of people in chronic pain that legitimately need strong pain meds to maintain function, and yes, many of those meds are narcotic based and can be very addictive. Yes, people can develop a physical dependency on the chemicals to the extent the comedown from quitting is seemingly impossible to deal with. "Big Pharma" is a serious cop out. They provide a product that fills a need. DOCTORS prescribe medication that is to be used in a defined, specific manner and on a defined schedule. PATIENTS are responsible for using the drugs in the prescribed manner. PHARMA has nothing to do with this. That is a red herring. It is the ABUSE by irresponsible doctors that may overprescribe in quantity and/or strength, and the ABUSE by patients that CHOOSE to over-use. "Big Pharma" is no more to blame for this than a tree is for cutting a speeding car in half. Stay between the lines and that tree will simply shade your eyes form the sun and make air for you to breathe.

Now step out of the doctor/patient realm. Recreational users get no sympathy from me. That sympathy is entirely reserved for the family that they cause to suffer, as we have read from so many of our fellow members. These people, by a series of choices that they made, be they large like picking up a syringe, or small like dating a guy who likes to party sometimes, ultimately have made every choice along the way that led to their demise, either past or pending.

Pot users? In the tree example above, these guys believe they are just the casual speeders. Just a little outside the limits (limits = unmedicated state), but not doing something really stupid like street racing or drunk driving. Fine, it's on you. Not everyone can handle it. I personally choose to avoid ALL of that, and this will never be an issue for me. If someone elses poor choices in the drug realm affect my life in a negative manner, I will do all I can to combat it. Zero sympathy for ANY recreational use.

 

[67Charger]

To go on..

The reason the recreational users, even the ones that CAN handle it, are such an issue is that it normalizes it and ends up sucking in those who cannot by making it such a small, acceptable, easy to "handle" step to start. The OP's friend is the perfect example. There was nothing in that girls life that would have driven her to it until she associated with an individual that may or may not have been able to "handle it" in their own life. That association was her entry to her personal death spiral. She could not "handle it". I firmly believe that we are all responsible for our own choices, and accordingly, the OP's friend DID make her choices that led her to it. I also think that the removal of the stigma makes it that much easier to begin down that slippery slope.

Some things are just BAD, but no one likes to be called bad or called out for doing a BAD thing, so we all pretend everything is OK so we can be polite. In the mean time, BAD things are consuming what could have been wonderful, productive lives. Those who justify their own use by saying they can handle it, are by that logic admitting that it is something that needs to be controlled or it could get out of control. ...like (their own) drug use.

End result? Pain. Not for the user - she is gone. Not for the one who led her to that road - he could "handle it". not for the others out there who were using at the same time - they were, in the moment, "handling it" and still living their lives. The pain is reserved for the family, friends, and everyone else outside that world.

 

[Roger63]

Handling it is merely an illusion, addiction blinds you to all rational thought. Wether it is alcohol, tobacco drugs or food. Yeah we have all known that guy that can't hold his liquor and turns into a blithering asshole when he has had 1 to many. I have been on both sides of the spectrum like some of you have, and I now believe Drugs have no place in society. It causes way more harm than good.

 

[GinoX]

Well, I grew up amidst them and not once did I ever use. I was mocked, sissyboy and laughed at (peer pressure) and still I didn't. And I was the youngest in that group/gang of the neighbourhood.

Why? I saw the bad effect(s), I didn't and still don't smoke and foremost was and still am afraid of needles..........