Fentanyl is rampant in our communities

[Nicole-my grief journey]

My dear friend passed away last night. Not even 40 years old, two kids and his wife are now without their father and husband. I believe it was the same lethal drug that killed my brother. Fentanyl. I worried about him for years. There was depression and self medicating. Car wrecks, ambulances, and discretion as to what was actually going on. But everyone knew and we couldn’t stop it.

 He hugged me, held my hand and was there for me when I lost my brother in November. I think all of wish we could go back, change things somehow, help more, do something, say more...I know that there was no changing this inevitable outcome...but it doesn’t help the feeling of devastation at all; to logically know that there wasn’t changing someone going deeper and deeper into their addiction. Your heart feels like it’s bursted. You don’t want to believe it.

We met in elementary school. It’s sickening... On so many levels. This is this is the seventh life long friend who’s passed away from this rampant drug in one YEAR. It won’t be the last. It’s just the tip of the iceberg of what communities are going to experience with this s***, fentanyl. More and more loved ones will be lost and drug dealers are out there selling it without thought, just to make a quick buck. Lives ruined. Kids without their parents, widowers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and friends. I get that drug dealers aren’t forcing it into people’s hands...but when people do try and get clean, they chase you down with their newest product, promising a high like never before and they don’t stop with calling and showing up to keep you on it and make that dollar. I never knew what fentanyl was until we lost my brother. I thought the deaths were opiods and heroin which is bad enough, but then continuously losing people you love to this laced into what they took...I just want to scream. We’ve tried everything we know and help of professionals and it has stopped nothing. Not even naloxone. It takes two doeses of that to try and stop an overdose from fentanyl. And someone has to be there to adminster it while overdose happens. Some states let you buy naloxone without prescription (it’s called a standing order), but it still costs over a hundred dollars in Pennsylvania. Two tiny grains, the size of salt can kill you in a few seconds. I am broken for her knowing she tried cpr and it not working and then first responders trying and not being able to do anything. To see your loved ones lifeless body and have your kids witness all of it...I’d wish I could say that I can’t imagine...but I went through that trauma too when I found my brother and know what’s ahead after the shock wears off. Please pray for them. Us. I plan on writing letters to representatives for harsher sentencing on drug dealers, more affordable and convenient safe help for addicts and rehabs. And raising awareness by sharing. I don’t want it to happen to your families.

[reader]

Dear Nicole,

I'm so sorry for your loss.  You are so right, my friend. This drug is a plague on so many communities and causing so much pain to so many families. I know you are doing everything you can to help and honor your beloved friend's memory.

Sending all my thoughts and prayers.

[Nicole-my grief journey]

As always, thank you reader. We honored him tonight. It was a life well lived and many lives touched by his kind, caring soul. We shared all of the beautiful things about him and stories of the imprints he made on our hearts. I also received a lot of condolences regarding my brother from people I hadn’t seen after my brother passed and that was comforting. It was also positive that everyone seemed to be interested in being proactive in the fight against this epidemic. I am going to bed with hope although my heart is grieving. 

Hugs,

Nicole