the bleeding edge... overdose / death

[antigonemuse]

a few months back i lost someone very tragically.

she was a mother... a nurse... and a beautiful person

her family had enabled her to the point where it was normal to throw a pee pad under her while she was knocked out on a cocktail of fent, benzos and muscle relaxors

it was the end if her second day / third morning with out waking... covered in piss, shit and vomit before her SO and sister called the 911

her heart was stopped, body temp way down

i saw her in the neuro ICU, after they weened her off the opies enough to get some kind of response.. she was on life support.

she seemed to be responding to stimuli, but systemically. it was the first sign of brain death, later confirmed with mri's, cat scans...

after a week, the plug was pulled.

its so tragic, that such a vibrant, beautiful woman... was reduced to such a horrible death.

not to bum anyone out. but a site where information about how to fix, and drug nostalgia should have some balance

and a part of me hopes sharing just a glimpse of her story, honors her in some way

[DreamCatcher]

Sorry for your loss, this is very sad.... I got nothing to say though

[tui]

Wow, that takes the term "enabling" to a whole new level. Were her family were drug users too? I can't imagine leaving anyone to die like that.

One time a guy ODed at a seedy drug house I used to cop at. The residents went through his pockets, stole anything worth anything, carried his body to his car that was parked outside and left him there to die. Which he did. It makes me sick to think about it.

Every death of someone you love hurts, but when an ODing person is abandoned, and they could so easily have been saved, it's just so horribly wrong. Some drug users become depraved, so fixated by their next hit they lose all compassion and empathy. Or maybe drugs are just an excuse. I don't know.

So, so sad. I'm sorry for your loss sweetheart.

[Smaxie]

This is a really sad story. It is strange what behaviors can start to be accepted as normal when living with an addict. As wrong as it is, I can somewhat see her family becoming so used to her being so sedated that she was unable to get up and use the restroom. I just don't understand how they could have witnessed her vomiting in her sleep, and thinking that she didn't need help then. Although we are all responsible for our own actions, her family really was to blame here for not getting her help sooner. The whole story is really really sad. Op, I am very sorry for your loss, and that you are left with these disturbing images of your friend's last few days. She was obviously a good and caring person who deserved better.

[antigonemuse]

the family was very much at fault. her sister, also a nurse, felt she could handle it. but i think it was more of an issue with her own addiction. loosing her connections, not wanting it to be true... who knows. she would say such werid stuff at icu... like i would empty vomit out of mouth, and prop her head so she would get air flow.

she brought out a bag with her bloody cut off shirt and her pillow that was a mess with all her body fluids. asking if she should keep it.

i was there for the first 4 days, and watched her high. after i saw friend in icu showing signs of no brain activity, i let the family be to make their decisions, and arrangments.

the wake was packed. so many loved her very much.

[Fat Pie]

not to bum anyone out. but a site where information about how to fix, and drug nostalgia should have some balance

I think the 'Departed Opies' do that. I'd hope we're not the equivalent of the family putting the piss pads under the comatose user.

[antigonemuse]

its such a fine line. we always enable the ones we love... good or bad. while this outcome was tragic and unforgivable; and as angry as i get; in their twisted rational, they thought they were supporting, helping and loving her. it makes me sick inside to admit that, cause the simple truth is, it should have been intervened.

the family now has to live with what has happened. and even though they didnt force the drugs on her, at very least they could have accepted the need to find an intervention soon before. she had been in the er the previous month with an overdose as well.

i knew her over 20 years, and knew there was an addiction issue, but never thought it would get to that point