I just don’t understand the need for all the pills and drugs people take and doctors prescribe.
Michael Jackson was taking all kinds of drugs, as well as other medications, for a variety of reasons.
Anna Nicole Smith died from somewhat the same pill routine. Her son died from an overdose of something legal and or illegal.
Years back, Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe both died from abusing pills and medications.
Personally, I do not like taking pills. However, I must take a few each day, one to help counter the side effects of the other, as well as, my vitamin.
I tolerate the pills I take, but I must have a severe headache before I will even consider taking one aspirin.
Another thing I don’t understand is why any doctor, after investing all the years and money in this or her education, would want to throw it away by selling or prescribing unnecessary drugs.
Sure, it’s probably greed. But in the long run, is it worth losing your license, possibly your family, and probably ending up in prison?
I live in the Midwest, and doctors here are being arrested and imprisoned for prescribing and selling illegal drugs.
I’m sure the same is true elsewhere.
I have some first-hand knowledge of the problems drugs, legal and illegal can cause.
Last November, our son announced that he was an addict and needed to check himself into a rehab program.
“Nothing has worked to date,” he told us.
We learned he has been using for 15 years, and the longest he had ever been clean was six months.
The Road Back
Although he was able to work up until the time he entered the rehab program, and never had been arrested, his life wasn’t easy, due to his drug dependency.
His rehab program consisted of two weeks in a hospital and six weeks in a halfway house.
Upon his return home, his Mother spent almost two weeks with him since he isn’t married and has no immediate family in the South.
He is fortunate to have a good support network and a church that really cares. He attends an A.A. meeting almost daily and will need to continue attending probably for the rest of life.
He has had to face the other problems that addiction brings; loss of employment and home.
His job loss was not directly the result of the addiction, as he was expecting his job would be eliminated, due to economic conditions.
Had he been working, instead of being in rehab, he could possibly have received a nice severance package.
Due to his loss of income and no savings, (all his money was spent on drugs), he was forced to sell his beautiful home. His house did sell.
However, as with many homeowners today, the sales price didn’t cover the mortgage. He lucked out. His mortgage company accepted the short sale. The closing has taken place and he has moved into a friend’s lower level.
There is some good to this story.
He has been clean for over 11 months and has a new job. Although the job does not offer the salary he has been used to, he is working for a hospice, helping others. Hopefully, he can rebuild his life without drugs, but we fully realize there could be a relapse.
At his suggestion, we have been attending Al-Alon meetings for parent of alcoholics and addicts. These meeting have been a real eye-opener for Pauline and me.
In a small way, we count our blessings that he wasn’t living with us during his addiction.
When he told us of the addiction, his Mother and I immediately thought we could help him with his illness. He could come home or one of us would move in with him until he got into rehab. We would act as a personal policeman or parole officer.
He didn’t take us up on either offer. In retrospect, that’s good. It wouldn’t have worked. Life for all of us would have just been miserable.
When it comes to a cure: WE CAN’T – GOD CAN – LET HIM!
If you are living with someone who has an alcohol or drug problem, please consider Al-Alon for yourself. The alcoholic or addict, however, must make his or her own decision to seek help.
Mr. Hennessey may be contacted at pmhenn@sbcglobal.net
