Editor香蕉视频直播檚 note: The names of the family members in this article have been changed for privacy reasons.

***

Thirty-five-year-old John is on the road to recovery. He香蕉视频直播檚 been sober for seven months now, has changed careers and is focusing on his health.

It wasn香蕉视频直播檛 always like that though. There was a time when all he could focus on was getting high. Then came the night he almost died in November of 2020.

John was living with his parents at the time 香蕉视频直播� a time his mom, Kate, describes as 香蕉视频直播渃haotic.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淗e had nowhere to live and we just thought, 香蕉视频直播榃e香蕉视频直播檝e got to do something,香蕉视频直播� but we were thrown into this with little or no knowledge on drugs and what to do with someone who is addicted, but we just knew if we could give him somewhere safe.香蕉视频直播�

On that fateful November night, Kate and her husband overheard very strange breathing sounds coming from John香蕉视频直播檚 room. They checked on John and tried to wake him up, to no avail.

They called 911 and stayed on the line while they waited for paramedics to arrive while their son was turning blue.

香蕉视频直播淭he lady from 911 was awesome,香蕉视频直播� said Kate. 香蕉视频直播淪he stayed on the line and did what she could to help, but we thought we were losing him.香蕉视频直播�

Once paramedics arrived and took over, they pointed out the paraphernalia consistent with opioid use, and began the naloxone process.

香蕉视频直播淭hey gave him five doses,香蕉视频直播� said Kate. 香蕉视频直播淭hey said at the time that was the most they had ever given anyone who hasn香蕉视频直播檛 died. The fifth dose brought him back. He woke up like nothing had happened.香蕉视频直播�

John said it started as a typical night for him.

香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 remember too much, but it was a paycheque weekend, so I was partying by myself 香蕉视频直播� that香蕉视频直播檚 how I liked to do it; I didn香蕉视频直播檛 like being around others,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 would mix cocaine with the heroin/fentanyl香蕉视频直播�. Usually, you just go to sleep, and you wake up a couple of hours later and you香蕉视频直播檙e fine. But this night I wasn香蕉视频直播檛.香蕉视频直播�

John knows that the paramedics saved his life.

香蕉视频直播淚 do remember the paramedic, the one guy especially. I just remember, he just wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 give up on me, and I am so thankful. He was a younger guy 香蕉视频直播� probably younger than me 香蕉视频直播� but he had a big heart, and if it wasn香蕉视频直播檛 for him, I would have lost my life.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淭he paramedics were so professional,香蕉视频直播� added Kate. 香蕉视频直播淭hey made no judgment, they just did their job and helped him.香蕉视频直播�

Paramedics urged John to go to the hospital, which he did. A couple of hours after being admitted, he had a heart attack.

香蕉视频直播淭hat (the five doses) was the reason they thought he should go in (to the hospital) because they had never given that much to anyone before and they were worried about his health,香蕉视频直播� said Kate.

John signed himself out of the hospital the next day, against the doctors香蕉视频直播� wishes.

香蕉视频直播淏ut not before they gave him their two cents香蕉视频直播� worth on how much risk he had put himself under by doing the drugs,香蕉视频直播� said Kate. 香蕉视频直播淗e was doing fentanyl and carfentanil by that time. I think it scared him because he stayed away from it after that.香蕉视频直播�

John said although he had naloxone injections before, this one rattled him.

香蕉视频直播淚 can count maybe 10 times I had to be 香蕉视频直播楴arcaned香蕉视频直播� and resuscitated back, but the one in November 2020 was the biggest, scariest one, especially because I was with my parents, my mom, under her roof when it happened,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭here were others, but I believe that one, my heart stopped. 香蕉视频直播�

Familiar path to dependency

John香蕉视频直播檚 spiral into opioid dependency is a familiar tale.

He was in a bad car accident many years ago, and the drugs he was given for pain relief became a necessary part of his life.

香蕉视频直播淗e was critically injured and in hospital with pretty much every bone broken below his head,香蕉视频直播� said Kate. 香蕉视频直播淪o they started him on all kinds of medication then. He was in the hospital for about three months and then in a wheelchair for another six months after that. With the whole privacy thing I was not privy to all the drugs he was on, but I did notice (changes). I couldn香蕉视频直播檛 tell if it was because of how much pain he was in, or if it was the drugs talking, but his personality - that friendly, happy kid that I knew - that was gone. The pain, and the drugs, had taken over.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 when I had painkillers for the first time and I kind of liked the feeling, but I didn香蕉视频直播檛 start (with the heavier drugs) until a little after that,香蕉视频直播� said John. 香蕉视频直播淚 was offered OxyContin and after a while, it just went into a full-blown heroin addiction, fentanyl addiction.香蕉视频直播�

He said that for the first while, he was able to limit his use to weekends.

香蕉视频直播淚 was trying to use and still have a normal lifestyle, going to work and things like that,香蕉视频直播� said John. 香蕉视频直播淏ut then it got to the point that I was using at work, too.香蕉视频直播�

John would use for a few days, go through a self-detox, then go back to the drugs.

香蕉视频直播淚t was always a cycle of going back to it, then detoxing香蕉视频直播� the detoxing was terrible. Everything that you go through by detoxing is awful. But then after a week passed, for me, personally, I would forget about the harshness of the detox and convince myself to go back to the drugs 香蕉视频直播� After a short span of that actually working, it wasn香蕉视频直播檛 like that anymore.香蕉视频直播�

Eventually, the high took over John香蕉视频直播檚 life.

香蕉视频直播淚 ended up being homeless, and that was the only thing that mattered, was the drug.香蕉视频直播�

Recovering

John had a relapse shortly after release from the hospital, then checked into a rehab program. He has been sober now for seven months.

香蕉视频直播淭he challenges are always there,香蕉视频直播� said John. 香蕉视频直播淭here are times when I think throw caution to the wind and get back into it, what does it really matter? So I have to snap myself out of it and think about now 香蕉视频直播� being sober at that moment; go to sleep sober. It香蕉视频直播檚 not been easy, but I have to accept that I have made that decision that I can香蕉视频直播檛 ever do it again, for any reason. It香蕉视频直播檚 such a slippery, dangerous slope. I know I can香蕉视频直播檛 just do it once, or I will be right back at it.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淗e knows what his triggers are, and he香蕉视频直播檚 staying away from all that,香蕉视频直播� said Kate. 香蕉视频直播淗e was in construction, which was a big trigger. So he got out of that and is doing something totally different now.香蕉视频直播�

John said the support he has received from his family keeps him going in the tough times.

香蕉视频直播淭hey make me so proud. They haven香蕉视频直播檛 given up on me, so I am not going to give up on myself.香蕉视频直播�

The emotion he feels for his family now is something that was not there when he was in the grips of dependency. But John looks back on that night in November, 2020 as a turning point in his life.

香蕉视频直播淭hat night especially kind of hits me,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淲hen I bring it up, I shed a tear, just knowing how my mom must have felt, seeing them use Narcan after Narcan kit and I香蕉视频直播檓 laying there, dead, in front of her. That香蕉视频直播檚 something I don香蕉视频直播檛 want my mom, or anyone that is close to me to ever go through again.香蕉视频直播�

As for Kate, she said Nar-Anon has been a godsend to her.

香蕉视频直播淭hat is what helped me survive,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚 still go to meetings. You don香蕉视频直播檛 have anyone else you can talk to about this. Your normal friends don香蕉视频直播檛 want to hear about it. But there you can talk about everything going on, and get the help you need.香蕉视频直播�

Watch for signs

Kate said if there is one piece of advice she could pass along to parents, it香蕉视频直播檚 to watch for certain telltale signs.

香蕉视频直播淔or me, it was recognizing when they start losing interest in things that they always loved to do. The sports stopped. My son was an incredible artist. He stopped drawing; he stopped all of that. And his friends changed totally too.

香蕉视频直播淲hen they stop seeing their old friends, good friends, and shadier friends start coming around香蕉视频直播� that香蕉视频直播檚 when I noticed the difference.香蕉视频直播�

Island Health offers many options and services for those seeking assistance with their dependency issues. Visit for more information.

terry.farrell@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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