Did You See It?

Last night, January 13^th local TV stations and many radio outlets across Arizona hosted a 30 minute documentary “Hooked: Tracking Heroin’s Hold on Arizona”. This documentary was created by Cronkite News of ASU. 

http://cronkitenewsonline.com says: At its worst, the life of a heroin addict is deadly and unforgiving.  From 2010 to 2013 drug deaths topped even the number of motor vehicle deaths in Arizona with 1,106 drug deaths compared to 711 motor vehicle deaths in 2010 and 1,200 to 770 in 2013, according to yearly reports from the Arizona Department of Health Services.

This is tragic…but real. 

For those of you personally familiar with our family, you know we found my sister-in-law, Mary Campbell deceased in her home a couple of years ago.

Mary was smart, I mean really smart. She was well read, a college graduate, and valedictorian of her high school. She simply got “Hooked” and could not stop drinking or taking pills. 

Mary had figured out legally how to acquire and keep 100’s of pills at a time. She drank and took pills together.  We couldn’t get her help because we did not have the legal rights to get her help. She was an adult, and in her case she was acquiring the drugs and alcohol legally!

Mary told professionals she was in control. 

When she fell and broke her ankle, the hospital staff simply asked Mary if she knew what she was doing, and she said, “Of course, you don’t think I’m an addict, do you?” 

After the professional left the room Mary, proceeded to tell me she did not like me talking behind her back. Very concerned I asked around and learned that if Mary didn’t want help, we couldn’t   force her to get help.

Then one Saturday morning (July 13, 2013) day during a well check, my husband Ken called and told me, “she’s gone”. Initially I thought Mary was finally tired of us being in her business and had simply packed up moved out of state. 

However, I was wrong --- Mary was dead! Oh, how I miss Mary. 

For you see, Mary and my brother Knox met at elementary school in Bandon, Oregon. 

By the time they were in high school, Knox and Mary had keys to everything. The high school front door, bus shed, busses, and most of the teachers’ cars. They married right after high school and we thought they would simply live forever. 

That is until Knox developed cancer. In those long years of living with cancer, hospitals, doctors, they both lost hope. Knox and Mary divorced after 26 years of marriage. 

Their life fell apart. My hope is with education we can help others not die from life stresses.

Please if you did not see the documentary, go on line and watch it. You might be able to save a life.