Not even twelve hours ago I was a first responder to an overdose. He was a middle aged man with beard and glasses. Average attire for the weather. Found him nearly face down on the corner under the Northgate TLink Station. Unresponsive. Another woman (medically trained) got out of her car, joined me and proceeded to check his vitals and help open his airway. I administered four doses of narcan in what felt like hours of time. About fifteen minutes later help arrived from the fire department. Before they arrived, he stopped breathing several times and his eyes rolled back. His life was disappearing in front of my eyes. Limp and lifeless I pleaded with him to breathe and not fucking die. Please not tonight. I can’t start the year holding a dead person.
As soon as we transferred his care to the medics, he stirred and suddenly sat up. Started breathing. Coughed a few times. Then stood all the way up, and walked off without uttering a clear word or even looking around. The narcan saved his life. But it took four doses to do it.
I have been asking the universe to wrap him in a blanket of love and resources for his addiction. I hope he lives to see a life free from the grips of addiction. Please send him love. ❤️
To the woman who worked on him with me, you are an angel. May you be able to process the emotions of the experience and may your new year be filled with happiness and joy. ❤️
To the bystander that gave us two extra doses of narcan, you undoubtedly saved his life. And may your year be as wonderful as you are. ❤️
To my partner Angela Iris, who called 911 and kept me calm through the experience and held me so gently after, you helped save his life and may your new year be filled with happiness, love, and abundance. ❤️
If you are struggling with addiction of any kind, please reach out. No shame. No judgments.❤️
If you need access to narcan or training, please also reach out. I have great resources.❤️
If you need fentanyl test strips, let me know.❤️
If you want a button, hit me up.❤️
100% confidential, always. ❤️