Replies: 12

Ann Posts: 646 Registered: 6/6/09 Re: The fighter in me is back!! Posted: Nov 20, 2009 1:56 PM   Reply Rosena, I agree, we have to change the laws. Yesterday I wrote to State Rep. Barbara Boyd of Cleveland about "Sean's Law" which she has introduced legislation that would change the way inmates are treated within the first day or two. When I listen to Kiah talk about her son in jail it is heartbreaking! Many people go through severe withdrawal without any help whatsoever, other's go without prescribed meds, and some have even died.I am hoping she will reply to my email and tell me what we can do to encourage the passing of this bill. Also, with your son's situation, that just blew my mind! You cannot drink and drive, but you can do meth and drive? What??? Your new grandchild is being breast fed by an addicted mother and many others are doing the same thing. Surely there is something we can do to change things or at least make it more difficult for people to use and get away with it. We have to do something, if not for today, for the future of our grandchildren who will face these same issues and probably more. Ann

kiah Posts: 168 Registered: 8/18/09 Re: The fighter in me is back!! Posted: Nov 21, 2009 4:05 PM   Reply First off I ment to this post to be in reply to lillypads last post. I dont know how to fix it, oh well, it landed here? I am with you lillypad. My son had ocodc so badly ( undioagnosed) Tics, ( mind) ADHA ( from severe at time to mild others), insomnia ( severe) , LD ( varying) and all of this were things he had way before any drug use. I know in my heart that these issues are what caused his drug use and addiction. ( Not reversed). In his teens, my son was involved in stealing cars too. Then as a young adult, he was in drug court as well. Sadly, while in drug court, he made a poor judement call and drove while suspended. The drug court ( I would have thought would have sent him to a long in house treatment program). But no. They sent him to prison for 13 months.( where he got no help for his issues). To top it off, he was sent to a medium security prison for a minimun crime because he is dysabled physically. ( Isnt that sick). Our system is more criminal than its addicts or criminals. Message was edited by: kiah

cindykay Posts: 284 Registered: 6/5/09 Re: The fighter in me is back!! Posted: Nov 23, 2009 7:49 AM   Reply Rosena, I agree with you on so many aspect you stated and many you did not as it relates to addiction and the current laws and treatment. It infuriated me to learn what truly goes on in the system, legal, social and medically. I recently found out that one of our programs was hiding 4 1/2 million dollars collected from taxpayers money for bonuses and salaries instead of treatment and rehabs. Ann, you mention the Cleveland area. Are you in that area. I work with some advocacy groups there and you may be interested.

Ann Posts: 646 Registered: 6/6/09 Re: The fighter in me is back!! Posted: Nov 24, 2009 9:42 AM   Reply Cindykay, No, I do not live in Ohio, I am just very interested in the bill that Ohio Representative Boyd is hoping to see passed concerning inmates and their treatment. I did get a response from Rep. Boyd's legislative aide who told me that the bill has had two hearings,,,at the second hearing there was great response. Now they are waiting to hear back from the House's Criminal Justice Committee for the third hearing. Should this pass, and I hope and pray it will, then perhaps we can write our own State Representatives and encourage this be considered in our state. I have no problem with the fact that when people break the law, they can end up in jail. What I do have a problem with, is denying someone prescription medication, or watching them detox without help of any kind, which can be deadly, which I believe is what brought this bill about? I found the story behind "Sean's Law" very informative and extremely sad and tragic! I am sure each of us have found ourselves in a situation where we feel that things are going on with inmates that are frightening and sometimes unthinkable, and yet they have no voice! This is just my opinion, and a matter that is close to my heart. So, I must say that I applaud Ohio Representative Boyd and all that are working closely with her on trying to give a voice to those that do not have one. Ann

Rosena Posts: 515 Registered: 6/8/09 Re: The fighter in me is back!! Posted: Nov 24, 2009 10:02 AM   Reply Maybe I am cold hearted or am more detached than others but when I say the fighter in me is back it isn't to fight for the rights of the addicts or to stand up for their protection, it is to keep drug addicts from driving while under the influence, swerving into other lanes and killing someone or being passed out behind the wheel and using the excuse that they are in "treatment". I want to fight for the innocent victim that is affected by the drug abuser and the innocent child that is being forced to drink drugs through their mothers breast. As far as I am concerned, the addict made their choice but I want to fight for those who are affected by that choice, but have had no say what so ever in the choice. How many accidents are we hearing of that people have fallen asleep at the wheel or "lost control" of their vehicle and went into another lane. They use Methadone or prescription drugs as their mask to continue this bad behavior and it needs to stop!

Ann Posts: 646 Registered: 6/6/09 Re: The fighter in me is back!! Posted: Nov 24, 2009 10:34 AM   Reply Rosena, you are anything but cold hearted. You have a huge heart! I am not saying that we should not fight addiction and all that goes with it. I do believe that we have to fight this problem from many different angles. While I do not know these inmates who did not receive prescribed meds, etc., I do believe that if it was my son or your son, while we may understand that they got themselves there, I do believe most of us would have a problem watching them go without medical treatment if it was needed? Ann

Rosena Posts: 515 Registered: 6/8/09 Re: The fighter in me is back!! Posted: Nov 24, 2009 10:35 AM   Reply Maybe...but even God only helps those that help themselves...and how much effort is anyone's addict putting in these days?? Honestly!

Rosena Posts: 515 Registered: 6/8/09 Re: The fighter in me is back!! Posted: Nov 24, 2009 10:44 AM   Reply I am sorry Ann...but I am tired of hearing how sorry they are or how much they want change, but that is only in the face of a crisis and as soon as the crisis passes, so does the desire for real help. So..we have our hopes dashed up high only to come crashing down once they are stabilized once again. I am just tired of being drug into the drama by the tip of my heart only to have yet another piece of my heart ripped out and standing back at square one. I used to want to fight for MY addicts, but now I want to fight for the victims of the addicts. The more you give the addict, the more they want, the more they use you, manipulate you and control your life. I refuse to be that victim any longer. I think having my grandson being breast fed by his addict mother is the straw for me. That poor baby is innocent and has no say whatsoever, but SHE chooses to use. I will NOT fight for the addicts rights again....sorry! Who is speaking for the victims? Who speaks for families destroyed by addictions...souls lost, love gone...NO ONE...

Ann Posts: 646 Registered: 6/6/09 Re: The fighter in me is back!! Posted: Nov 24, 2009 2:21 PM   Reply I'm trying to understand what you are saying Rosena, I really am, and believe me when I say that the very though of having your grandbaby in such a dangerous situation, is heartbreaking to me! I do not, nor will I ever understand how this can happen to a newborn, or any child for that matter! It is absolutely beyond anything my mind can comprehend. It is as though the hospital may even know, but choose to look the other way? Having said that, I still believe that if my son, your son, or anyone's loved one entered jail and were denied prescribed medication, or medical help when they need it is inhumane to me! Perhaps jail is exactly where they should be, but to stand and watch them die, I don't see how this is right, with addiction or any other problem. Yes, I am angry, sad, and heartbroken at what my child's addiction has done to him and to all of us. It is a hellacious road that I wish on no one. However, the system is not helping by letting a newborn breastfeed from an addicted mother, nor or they helping by letting an addict or anyone else become delusional and possibly die in a jail cell, without some kind of medical help? The bill I was referring to was concerning Sean Levert, who died after being denied a prescription of zanex which he handed them when he entered the jail, but was never allowed to take. I believe he was in for back child support, not drugs. He began hallucinating and having delusional behavior and ask for his medicine. Another inmate told him to be quiet, or they would put him in the hole naked with nothing but a Bible. His was strapped to a chair and then stopped breathing and died. This just seems wrong to me? Ann

Rosena Posts: 515 Registered: 6/8/09 Re: The fighter in me is back!! Posted: Nov 24, 2009 2:37 PM   Reply Ann, again I am truly sorry for what you are going through, but again I raise my voice for the innocent victims in this. The person who gets hit head on because someone high was driving on the wrong side of the road, or the clerk in the store who gets shot because he didn't have enough money in the register for the addicts next high, or like I have said, the innocent child who is breast fed from an addicted mother. I am not in anyway saying that an addict doesn't deserve fair treatment, what I am saying is that he CHOSE his lifestyle, the victims I speak of are innocent bystanders of the addicts choice in life. I think maybe I have become too cold because in my mind someone in jail for back support due to their own drug addiction, did put themselves there. What about the child he isn't paying for? What about the fact that he choses his drug over his own child? Please understand I am not saying that anyone deserves to die, but I personally am tired of feeling sorry for people who chose their lifestyle and then want to cry when it gets tough. I would rather try to help the innocent hurt in the cross fires.

Rosena Posts: 515 Registered: 6/8/09 Re: The fighter in me is back!! Posted: Nov 24, 2009 2:41 PM   Reply And MOST of the time we invest so much time, effort, money and our entire being into helping someone who doesn't even want our help....I would rather help someone who really needs it and appreciates..and mostly wants it!

waterdance Posts: 624 Registered: 6/10/09 Re: The fighter in me is back!! Posted: Nov 24, 2009 8:00 PM   Reply Hello Rosena, Ann and All, I am becoming much like Rosena. We get calls from Phoenix from Chuck's mom talking about how broke everyone is:how his brother and girlfriend have been evicted because her parents can't pay on the house (they lived rent-free for 6 or more years) CPS took her 3 kids last year (the baby belonging to Chuck's brother). Nevermind that no one has worked in years and are still using meth. Chuck's sister not working, still alcoholic. There's more. Anyway Chuck sent 200 to his Mom. I don't say much. Then I hear from my youngest telling me my oldest Stella is very broke.All these years I was there shelling out to all of them (thought I was "helping"). Now I say to Janice "It's tough finding the money for cigarettes, 12 pack of cokes, and meth." Sounds hard, doesn't it? Should have cut off all funds years ago. And today I advise every parent to cease helping in any way when they are alcoholic or a druggie. If they have kids buy food etc. Do not give money. It's rough when kids are invoved. In 1997 I went to M & M 's apartment. No food . I went to store, spent over 300 (they had a one year old). Found out later that they sold most of the food the next day. They bought heroin. My horror stories are like thousands upon thousands across this country. Deb