Forum: Close to Home
Topic: Do you have a real-life story of your own to share?
Topic Posted by: Close To HomeDate Posted: Wed Mar 18 15:22:22 1998
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Posted by: Sue Godwin (godwins@mindspring.com )
Date posted: Sat Apr 11 17:36:33 1998
Subject: Drug Addiction
Message:
On December 29, 1997, my only brother, my only remaining immediate family member got in his truck and turned on a gas powered leaf blower so that he could commit suicide by carbon minoxide poisoning. He was struggling with drug addiction and could no longer stand the pain. He had been in the hospital the previous summe,r after attempting suicide, only to be used by the medical profession for his insurance and never offered drug addiction treatment. He was given ECT(shock treatments) because his doctor felt that was best. It was not the best, but instead made my brother vow never to go back to the hospital again.This was someone I loved, someone who meant the world to me, and someone I miss! I do not know how to deal with his death, but the program Bill Moyers on Addiction was informative and generated an interest in me to learn more and see if I could tell my story to someone who would care to listen. I would like to help change the way drug addicts are treated medically. They are people: brothers, fathers, sons, husbands, sisters, mothers, wives, and daughters. My brother was a father of an 11 year old son, 20 year old daughter, grandfather of a 6 month old girl, and husband of 25 years this April. He chose to end his life rather than face another day of addiction and he felt there was no hope for help. That to me is tragic. That for me has changed my life forever!
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