I Witnessed My First Fentanyl Death

[Joshua_Entangled]

Last week I Witnessed my first tragedy from this epidemic on the Streets of America.  He was in our dorm at the homeless mission.  Had been discussing something heated with a mate on the phone. 

A couple of us were being promoted by the holy spirit to talk with him more.  His things laid neatly organized on his bed as he walked into the bathroom stall a few feet from our dorm.  A few minutes later he laid blue as a ghost dead in our midst....

A couple of days passed and we didn't hear much, just that he was revived and had a faint heartbeat.  I asked to gather up his things which were still on his bed for his family.  So I threw out the coffee creamer and other perishables.  By the look of his stuff, he was a seasoned veteran homeless person.   Put it in a bag and date it, throw it in the basement for 30 days, or until the family claims it.  Such a tragedy, again.  

 

 

 

[George]

Sadly, I'm running across this more and more ... strange for me.  When I was growing up in Baltimore, we had lots of heroin overdose deaths in my age group ... now it seems that this is even more deadly than heroin!

[walla299]

One reason Fentanyl has become so dangerous is that it can show up in just about any street drug these days. It's one reason so many are dying because they don't realize its in whatever they are using. The lucky ones wake up in the Emergency Room or with someone who has some Narcan while the other ones do not.

Another reminder of two things: We are not guaranteed tomorrow, and always listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

[abcdef]

All of my life I have watched people around me die from drugs.

Terrible and painful. Love lost.

Sadly the friends, neighbors, and others did not accept Jesus as their Savior.

The fact that they bought the drugs off of the street instead of a pharmacy where the drugs are regulated, contributed to their overdoses.

All of us who have lived through the recent past have seen great talented well known people pass from the living.

It is heartbreaking. 

 

[ayin jade]

Sadly those using drugs are not the only victims. Two family members died at the hands of meth addicts.

[Marathoner]

I encounter this frequently in the neighborhood. Some time ago, I came across a man prone on the sidewalk; his breathing was shallow. I noticed a 12-pack of an alcoholic drink on the curb next to him with a few missing. When I arrived, a local came to me and said that they saw him "smoking something" before he collapsed. I secured some Narcan and when I administered the first dose, the man stirred but didn't regain consciousness. The second dose had no effect. 

While this was going on, someone called 911. I don't know what happened with this fellow, but I do know what he was smoking: fentanyl. That's become popular in this city, and the area where I work in a transitional housing shelter for the homeless is the epicenter. Federal law enforcement has been working with state and local forces for the past two years, and in September of last year they seized over a million Fentanyl pills along with hand grenades and $2 million in cash.  

There has also been an epidemic of wound botulism among IV drug users in this city. Loss of limbs and life has been the result.

A month or so after I came across that fellow, another man passed away in a dumpster not far from my office. Once more, this fellow was spotted "smoking something" in that dumpster. He never emerged. 

We have contingents of the homeless in this area who crawl into dumpsters for one reason or another. I make it a point to look before I pitch trash into a dumpster. 

Edited February 8, 2023 by Marathoner
typo and clarity

[Vine Abider]

This is nasty stuff!  Back in the day (funny saying isn't it?!) when I was doing such things, I'm glad fentanyl wasn't around.  We'd smoke pot laced with PCP and other things, which was dangerous enough (and crack cocaine hadn't come on the scene quite yet).  But just a small amount of fentanyl can be absorbed through the skin, causing a fatality. I saw a video where they claimed this happened to a cop at a traffic stop, who was just inspecting some belongings that had a little fentanyl dust on the surface.  He keeled over immediately, and was quite fortunate to live.

If the Lord hadn't rescued me out of that scene, I'd likely be like many I knew in my home town - in jail or living in their mother's basement or dead.  Praise Him! 

[Marathoner]

Now my brothers and sisters will know why I wished to avoid this city before the Lord sent me here. I couldn't handle this place on account of the horrendous suffering I witnessed whenever I had no choice but come here. It was a two-hour drive through the mountain pass, and I dreaded every moment of it. 

[Marathoner]

4 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

This is nasty stuff!  Back in the day (funny saying isn't it?!) when I was doing such things, I'm glad fentanyl wasn't around.  We'd smoke pot laced with PCP and other things, which was dangerous enough (and crack cocaine hadn't come on the scene quite yet).  But just a small amount of fentanyl can be absorbed through the skin, causing a fatality. I saw a video where they claimed this happened to a cop at a traffic stop, who was just inspecting some belongings that had a little fentanyl dust on the surface.  He keeled over immediately, and was quite fortunate to live.

If the Lord hadn't rescued me out of that scene, I'd likely be like many I knew in my home town - in jail or living in their mother's basement or dead.  Praise Him! 

I found a hypodermic full of junk one day. I took it back to the office and after testing, we discovered that it was a combination of PCP... heroin... methamphetamine... and oxycodone. Now, you'll find fentanyl replacing heroin in the mix.

[Vine Abider]

13 minutes ago, Marathoner said:

I found a hypodermic full of junk one day. I took it back to the office and after testing, we discovered that it was a combination of PCP... heroin... methamphetamine... and oxycodone. Now, you'll find fentanyl replacing heroin in the mix.

Speaking of needles, here's a God story: Back in the day, a friend and I thought it must be better to shoot-up drugs than smoke or ingest them.  So we acquired a needle and put some downers in it. But the needle wouldn't penetrate our skin one bit, no matter how hard we tried!  After attempting this for a few minutes, we gave up . . . needless to say, we were pretty freaked out at the occurrence. 

I took it as a sign, and never tried doing that again. (I'm sure there was an unseen angelic hand at work.)