"Your Helpful Neighbor," I invite you to click here.

September 11, 2020

September 11, 2001

Just as I recall the exact moment on March 30, 1981 of putting my grey Dodge ambulance into reverse at the ambulance entrance of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine when I learned that President Reagan had been shot, I recall with absolute clarity the shrubbery I was trimming in Bowling Green Ohio as part of my service business, "Your Helpful Neighbor", when the home owner came out to tell me that his son had just been evacuated from his civilian job at the Pentagon due to its attack.

Nineteen years later, "Your Helpful Neighbor", is still a part of my life in a way that I never would have expected nor planned at that time. 

"Your Helpful Neighbor" now represents serving[1] our - YOURS AND MINE - actual misplaced neighbors who find themselves dealing with Substance Use Disorder, are actively consuming potentially instantly deadly drugs and can't get out of their unwanted situation due to the incompetent, lethargic and stigma soaked intake processes in place for patients reliant on Medicaid.

The following blog (that you can go to by clicking here) is an example of an all too common situation faced by our home county residents - our actual misplaced neighbors - our sons and daughters - and our Moms and Dads. 

If you are in a position of influence our neighbors lives are literally and absolutely reliant on the changes that MUST be made.

If you have a friend who is in a position of influence and who needs to know about this issue so they can make a difference, PLEASE share this blog with them. Our neighbors lives are literally and absolutely reliant on the changes that MUST be made.

Sincerely,

Chris

[1] to the best of my humble ability

It would be far better to initiate treatment of the Medicaid reliant patient of Substance Use Disorder in the Crisis Center rather than make them wait for full admission to the detox facility.

I have personally been to several crisis[1] centers in Philadelphia.  A few months ago, I went to one and sat for about 13 hours in a waiting room so very sick shaking and sweating and vomiting everywhere and all for them to come out and tell me that there were no beds and said to come back the next day to try again.  

The doctor said to me "I don't know what to do."  She said she cannot give me anything because I am not admitted and there are no beds.[2]  So they asked me where would I like to go to because they will call a cab for me.  As I was waiting for the cab, security and a nurse came outside to me and asked me what I was doing and I said "You told me you are calling a cab."  The nurse said, "We did not call one and you have to get off of the property!" 

So thank God the train came before any cops got there so I was fine.  As I was on the train I dropped to the floor and had a seizure.  When I woke up people were standing around me and they were waiting for the ambulance but I jumped up and said no and got back on the next train and got off at Somerset station and had to find a way to get well...[3] 

My experience that day with the crisis center made me so sick to my stomach thinking that I really wanted to get clean and I really wanted help and nobody helped.

[1] Medicaid reliant patients of Substance Use Disorder are required to go to a crisis center - a place where mental disorders are diagnosed - for clearance and as the first step in finding a bed for further treatment somewhere within the city.

[2] She said she cannot give me anything because I am not admitted and there are no beds…  The crisis center is the equivalent of an emergency room in a medical hospital.  Would the nurses or doctors of an emergency room tell a patient with severe life-threatening injury or illness that "We cannot treat you because you're not yet admitted to the hospital."?  No. Of course not!  That patient with the medical injury or illness is a patient of that medical emergency room and would be provided whatever medical intervention is needed until being transferred to an inpatient setting.  Why do we treat patients of Substance Use Disorder differently and in such a substandard way - a way that dishonors the sworn intentions of the Hippocratic Oath?

[3] … find a way to get well… Well…  From what?:  What does that really mean?  Here's an outline as provided in this linked article:

Symptoms of dope sickness – and their intensity – can vary by person, drug of choice, and the amount of drugs used on a regular basis. However, common signs of dope sickness include:

What does "Find a way…" really mean?  Imagine, not that you can actually fully understand but do your best to try…  Imagine being a woman in this situation.  You have no money for that five-dollar little blue paper-wrapped "cure" to your dope sickness.  You have no option but stand on a street corner doing all you can to hide the above symptoms when some random man pulls up next to you…

If you would like to help with the financial expenses, that would be very much appreciated. There are several options on my blog site as to how to do so.