Member-only story
My Friend Overdosed.
Mental Health, Addiction, Ereshkigal, Solutions, and Our Grief.
I had a surgery today. Nothing major, just the removal of a cyst.
I was all ready to log on to Medium and write today’s story. It was brewing in my head all morning, right up until the 5–10 minutes before surgery.
That’s when I discovered a friend from a family I love dearly died today from an overdose.
I was ready for the surgery. Had it in my head they’d just remove this balloon-like sac of everything to be released.
I wasn’t ready for the death. Last time I saw him he was smiling, had been sober for several months. Seemed to be doing well.
I broke down sobbing in the hospital.
I felt my body go numb. My vision blur. My mind entered into a fog of static. The room sounded like it was under water. My body reacted with trauma.
Honestly, we didn’t spend that much time together. The pain I think is for the family, for the story, for the life, and the smile.
He’s my age. Dual diagnosis, had the same ups and downs.
His is a life only half lived and much of it in struggle.
He reminds me of clients I’ve had. He reminds me of addictions I’ve had, the ones…
