swmo
Bluelighter
Many of you may remember me as nomofosho. I posted pics & shared how my accident occurred. It's been a little over 2 years ago since my botched Demerol injection. With the help of Suboxone & Tramadol, I have managed to keep my pain levels @ a tolerable level.
I've nearly died countless times in my life through ODs, car accidents, & various other situations I've placed myself in.
Our home was destroyed in this F5 tornado. My 92 year old grandmother's life, along with mine & a home health aide were spared by the hands of God Himself. As I was supporting my weight on her wheelchair & covering her with blankets, the roof of the hallway caved in on my back & shoulders. I asked God to remove the weight from my back and shoulders & within 3-5 seconds, the roof was lifted. I have since seen 2 chiropractors who could tell that my spine sustained much weight. I lost an inch in height. On a good day, I weighed 140 lbs. There is no way other than divine intervention that I could sustain that weight. It has turned my life to Christ and the need to help others with similiar problems. Over 150 people lost their lives in this tradgedy & the numbers aren't all in yet.
Many people turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with loss & grief, as many of you well know. The use of meth has declined in Joplin, but with all the work to do, many will return to it or start using.
Preaching about treatment does not work among our meth using population. State laws have put pseudoephedrine behind the counter and a person has to show ID & sign a form to purchase it. It may be available by prescription only now, I'm not certain. But you all know that addicts will figure out a way around it. Travel to different states to pick up chemicals, etc has become the norm for local meth cooks now.
Now I have letters of recomendation from a few Drs & nurses & physical therapists to work in harm reduction or a needle exchange. My plans are to move to Albuquerque where there are several needle exchanges. But, my community needs me now as an addiction advocate.
There was only 1 pharmacy in Joplin that catered to the needs of IV addicts. It was destroyed, only 1 block away from the hospital that was destroyed that many of you have seen on the news. It's my concern that addicts will begin to use pre-storm syringes that may have been contaminated with bacteria & fungus because there's no other place that will sell syringes in town without a prescription.
I have spoken with many people regarding this situation. I even brought it to the attention of a Pastor who was to meet with the Govenor of MO yesterday. It is my hope that he brought this issue before the Gov & that Joplin gets an emergency needle exchange (temporary). A bill in the MO House concerning needle exchanges died in commitee about 11 years ago.
Any of you that remember me & my situation, I ask to pm me as I need as many references as I can get, especially being an ex-con. I'm doing advocacy work here @ my own expense, but I need to make a living & this is my path.
I know that many of you were compelled by my story & pics & that I did make a difference in the BL community. After over 10000 views, I removed my post because the numbers were getting to my head which I felt was not healthy for me to keep looking at the hit count every 30 minutes or so. It nearly became an obsession which I recognized and took care of.
Now hit/view counts mean nothing as they once did. I just want to get the harm reduction message out - rotating injection sites, using clean works, distributing condoms, etc.
Please PM me with questions or concerns or if you wish to write a letter of recomendation for me to become an addiction advocate specializing in harm reduction. I will not be online as often as I used to be. I'm staying with friends who aren't up to speed about computers & the net. I will be checking back periodically to see where this posting goes. If I don't get back to you in a timely fashion, please don't be offended. I have much work to do in the community and I have limited net access. I will try to reach each and everyone of you from around the world who writes me.
This posting may be scrambled like my brain seems to be at times. Please excuse me & have a great & blessed day.
JoplinShawn
I've nearly died countless times in my life through ODs, car accidents, & various other situations I've placed myself in.
Our home was destroyed in this F5 tornado. My 92 year old grandmother's life, along with mine & a home health aide were spared by the hands of God Himself. As I was supporting my weight on her wheelchair & covering her with blankets, the roof of the hallway caved in on my back & shoulders. I asked God to remove the weight from my back and shoulders & within 3-5 seconds, the roof was lifted. I have since seen 2 chiropractors who could tell that my spine sustained much weight. I lost an inch in height. On a good day, I weighed 140 lbs. There is no way other than divine intervention that I could sustain that weight. It has turned my life to Christ and the need to help others with similiar problems. Over 150 people lost their lives in this tradgedy & the numbers aren't all in yet.
Many people turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with loss & grief, as many of you well know. The use of meth has declined in Joplin, but with all the work to do, many will return to it or start using.
Preaching about treatment does not work among our meth using population. State laws have put pseudoephedrine behind the counter and a person has to show ID & sign a form to purchase it. It may be available by prescription only now, I'm not certain. But you all know that addicts will figure out a way around it. Travel to different states to pick up chemicals, etc has become the norm for local meth cooks now.
Now I have letters of recomendation from a few Drs & nurses & physical therapists to work in harm reduction or a needle exchange. My plans are to move to Albuquerque where there are several needle exchanges. But, my community needs me now as an addiction advocate.
There was only 1 pharmacy in Joplin that catered to the needs of IV addicts. It was destroyed, only 1 block away from the hospital that was destroyed that many of you have seen on the news. It's my concern that addicts will begin to use pre-storm syringes that may have been contaminated with bacteria & fungus because there's no other place that will sell syringes in town without a prescription.
I have spoken with many people regarding this situation. I even brought it to the attention of a Pastor who was to meet with the Govenor of MO yesterday. It is my hope that he brought this issue before the Gov & that Joplin gets an emergency needle exchange (temporary). A bill in the MO House concerning needle exchanges died in commitee about 11 years ago.
Any of you that remember me & my situation, I ask to pm me as I need as many references as I can get, especially being an ex-con. I'm doing advocacy work here @ my own expense, but I need to make a living & this is my path.
I know that many of you were compelled by my story & pics & that I did make a difference in the BL community. After over 10000 views, I removed my post because the numbers were getting to my head which I felt was not healthy for me to keep looking at the hit count every 30 minutes or so. It nearly became an obsession which I recognized and took care of.
Now hit/view counts mean nothing as they once did. I just want to get the harm reduction message out - rotating injection sites, using clean works, distributing condoms, etc.
Please PM me with questions or concerns or if you wish to write a letter of recomendation for me to become an addiction advocate specializing in harm reduction. I will not be online as often as I used to be. I'm staying with friends who aren't up to speed about computers & the net. I will be checking back periodically to see where this posting goes. If I don't get back to you in a timely fashion, please don't be offended. I have much work to do in the community and I have limited net access. I will try to reach each and everyone of you from around the world who writes me.
This posting may be scrambled like my brain seems to be at times. Please excuse me & have a great & blessed day.
JoplinShawn
