Thursday, January 8, 2009

How to Save a Life

"Step one, you say 'we need to talk', he walks, you say 'sit down, it's just a talk....' (The Fray)

So I get a phone call at 6 a.m. from a friend in another city, in another state, who is drunk--very drunk and we start talking. I want to talk about why he's so drunk at 5 a.m. (his time). We go into issues, talk about loving yourself, all that.

Then he tells me he's just taken 50 mg. of Ambien on top of all that alcohol. I don't know much about Ambien so I call Poison Control. They tell me he can go to sleep and stop breathing and that I need to call an ambulance for my friend.

My heart sinks.

I tell my friend this news and he begs me not to.

But what choice do I have?

So I call for help, in another city, in another state. I tell them who I am and for whom I'm calling and what the situation is.

I tell my friend that my rescue friends are coming over just to check on him.

He tells me he doesn't want to go to the medical center...again.

I tell him I'm sorry. I hope he won't hate me. Or hold it against me.

But at least he will be around to do so.


GelaSkins Inc.

7 holla'd back:

Anonymous said...

WOW!! What a morning!

You did the right thing! If you hadn't done anything and something happened you would never forgive yourself. Sounds like the person needs more than just a phone call... sounds like professional help.

Keep calling and checking on him. That way he knows you only did this for his protection!

Hang in there! You were the person he called for a reason!

Ash

Crazymamaof6 said...

holy cow! scary. you did the right thing! you would totally have worried, or worse.
you are a good friend.

Unknown said...

Definitely did the right thing. Better that then wishing you had because something happened. I'll bet you are a little tired!!! What did Todd think about all that?

Karen and The Nite Cru said...

Trust that you did the right thing. He's probably drinking liquid charcoal about right now and not feeling the best, but he will eventually appreciate having an AWESOME friend that will take care of him, even being states away.

Unknown said...

You are so amazing. I am truly grateful to have you as a friend. You really care and are willing to enter scary territory for the people you love. He was lucky to have you!!!!

Anonymous said...

Sooo.. how is your friend?? Have you talked to him since?

You did the right thing!

Ashlie

Anonymous said...

geesh, after all that, tell him to grow the hell up and be a man..!
At some point, we all have to take responsibility for our own actions, depressed or not...! You did the right thing, that's why he called you-for someone to save him, that's the only reason you would call someone like that...but at some point, he's going to have to man up and choose to live no matter how bad it gets.

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