Kentucky Doc Summer 2015 | Page 15

doc Summer 2015 • Kentucky that the participants bring in their needles to be exchanged otherwise they will toss them somewhere in a park or some other public place. They told us to make sure that law enforcement officials won’t penalize them for taking part in the needle exchange program and to make sure that department staff can be trusted to maintain confidentiality. Some noted that many people in emergency departments talk down to them so they don’t come in for help with things like infections; instead they wait until we are so sick that they have to be admitted. They said that the lack of access to detoxification centers is a barrier to entering a drug rehabilitation program because the rehab programs won’t take them until they are ‘clean’. All of them wished they could kick the habit and all of them said that a needle exchange program will not increase the number of addicts-people who are going to be addicts will do so with or without needle exchanges. 15 in to treatment for some and that some of the participants join the ranks of those who have successfully quit. One has to hope so because this drug abuse problem is eroding our state’s future human capital. One of the inmates, a young woman in her early twenties spoke about the human side of drug abuse—a side that rarely gets media attention. Her poem about her experience follows. She described drug abuse as she sees it so I share it with the reader. Perhaps needle exchange can be an entry Goodbye Heroin Heroin, I’m writing this let to tell you goodbye. I loved you oh so so much, that you even made me cry. I would do what I had to do just to get high. I promised myself that I would never ever tell you goodbye! The feeling you gave me was quite a thrill, And the first time I shot you, we made that sweet deal. When I used you once- you said you’d let me go, But I used you twice – And I gave you my soul! From that moment I promised you, that we would always be a whole, and that I would never ever then Let You Go. Even if I died doing you, you would follow me to my grave, Because you stuck with me down that Long, Dark, Lonesome road we paved! So one thing I know, is when I gave you my soul, I lost all feeling, and even my sense of hope. I didn’t care about anything, but keeping you around because I knew I would never have to feel down as I shot you. You only made me feel well, other than that you caused me nothing but HELL! Now here I sit in this big ol’ cell with nothing to do but sit here and DWELL! Now I know that I can never again pick you up. Because if I do, the next time I will truly be stuck. So this is why I have to tell you goodbye And I never again wanna get high Because the next time I know For sure I will die!! Kentucky’s Leading Hair Replacement Facility • Genetic Hair Loss • Chemotherapy • Alopecia • Cosmetic Hair Replacement 859.263.9811 Hair Institute offers several surgical and non-surgical hair restoration options, including Virtual Reality®, full and partial prostheses, hand-knotted wigs, and human hair extensions. - Laser Light Hair Therapy - Surgical Hair Restoration Options - Full Cranial Vacuum Prostheses - Enhancements and Integrations 1795 Alysheba Way Suite 7101 Lexington, Kentucky 40509 HAIR REPLACEMENT • HAIR RESTORATION • HAIR EXTENSIONS Professional • Confidential • Meticulous AMERICAN HAIR LOSS COUNCIL www.hairinstitutelexington.com ®