Overdose in a Patient Case Study

Dark. Cold. Scared. I woke up in a hospital bed with no one around. I don’t even remember how I got here, but all I know is my past must have led me here^[a].

I grew up in a broken household for as long I can remember. I live with just my dad, he cares for me whenever he’s not drinking. I used to have a brother, Elijah, and a mother, but that’s history now. Without a strong leader in my household I was left to fend for myself. I taught myself all the routes in this big city, and found my way around town while meeting people who would help me. ^[b]

The town I grew up in was Emeryville located in downtown California^[c]. It was a nice place but there were many gangs. The gangs had become something I tried to avoid, but sadly they kept coming after me. Slowly, ^[d]I was roped into the bad parts of town and became^[e] numb to the pain of my life at home. One way I can relieve my pains is by meeting up with my best friend, Connor. He’s been with me since my mother left us.

        Connor was my life-long friend and he’s been there for me through it all. He knows my whole family and considers me a part of his. Connor has always been a caring guy but recently has drifted away from me and has been trying to fit in with the “popular group” at school^[f]. This was a change I was never prepared for and would have not dreamed of in a million years. It was a pain I thought I would never experience again.

        Which leads me to my next experience, Elijah, he was like no other. He was in the Yuh Boi$ gang^[g][h][i], and was slowly falling into my dad's footsteps, but he never had anyone like Connor; someone to care for him and listen to his problems. I tried to be that for him but he resented me. Never wanted anything to do with me. I guess I looked too much like our mom which brought back painful memories.

        Now that you know about my past, this is my present. I graduated high school and went to the nearest community college, and was working towards my major. I had ^[j][k]a bright future ahead of me, but it was too late for me to realize that now. Ever since Connor had started hanging with another group of friends it left me to do what my brother did best. Resent everyone. I became closed off not wanting to make new friends or find help. The only friends I had left were in gangs and slowly started sucking me into that lifestyle. I was the spitting image of my dad. What had my life become. I never meant to end up this way but it’s the only thing that will help ease the pain of my past.

        Even though gangs aren’t known as “good” they are good in a sense to me that they protect me and will care for me even if I’m on the streets; at least that’s what I thought. The gangs ended up making me more into my dad in the drinking aspect, and I know many kids in college drink but I had gone way too far. This time I had gotten blackout drunk but for some reason I didn’t actually “blackout” instead, I got so wasted.

        My body was out of my control. Everything in the room was spinning but slowly, I’ve never reacted to alcohol like this. “You good Skylar?” Conner asked. “Yeah, yeah I’m fine; don’t worry about me, buddy!” I said. My words slurred out of my mouth I could feel myself losing contact with the actual world. I looked around feeling all eyes on me till a shadowed figure grabbed my shoulder, “Follow me Skylar,” he said. I left the area around me and walked with him to a bedroom. My mind started spinning, he’s going to kill me. I’m not going to make it out. Why am I so stupid, I shouldn’t of followed him. Oh God, just take me before he does. The shadow man handed me a white small stick. “Eat up, it’ll calm you down and make you relax. Pretty girl like you shouldn’t be acting like this. You’ll thank me later” he said and walked away into the shadows. I looked at it, so I’m really going to take this? I closed my eyes and swallowed it whole. “I hope you know that you just ate a Xan and your time is running out” I heard from the shadows. “My time is running out?” I said to the empty room. “What do you mean? Talk to me! Hello?” I screamed. Oh my God, my heart is racing! Oh God, oh God, I need to get out of here. I’m going to die here. Is the room spinning? Colors are changing^[l]; that wall was just green, now it’s blue. What’s going on! I made it back to the party room. Everyone's heads are spinning, eyes are staring me down. Am I looking that crazy? Is it noticeable? Do they know that I took a Xanax? Oh God, I can’t be remembered for this.