I went to work at age 18 as a carpenter, became a general contractor at age 32. At age 38 I was a Born-Again Christian, met and married my beautiful wife, had three beautiful kids, owned a house in beautiful downtown Seal Beach, CA, built a very successful construction company. By age 55, I started experiencing severe back pain from all the years working in construction. I went to a local Seal Beach doctor whom I trusted! However, in 10 years time he put me on an unbelievable number of opioids that had a devastating effect on everything in my life. I had many surgeries along the way, which I am now convinced I didn’t need and shouldn’t have had. With all my heart I believe this to be true: The opioids I was put on, Oxycontin and Fentanyl, effected my brain in a way that made me believe I had pain I didn’t have. When it became apparent that my pain wasn’t going away from the surgeries, the doctor just upped my prescription amount. When it became apparent to me that I was totally addicted, I asked for help and I was told that a 3-4 month, $80,000.00-$100,00.00, live in program was the only way I could get off the amount of medication I was taking. This was not a realistic solution being I was the sole support of my family and sole proprietor of my company. Then the doctor I was going to closed his practice and went to work as a teacher of “Ethics” (WHAT?) at a medical college? Leaving me and many, many, many, more patients addicted. So now what? It was by the Grace of God I found a doctor who helped me get down to 1⁄4 the amount of Oxycontin and Fentanyl I had been on for 10+ years! Problem is your tolerance to the medication goes down as you wean off them. One day while driving, I blacked out on the amount prescribed, which was less than 1⁄4 of what I had been taking for 10 years. I totaled my truck and ended up in jail for two months!!! It was the worst of times and the best of times all in one screwed up thing! I told the doctor in Santa Ana Main Jail exactly what I had been on and for how long. I was given a cocktail of multiple medications at multiple times during the day for seven days and then they stopped it. They kept me from going into convulsions and got me totally off in seven days. Was it a miracle? Yes, it was it was my miracle!!! 2 3⁄4 years later, I am thanking God every day for it!!! Say what you want about President Trump, but he was the only president not afraid to stand up to the drug companies. Probably because he is one of the only politicians not being supported by them.

I applaud President Trump and The First Lady. He has made a good start by getting passed the legislation he has. But it’s only when the people come together in support of actions like this that things change.
One thing is for certain it’s going to take a whole lot of people to stand against this epidemic since it means big money to a lot of people to keep it going. Everyone is affected by their pocketbooks and a way to slow this train down is for politicians to start calling Drug Companies, Doctors, and Pharmacies out on this. When lawyers start suing, Drug Companies, Doctors, Pharmacies and anyone else pushing these deadly drugs, things will start changing. It worked with the tabacco companies. Oh, and how about finding out what’s in the jail detox cocktail that I got to help those addicted now?
Prescription medication, legal or illegal drugs, especially ones that are addicting seem to be the best sell ever. You don’t see commercials marketing opioids; they don’t have to, they’re addicting. Fentanyl, which is 40-50 times stronger than Heroin, is now manufactured mainly in China. It comes into America across the Mexican border every day. Our drug companies created it and now the Chinese are manufacturing it, sending it to Mexico where it comes into America and kills our citizens daily.
I have shared my very humbling story to hopefully bring positive attention and action to stopping this epidemic. I lost 10+ years of my life, many possessions, and material things to this epidemic. However, many have lost much more!!! Please join with me to support organizations, politicians, and groups doing something to stop the needless loss of life caused by this epidemic.