David K., a young man in his early forties died last week. He simply stopped breathing while he slept. Dave was a friend.

Dave, like many of us had multiple spinal surgeries and fusions due to car accidents etc. and after many years was on high doses of his medications. Dave was also a lousy driver and had license taken away. That didn't stop him though and he continued driving. The long and the short of it and for whatever the reasons being, David went to jail for thirty days and apparently went without his medications. He was divorced and had few contacts. I guess, a loner.

Dave, after a thirty day absence, returned home and took his prescribed dosage of medications and suffered the resulting respiratory depression causing his death.

Many years ago I worked in a mental health facility and the hardest job there was getting the patients to take their medications. As a Paramedic I have been called to many a residence often with a police escort, for mental health patients who stopped taking their medications because they felt better and didn't need them! They would only take them when they felt they needed them.

I personally, have taken to making check marks on the calender to confirm that I'm not missing or over taking my multiple medications. I fear both having them wear off and overuse as one results in pain and the other results in shortage and back to the pain.

I only mention all this to remind us all to take our medications as prescribed and to use whatever works for you, to stay on schedule as the results can be harmful.

In my time, I have seen many who simply forget if they took a dose or not, or don't like the effects so their not taking one today or put on a patch and used a heating pad in the same area with disastrous results.

It sounds childish but read those pamphlets and take as prescribed (I have to wear two sets of glasses to read them) for there is no reason for the deadly results to happen to you.

I miss Dave and feel foolish that this happened to someone I know. Please don't let this happen to anyone you know.