Homeless guy going through DT's
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 301
Homeless guy going through DT's
So I headed to the shops to get myself some stuff for tomorrow (It's 20 to 2 here but I couldn't sleep so I thought I might as well make my morning easier) and the homeless guy who is usually out there asked if I could buy him a beer.
I used to give him a beer when I was drunk late at night and I'd bought a bunch.
I told him no, I'm sorry but I couldn't do that and he begged me. I said I couldn't again and I realised he was shaking pretty badly so I asked if he was ok and he said he ran out of money and hasn't been able to buy anything for a while. He seemed confused and said everything seemed too loud.
That's what I realised he was probably in trouble.
So I called an ambulance because I thought he might be going through serious withdrawal. They came and he's been taken into hospital.
People around me thought I was overreacting and he was "just some drunk" as some guy put it.
Makes me sad how some people view those suffering.
No Relapse No Surrender
Tom.
I used to give him a beer when I was drunk late at night and I'd bought a bunch.
I told him no, I'm sorry but I couldn't do that and he begged me. I said I couldn't again and I realised he was shaking pretty badly so I asked if he was ok and he said he ran out of money and hasn't been able to buy anything for a while. He seemed confused and said everything seemed too loud.
That's what I realised he was probably in trouble.
So I called an ambulance because I thought he might be going through serious withdrawal. They came and he's been taken into hospital.
People around me thought I was overreacting and he was "just some drunk" as some guy put it.
Makes me sad how some people view those suffering.
No Relapse No Surrender
Tom.
Behold the power of NO
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: WA
Posts: 7,764
You did the right thing Thomas especially since it is the winter: homeless people die all the time of hypothermia and I can't even imagine going through detox outside in the cold.
As far as people thinking you are overreacting, thankfully for them they probably never been homeless and have never gone through alcohohell like we did.
Thank you for caring.
As far as people thinking you are overreacting, thankfully for them they probably never been homeless and have never gone through alcohohell like we did.
Thank you for caring.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: OZ
Posts: 2,055
Good job man....
I love that...
There is a woman that has a few serious issues (Alcoholism is one of them) that lives in the trees, yes, the trees, not to far from me...Megan ... it is not unusual to see her soaking wet and bare foot in the middle of winter.
Her hair is in natural dreadlocks and her lovely face flushed so red and dehydrated carrying a brown paper bag with alcohol in it....
Megan also sits with her cup near the train station looking for change,
...whenever I see her I go and buy food for her, squat down and stay and talk a while.
Anyway, this one sunny morning I saw her and I went and bought her a sandwich, water and this amazing caramel tart
from the patisserie, as a special treat....Megan thanked me but she turned down the caramel tart, she told me that all
that sugar was not good for you.....
People always stare at me when I am sitting with her but there is not a time that I don't think that this could be me and how fragile we really are.
I love that...
There is a woman that has a few serious issues (Alcoholism is one of them) that lives in the trees, yes, the trees, not to far from me...Megan ... it is not unusual to see her soaking wet and bare foot in the middle of winter.
Her hair is in natural dreadlocks and her lovely face flushed so red and dehydrated carrying a brown paper bag with alcohol in it....
Megan also sits with her cup near the train station looking for change,
...whenever I see her I go and buy food for her, squat down and stay and talk a while.
Anyway, this one sunny morning I saw her and I went and bought her a sandwich, water and this amazing caramel tart
from the patisserie, as a special treat....Megan thanked me but she turned down the caramel tart, she told me that all
that sugar was not good for you.....
People always stare at me when I am sitting with her but there is not a time that I don't think that this could be me and how fragile we really are.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Reno, Nv
Posts: 873
Thomas, I was homeless for a part of my life. I watched at least 4 people die in front of my eyes. 1 of overdose, 2 of freezing to death, 1 of heroin withdrawal. I gambled and addicted away much of my life.
I was on the streets its crazy out there, its every-man for themselves. Lots of addicts, many suffering, they beg, borrow or steal daily. Its a way of life, I mean you gotta have game or angle or the world will eat you alive.
Wow, poor guy, I can picture it, he is at wits end withdrawling can't find help his options are expired, or someone helps him. Making the call isn't going to solve his issues, and the hospital will only stabilize and then discharge, he can't afford prescription even if given one. I am going to proffer an offer, you might try to figure out what is happening, and possibly help him with the prescript. Or make sure they transfer him to public detox center, they often won't do that.
If you want some involvement, up to you, you might pay for a prescript or make sure he is transferred to a safe place. Up to you, but I am being blunt what you did was marvelous, and awesome, but on the back they really don't care. They see it all the time, its the detoxing alcoholic homeless guy, stabilize and discharge, possibly prescripts or they transfer to a center but rarely are they admitted, they know they can't pay and view them as addicts.
Oftentimes, once they stabilize, they turn them out hoping they can get alcohol again so they normalize for them. The streets are cruel and hard, I hope the best for him and thank you for caring enough to call. Most wouldn't and I commend you on that.
I was on the streets its crazy out there, its every-man for themselves. Lots of addicts, many suffering, they beg, borrow or steal daily. Its a way of life, I mean you gotta have game or angle or the world will eat you alive.
Wow, poor guy, I can picture it, he is at wits end withdrawling can't find help his options are expired, or someone helps him. Making the call isn't going to solve his issues, and the hospital will only stabilize and then discharge, he can't afford prescription even if given one. I am going to proffer an offer, you might try to figure out what is happening, and possibly help him with the prescript. Or make sure they transfer him to public detox center, they often won't do that.
If you want some involvement, up to you, you might pay for a prescript or make sure he is transferred to a safe place. Up to you, but I am being blunt what you did was marvelous, and awesome, but on the back they really don't care. They see it all the time, its the detoxing alcoholic homeless guy, stabilize and discharge, possibly prescripts or they transfer to a center but rarely are they admitted, they know they can't pay and view them as addicts.
Oftentimes, once they stabilize, they turn them out hoping they can get alcohol again so they normalize for them. The streets are cruel and hard, I hope the best for him and thank you for caring enough to call. Most wouldn't and I commend you on that.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 151
I know its not right but I may have given him money so he could get his fix, my best friend shot himself so he wouldn't have to go thru heroin withdrawl again, a bit of me is messed up thinking a fix might be the imediate best solution ,
Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 5,937
You did what you could, Thomas, and more than most would do. I struggle a lot with the unfairness of the world. What point does it serve for some people to have tens of billions of dollars while others are sleeping under bridges? But what can you do...
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
