Dear Friends,

I’ve spent the last few days doing several media interviews regarding a major drug company’s opioid settlements. The first round of 18 years of funds designated for combating the crisis these drugs created was sent to Arizona and many other states. One interesting question each reporter asked was do I think the money was enough. I’m guessing the implied answer is of course not. But the more important question to me, that wasn’t asked, is how would you put a price on the loss of life, the suffering, the heartache, the broken relationships and all the collateral damage that has happened? 
 
I remember years ago I was in an automobile accident, and I had a nasty case of whiplash. I was young and when the other person’s insurance was not stepping up to take care of the bills, I decided to hire a lawyer.  He was a person I knew well, and he explained this might take some time.  Nearly two years after the accident, having been put through who knows how many interviews, filling out numerous forms and all the other nonsense, they settled. I can’t remember exactly what I received but I think it was $2,000-$3,000. At that point I didn’t even care. I had been through months of physical therapy and was in pain and, honestly, the money didn’t make me feel better and it did not fix my neck!
 
In this case, I hope they use the funds to look at this crisis from a holistic standpoint. I hope they look at prevention, as well as intervention, like PAL and other support services that work to truly help families and try to find better outcomes.  I know it is extremely important to help children understand the consequences of trying drugs even once in this world of fentanyl. However, we know from history that some will try them and then the dependence nature of these drugs will kick in and we will see the signs of addiction and the problem becomes very different. Since these funds are being distributed all around the country, if you are aware of the process in your state for applying, and you are willing to help us, please let us know. We would like to have funds that are focused on specific areas and try to grow our support system wherever it is needed. 
 
Money will never bring back a lost loved one or the suffering or the devastated relationships; however, we could use it wisely and work on the future to try to turn this nightmare around.  Stories of hope abound as you will read in this newsletter. We are also coming up on our annual Power of PAL event on November 5.  We will showcase the true power of PAL, so please consider coming and being a part of this inspirational event.  If you are not in Arizona but want to attend, please let us know and there will be a no cost event ticket for you.  If you just cannot make it in person, please consider registering to watch online as we broadcast it live that evening. I hope to see you there! 

God bless,

Kim Humphrey
CEO/Executive Director

I am the mom of an addicted loved one.
 
Our blended family of 32 years consists of myself, my husband and our three children.  My son’s dad was an addict and passed away when he was 16 years old.  It was then that my husband adopted my children.
 
My son was a great student, a great basketball player, an All-State Champion and earned a scholarship to college.  He graduated in four years and received his degree in business. 
 
During college, he started drinking and when he got home after graduating, he started using pot for his anxiety and ADD. After a breakup with his fiancé, things really started going south.  He found a psychiatrist through his insurance who prescribed him medication for anxiety, sleep and depression. That’s when the abuse began. Not only was he abusing the medications, but he was also selling and trading pills at his job.
 
After seeing a mom and son on Dr. Phil who had gone through a similar situation, we decided to have an intervention. The son, who was now sober, and his mom were working as interventionists, so we flew them out to help us.
 
As a result of the intervention, my son voluntarily went to a recovery center, but after 30 days he checked himself out (against the wishes of the recovery center).
 
He later got married and had a child on the way when he got more and more heavily involved with Oxy.

I’m currently writing this post from the 2^nd floor of Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale, Arizona – the postpartum maternity ward to be exact. We welcomed our son Kaehler into the world. Needless to say, we’re overjoyed to finally have him here with us. Tired for sure, but incredibly happy to have another healthy addition to our family. To be able to show up today, to be a father, a husband, and a present family member was something that, not so long ago, I could not have even fathomed. It is a blessing to be here today in every sense of the word.
 
Ten years ago, I remember staring blankly out these same hospital windows, in this very same hospital, right around this same time of year. After a stretch of particularly hard living, I found myself admitted to a hospital, yet again. My addiction was completely out of control. After having a severe adverse reaction to bacteria present in a single use syringe I had been reusing, my brother brought me to the ER. Vomiting, cramping, extreme pain that caused me to writhe on the floor, unable to sit or even stand - I was in bad shape. After an intensive and rather invasive examination that included catheters and a painful spinal tap to check for meningitis, the ER nurses knocked me out with a powerful sedative.
 
When I came to, I was admitted to the infectious disease ward on the 3^rd floor. A doctor entered the room and informed me that I had Valley Fever and was there for observation and strong antifungal drug treatment. Obviously, my poor choices were a strong contributing factor to this diagnosis. My life was in shambles. Completely physically and mentally ill, I couldn’t draw a sober breath despite my best efforts. Ultimately, even with all these insane consequences, I still couldn’t manage to commit myself to accepting the help I so desperately needed.