Thursday, December 31, 2009
Happy New Years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow, 2009 I am glad to see it coming to a close! I have had some tough times but, this last year was about all I could take. Having survived it I have new found clarity on how things happened as they did and even the purpose in all of it. Moving forward I will stay ever close to my God and never give away the power over my sanity or sobriety regardless of the evil and or opposition I encounter. I was so BUSY taking care of everyone and everything ( as work a holics ) tend to do, I neglected to take the proper care of my own needs and in the end that took a huge toll mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Although I certainly have some challenges to face in this new year, my mind is once again sharp and focused so, I will take what I have learned and move forward.
FEELING MY EMOTIONS
I woke this morning to a revelation of sorts. Going on 3 months clean and a minimal dose of medication for the bipolar and no benzos, I believe I am finally feeling my emotions as they were meant to be felt. It has been so long, because being heavily dosed on psyc. meds is in my view being doped as well! Having feelings and emotions numbed and dumbed down only stuffed them to a point of implosion and explosion.Today's Professional Mental Health treatment philosophy seems to be "take a pill" it's an easy out with minimal effort for the practitioner, " still not feeling better, lets up the dose or add another." I am in no way anti-medication, I am a believer in responsible medical treatment with the focal point being on the ideal of health "CARE." Sadly like all other illnesses, mental illness has become a big business. Business depend on a regular client/customer base to operate, dependence on addictive medications requiring a monthy visit and monthly prescription certianly help to facilitate that need in the business model.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Brain Games - Lumosity
These will get the MENTAL working!
Brain Games - Lumosity
Brain Games - Lumosity
"FORT LAUDERDALE - The medical director of a shuttered clinic surrendered his medical license during a state Medicaid fraud investigation.
Dr. Edgar Escobar of Pompano Beach ended his medical career Friday as one of Florida's top prescribers of narcotics and other painkillers to low-income patients.
Escobar wrote that he has been too ill to treat patients or write prescriptions since at least January 2003, even though the clinic issued prescriptions under his name and Medicaid billing number as recently as this month. Medicaid paid more than $3.6-million for those prescriptions.
Medicaid fraud investigators claim Escobar's unlicensed former business associate, Fausto Capella, wrote some of the prescriptions and illegally treated patients at the Fort Lauderdale clinic called South Florida Immunologic Center Inc.
Agents arrested Cappella, 40, of Fort Lauderdale, on charges of practicing medicine without a license, Medicaid fraud, grand theft and trafficking in prescription narcotics, including OxyContin."
Dr. Edgar Escobar of Pompano Beach ended his medical career Friday as one of Florida's top prescribers of narcotics and other painkillers to low-income patients.
Escobar wrote that he has been too ill to treat patients or write prescriptions since at least January 2003, even though the clinic issued prescriptions under his name and Medicaid billing number as recently as this month. Medicaid paid more than $3.6-million for those prescriptions.
Medicaid fraud investigators claim Escobar's unlicensed former business associate, Fausto Capella, wrote some of the prescriptions and illegally treated patients at the Fort Lauderdale clinic called South Florida Immunologic Center Inc.
Agents arrested Cappella, 40, of Fort Lauderdale, on charges of practicing medicine without a license, Medicaid fraud, grand theft and trafficking in prescription narcotics, including OxyContin."
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
SERENDIPITY
Serendipity*** Take note of my Dec. 7 photo blog post,
the topic of, at worst criminal corruption fueled by greed and at least, negligence in the medical/pharmaceutical community has been weighing heavily on my mind. Back around 2002, I ended up under the "care" of the same kind of so-called doctors at a clinic in Ft. Laud. which was shut down in 2004 after an investigation, that I believe also stemmed from over-dose deaths as well as medicaid fraud connected to the clinic. Had the clinic not been closed I am sure there would have been a lot more deaths. What started out as a monthly prescription for Dervocet for pain management for a neurological disorder, turned into a laundry list of medications including Oxycontin, Methadone and liquid inject able Dilaudid. Needless to say, it did not end well and even today I am still dealing with the fall out of the addiction to pain killers that was spawned back then.
MORE TO COME ON THIS TOPIC, THIS IS IN NO WAY AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND I HOPE INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE, IN OUR COUNTY AS WELL! Something stinks and it's not the fish in the harbor.
the topic of, at worst criminal corruption fueled by greed and at least, negligence in the medical/pharmaceutical community has been weighing heavily on my mind. Back around 2002, I ended up under the "care" of the same kind of so-called doctors at a clinic in Ft. Laud. which was shut down in 2004 after an investigation, that I believe also stemmed from over-dose deaths as well as medicaid fraud connected to the clinic. Had the clinic not been closed I am sure there would have been a lot more deaths. What started out as a monthly prescription for Dervocet for pain management for a neurological disorder, turned into a laundry list of medications including Oxycontin, Methadone and liquid inject able Dilaudid. Needless to say, it did not end well and even today I am still dealing with the fall out of the addiction to pain killers that was spawned back then.
MORE TO COME ON THIS TOPIC, THIS IS IN NO WAY AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND I HOPE INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE, IN OUR COUNTY AS WELL! Something stinks and it's not the fish in the harbor.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Caution must be exercised in administering Ativan to individuals known to be addiction prone or those whose history suggests they may increase the dosage on their own initiative. It is desirable to limit repeat prescription without adequate medical supervision. An individualized withdraw timetable needs to be planned for each patient in whom dependence is known or suspected. Periods from four weeks to four months have been suggested.
In general, benzodiazepines should be prescribed for short periods only (e.g. 2-4 weeks). Continuous long-term use of ATIVAN is not recommended. (according to the manufacture)
Then Why had I been prescribed BENZODIAZEPINES for the better part of 10 years?
2+ months now, really drug free!!! Benzo's are DOPE! JUST SAYING!
Please, don't become one of them!
I was sitting at my desk at the mental health drop in center that I was director of, when a friend/member I'll call him K, came in for some advice. He ended our conversation by saying "please don't become one of them" One of them, WOW! the way he said it. I am a big believer in the vital importance of the Peer to Peer component of recovery. I do though have concerns, based my own experience as a formally outspoken Peer/Advocate who ended up working in the mental health arena. Professional Advocates, Consumers turned Case Managers as K was referring to etc. can become quite problematic. I know that at times even though it may not have been said, it was clear that if I pissed off the wrong people, agencies or organizations (even when they needed to be called out) there would be a price to pay that would not be mine alone to bare. I had to be concerned how things would effect the center/ members. A once awsome outspoken advocate comes to mind and it seems to me he could not be shut up, so he got hired. *JUST SAYING*
Need for Advocacy not Apathy in troubled times
WE NEED MORE Advocacy not Apathy in these troubled economic times. I know how hard it can get, burn-out can set in when only a few are actually "doing" not just talking about doing or what should be done. Building Community - Taking Action I was very, very saddened to see that this year there was NO 4th Annual Mental Illness Awareness Week Candle Light Vigil that I am aware of in my county. Since 2006, when I was first asked to put on the event, it had blossomed into a spiritual and introspective time of healing, understanding and remembrance in my community. Each year the event was even better than the last. I have a lot of recovery ahead for me in 2010 and beyond but, GOD willing and with His and only with His guidance I will rejoin the ranks of the Advocates.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Unlocking
HeadN 4 residential program to unlock the keys, tools and skill sets to ending addiction in my life once and for all!
The HORDE of HUBRIS
The HORDE of HUBRIS
I will refer back to those that I have bestowed this name from time to time.
It is so sad that many who started with "good intentions" when entering the Mental Health arena, some mental health prooofessionals, advocates etc... ended up having it become more important to "be right" than "do right". May God have mercy on them, for real! The damage that can be done to a mental health consumer in recovery, regardless of how strong they seem or how well they appear to be doing can be absolutely devastating. Although I have had what many would consider a major set back, due in no small part to the HORDE of HUBRIS, I live another day to tell about it.
In The Beginning...
In The Beginning...
A new chapter of my life is about to begin, which is a good thing because the last few paragraphs almost killed me again!
A new chapter of my life is about to begin, which is a good thing because the last few paragraphs almost killed me again!
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