Wednesday night, I went to the premiere of Dark Knight at Navy Pier’s IMAX theatre. Yes, it was surreal to see Sir Michael Caine, Bill Kurtis and Christopher Nolan in person—but it was a bittersweet experience. I will give you one guess why…….if you are thinking because the movie’s main star—Heath Ledger—is deceased, you are on the right track. Needless to say, the experience was downright eerie for me because it touched on a tragedy that my heart is still sore over in my personal life—the death of my eldest brother on Thanksgiving Day 2004.
Legendary journalist, Bill Kurtis, emceed the premiere
But what do Heath and my deceased brother have in common? A substance abuse problem is the answer and their circumstances. My brother was also found in his apartment, on the bathroom floor, alone and dead (Heath similarly). While my brother had battled his chemical dependency for ten years, it was not the drugs that directly killed him but an after effect of long term abuse. After weeks of not having enough money to get drugs and nothing left to pawn for money, his body went into withdrawal and his blood pressure elevated to a lethal level. He must have known something was wrong when he got up at 4 a.m. and went to the bathroom—I am assuming here that he believed he was dealing with a monster headache. But, it was there that he would have an aneurysm accompanied by a seizure and fall to the ground as the blood gushing from his brain came out of his ears, nose and mouth.
While I can sit and talk about the cyclical life my family lived while my brother abused drugs and himself—long sleepless nights wondering if your loved one is dead or alive or if the police will come knocking with bad news, stints in rehab, realizing your prized possession was stolen and exchanged for drugs—it all comes back to the same problem in our country, the availability of illicit drugs on our streets and the war on drugs this country fails to admit it lost years ago. Everyday some high school kid is cutting class to smoke marijuana or drink or getting high for the first time. College-aged students and young professionals even have a wider choice of the poison they pick to pollute their bodies with college campuses and cities being hotspots for cocaine, ecstasy, heroine, crack cocaine and meth. But, it is not even these illicit drugs that should panic parents or concern friends and family of loved ones, it is the over-the-counter medicines, random household staples and prescription medication (taken not according to doctors orders or for the reason initially prescribed) that are becoming the new drugs. Simple things like cough syrup, Rx pain relievers, sleep aids or mouthwash.
~My sister, Jayne, brother Bob and your Illinois street team reporter at the Dark Knight premiere~
The Bat Bike
Sure you hear about drug raids or the recovery of some nominal amount cocaine every so often in the news, but that is merely a glimpse at what is going on in this country. Perhaps the irony in my family’s situation is that my father is a criminal defense attorney and 95% of his clients are going to court for drug related offenses (selling, intent to delivery or possession). Clearly, the demand for drugs has led to an endless stream of suppliers. And, while the state of Illinois tries to prosecute suppliers, the market for drugs is so lucrative, they are barely making a dent with their low level arrests of dealers. Another place the Illinois legal system cannot truly extend its arm is into your medicine cabinet. If prescriptions are written for legitimate causes, it is up to you how to take them. Also, there is no way to ensure someone from your family or a visitor gets their hands on your medication. What can the government do about that? Nothing. It is an individual’s responsibility to take medications properly, to not mix inappropriate medications together and for parents to educate their teens on not taking pills not prescribed to them for a legitimate medical reason. Or, maybe people should start locking up their medicine cabinets like they lock up their liquor cabinets. Thoughts?
Everyone has their cross to bear in this life. My family will constantly be reminded of how hard it is to try to help someone you love who is in trouble and realize you cannot do anything but watch them self-destruct. I often reflect on how crime and drug use has actually paid for my education and all the things I have—with my father’s income completely reliant on crimes taking place and him being able to represent and defend alleged criminals—and how drugs and crime took away a large part of my identity and life—my brother. These thoughts along with the questions I am left dealing with (do I tell people who ask, I have three siblings or two) are my cross. Either way, the bigger issue is how the problem with drugs is more an epidemic. What is our country going to do to stop it?
~In loving memory of Charles D. Ingles II, a fun-loving brother and friend who should lived well beyond 29 years on this Earth. You are missed always and loved greatly~