Trying To Save Angels

No matter how many stories I hear about how drug tragedies tear families apart, I get torn up, as I did with this story out of Pennsylvania:

Tom Hamilton has lots of photographs and memories. His oldest daughter, Melissa, had an infectious smile and was a cheerleader for Central Dauphin and the Big 33. His oldest son, Phillip, was the funny one who kept an eye on younger sister Nina.

"Phillip was always very fun and caring and always protective," Nina said. "I always felt safe. He'd never let anything happen to me."

But Phillip wasn't so protective of himself. In 2004, while partying with friends, Phillip overdosed on Xanax and heroin. He was 25.
Less than 2 years later, Melissa suffered the same fate at 28.

"She said I need this to wake up in the morning - to get through my day," Nina said. "She needed it and that's what heroin does to you."

Tom Hamilton has responded to this tragedy in a way I understand, even though, thank God, I haven't had to live through a tragedy like his: He started a drug education group.

Through his tears and grief, Tom started Saving Angels, a non-profit dedicated to educating kids and parents about the dangers of drugs. "Kids gotta understand that they're harming more than themselves," he said. "It involves parents, other friends, involves all their relatives."

He is so right! Too many parents just don't understand the dangers drugs pose today, and to protect their kids they have to start by educating themselves.

Saving Angels is a local group with an outreach program to schools and groups around Harrisburg PA. If you're in that area, please contact them.

Others can find educational resources at the Voice of the Victims Web site, and much, much more on the Voice of the Victims films.

Elation As Abducted Girl Found

I haven't posted previously on Sharon Matthews, a 9 year old British girl who's been missing for 24 days. Well, she's been found! Watch the excitement, not just of her family but of Sharon's entire town, on hearing the news:


It is impossible to imagine 24 days of waiting in horrified, worry-filled agony for news like this -- but how wonderful that this is the news the Matthews family got.

It's also encouraging that there is also a suspect in custody -- but once again, it's impossible to imagine what the Matthews family is feeling on learning that he is a member of their extended family.

Tussionex Warning!

Washington has noted the dangerous results of using the prescription cough medicine Tussionex as a drug and issued a warning:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. health officials issued an alert on Tuesday about reports of life-threatening side effects and deaths among patients, including children, who took UCB SA's prescription cough medicine Tussionex.

The reports indicate doctors sometimes are prescribing, and patients sometimes taking, more than the recommended dose of Tussionex Pennkinetic Extended-Release Suspension, the Food and Drug Administration said.

Some also are taking the drug more frequently than every 12 hours, the recommended time interval, or giving it to children under age 6, the FDA said. Tussionex is not approved for children younger than 6.

Here's what the RX List has to say about Tussionex. It's technical, so I'll leave all the links in -- and I've highlighted the frightening stuff you should pay attention to!

Serious overdosage with hydrocodone [Tussionex] is characterized by respiratory depression (a decrease in respiratory rate and/or tidal volume, Cheyne-Stokes respiration, cyanosis), extreme somnolence progressing to stupor or coma, skeletal muscle flaccidity, cold and clammy skin, and sometimes bradycardia and hypotension. Although miosis is characteristic of narcotic overdose, mydriasis may occur in terminal narcosis or severe hypoxia. In severe overdosage apnea [stopped or decreased breathing], circulatory collapse, cardiac arrest and death may occur.

Be careful with this and ALL prescription drugs!