Dear Governor Haslam: Fifteenth Letter

A second 15th letter: I dont know if he lived


Dear Governor Haslam:

This is my second 15th letter to you.  I know Tuesday you are planning to unveil your program to combat drug abuse in Tennessee and that is what made me think about it.

A couple of years ago I got a phone call at the hospital I worked at then.  A young man talked about his addiction to prescription drugs.  3 friends had died from overdoses.  He had come close.  He wanted to go to a detox unit… He was afraid he was going to die.

He didnt have any insurance.  I told him the waiting period for a bed could be 6-8 monthes with no insurance.  He was quiet for a moment.  Then he started to cry.  He told me he wanted to live and didnt know how to make it now.

Abruptly he hung up.  He wouldnt answer my calls back.

I dont know if he lived or not.  I dont know. 

There is no drug abuse treatment without access to services.  Please expand TennCare.  We all deserve a break.  It is one of the most important things you could do to fight drug abuse in Tennessee.

Please.

Until tomorrow.

Yours truly,

Larry Drain

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