lemon_catgrass

It makes me so angry that the US healthcare system is so broken, that someone like yourself can't even get fucking physical therapy for this kind of life changing disability. So angry. And even more angry that there are people who don't want to pay into a universal health care system through taxes because they might "never need to use it"...your story is a sobering reminder that these types of freak accidents can happen to anybody. At any time.

I really hope one day soon things seriously change with our healthcare in the states. I hope you'll someday be able to get all the treatments and therapy you need or want, without paying a dime out of pocket or a single co-pay. Until that time, you're doing far better than I ever could, and I sincerely admire your mental strength and fortitude.

Ugh. I hate that I can see this being a real thing on TLC. They have absolutely no shame.

It's seriously horrible. As if insomnia wasn't enough while in abject pain and misery, you can't even just lay in bed without feeling like your bones are going to jump out of your skin. The first 4 days in withdrawal I would be screaming into my pillow and biting my arm at 3 or 4am just because it became so overwhelming. All you want is to sleep away the sadness and sickness, and it's like your body is just punishing you.

Same thing nearly happene to me, with the same clean time and everything. Got my gear ready, did the shot as normal, felt good for about 30 seconds... then, nothing. I passed out cold, extremely low respiration, lips turned blue. My roommate walked into my room just to make a comment about something and saw me doubled over on my bed unresponsive, took him five minutes of solid shaking, yelling, throwing water on me, etc until I finally responded to him (though I didn't realize what was going on for several minutes even after that). I feel insanely lucky that he was there. It's scary how easy it is to fuck up like that, it just takes one shot -- one out of the hundreds you've done before with no problem -- to end your life. I am so grateful to my roommate and incredibly cautious regarding dosages now. It's serious shit, and it's easy to forget that when you're in the midst of things.

I've heard that there's a lot of drug and alcohol abuse among this type of profession, due to the intense labour and long hours, among other factors. Have you found this to be the case among the crab-fishing community in Nova Scotia?

Also much respect for what you do. It can't be easy to be out there on the water in the middle of the winter, especially for up to 14 hours. I simply couldn't do it, I don't think.