DRUGS USED FOR 'PARTY HIGHS', NOT JUST FOUND IN THE CITIES

Dear Editor;

In the early morning hours of October 12, we received a phone call from Red
Deer Regional Hospital, from a friend of my eldest daughter, Mandi. She told
us that Mandi was in an alcohol induced coma. Of course, there was blind
panic, a very tense scary ride to Red Deer where all kinds of unimaginable
things went through our minds.

When we arrived they rushed us through emergency, where we were put in a
room to wait to speak to the attending physician, which scared us more as we
believed the news would be grave. She informed us that Mandi had been
brought in by paramedics outside a bar downtown Red Deer with a blood
alcohol level of .54 and very little signs of life. Her heart and breathing
rate were very low. Her pupils did not respond at all and the horrifying
thing was that the doctor believed that a drug was involved namely "Liquid
G" or GHB. We had never heard of this and she informed us that it was a date
rape drug and she had seen 3 other cases that month.

If you don't know my daughter, she is a very sensible, moral girl of 20 and
would not voluntarily take any drug. She lives, works and goes to school in
Red Deer where the college crowd does go "clubbing" but the friends she goes
with are usually people she has known most of her life. Mandi is the one who
makes sure no one drinks and drives.

She has fun but is responsible. We, as community, have lost children with
bad decisions and Mandi has taken these accidents very close to her heart.

When we got to see Mandi in ICU, she had a breathing tube down her throat,
breathing for her. A tube was up her nose to infuse charcoal to her stomach
to absorb the alcohol and drug. She was catheterized, hooked to monitors,
had an IV and her hands were tied down. The nurse gave us little promise.
She could not tell us when Mandi would come around or if her mind would be
the same. We got a few details from her friends but would not know the whole
story until several hours later, when she came back to us.

She woke up throwing up charcoal which was black and gooey.

She was scared and couldn't speak because of the breathing tube. We made her
understand where she was, why she was there and what was happening.

They loosened the ties on her hand to write on a clipboard.

Immediately she began to write questions, asking us not to cry, thanking
nurses for their help and how bad she felt that she was putting us through
this.

When the breathing tube came out, she could tell her story.

The first question from us was if there was a drug involved.

She answered yes. Did you take it? Yes. We were shocked.

They had been out on the town, travelled to a friend's place.

She was offered a "shot" which she believed to be alcohol but was instead
this "Liquid G." She ingested 3 or 4 ounces instead of the ounce which
others use for a party high. The "friend" who had the drug told her that she
had made a bad decision but didn't tell what the effects would be. This drug
metabolizes alcohol quickly.

She didn't remember the rest of the night. Apparently they went back to a
club; Mandi passed out in a bathroom.

Her girlfriend could not revive her; a bouncer carried her out to the
parking lot where they again tried to revive her. The police spotted her,
realized the gravity of the situation and called an ambulance.

I am writing this letter in hopes that parents become aware of this drug and
others like it. You may think it just exists in the cities but I have
learned that it is common in Rimbey. If your child parties, it is available
to them. Or it could be put in their drinks without their knowledge.

Or as in Mandi's case, ingesting it without knowing what it was. Kids do
this drug recreationally to make their highs higher.

What Mandi, myself, her sister and the other people that love her, went
through that day, I would not wish on anyone.

We are so lucky that in the turn of events that people helped Mandi soon
enough, and that she came back to us with all her faculties. She is a much
sadder but wiser person as this drug came from someone she grew up with in
Rimbey. I thank all the people that helped and the concern shown by her
friends.

I wish parents to talk to their children about this type of drug and how
dangerous it is. I have heard horror stories where others were not so lucky
resulting in death or brain damage. Please be aware.

Web site www.ProjectGHB.org is very informative.

Kids; if someone passes out suddenly and this drug is in the vicinity, don't
assume that they need to sleep it off; get medical help. They may never wake
up again.

Brenda Wolfe,

Rimbey