THE DRUG RING

Once upon a time I was involved in a drug ring at a long term care facility.  It was brought to my attention by one of my long term care residents, Ginny, 93 years old, small and frail in body but larger than life in spirit.  

As soon as I walked into work and headed to my office Ginny sidled up along side me conspiratorially.  In her blue flowered jammie bottoms and pink and purple robe she grabbed my arm and whispered in my ear “I am so glad you’re here.  You’re the only one I can trust.”  

“Hi Ginny.  Uh, what’s up?”

“There is something really bad going on here.  Can’t you feel it?”  She is still whispering.

“What? What is going on?” 

“We need to go somewhere.  They could be listening to us.”  

“Ok.  Let’s go to my office.” 

She held on to my arm and was walking with purpose.  Her walker is nowhere in sight.  Her Parkinsonian tremors are rather severe and she is obviously quite stressed about “what is going on”.   We duck into my office and I seat her in my office chair and close the door.  She is visibly relieved to be in a “safe” room.  

“I can’t believe it’s been going on for so long,”  she says.  

“What’s going on Ginny?”  I ask. 

“You must know Laura.  You’re not going to tell me you didn’t know anything about it.  And Jay (one of my nurses) is running it all.”  

“Ginny can you tell me why you’re so upset?  I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“The drugs Laura.  A drug ring is being operated out of this facility.  And they’re giving drugs to the residents.  And Jay, he’s a drug addict you know.  I’m sure of it.  Jesse (my administrator) is in on it too.  Everyone I tell thinks I’m crazy.  Do you believe me Laura?” 

“Well, you aren’t crazy Ginny.”  I’m trying to think fast, get ahead of this, figure out how to respond and keep her calm.  She’s very agitated and can hardly sit still but for now I need to keep her in my office where she feels safe.  I say, “Why don’t you give me the details and I will see what I can find out.” 

She digs into the front pocket of her robe.  She slowly pulls out the envelope of a tea bag and opens it up and shows it to me.  Inside are all of her morning medications.  

“I’m not going to let them drug me up Laura.  Look at all of these drugs they are trying to give me.  I’m not taking those anymore.”  

Ok, she hasn’t had her psych meds this morning — not good.  I need to find a way to get her to take her meds.  I pick out the two stool softeners and I tell her those are her psych drugs.  

“OK Ginny I understand that you don’t want to take the psych drugs, I’ll put them aside.  But how about these other ones.  I randomly point at the different pills she now has clutched in her hand and lie through my teeth.  “These two are for your pain.”  

“I don’t have any pain.” 

“That’s because you have been taking these pills.  If you don’t take them your pain will return.” 

“Oh, ok.  I’ll take those.”  And down they go. 

“Now Ginny how about these, they’re for your tremors and right now your tremors are pretty bad”  She won’t let us call it Parkinsons.  

“Oh I’ll take those.”  

“And these Ginny, these are just stool softeners.”  The ones I point to now are the psych drugs but she doesn’t hesitate. 

“Yes, I need those.”  

Two more and she’ll have taken them all except the real stool softeners.  

“These last two are vitamins Ginny.  They won’t effect you at all.  You could take those.” 

“Well ok.  But I don’t want any of those psych meds.” 

“I’ve still got those in my hand Ginny.  I’ll toss those.  I don’t want you to take them if you don’t want to.”  

“Laura what are we going to do?  I think Jesse is running the whole thing.  He and Jay.  We can’t stay here.  I need to call my daughter.” 

“Well, Ginny.  I’m thinking I should do an investigation.  I don’t want you to talk to anyone else about this because then they might suspect I’m investigating it and I won’t be able to catch them.” 

“Ok Laura.  I’m just so tired.  I just wish I could go to sleep and when I wake up this is all gone.”  

I walk her back to her room, tuck her in and she is asleep within minutes.  When she wakes she doesn’t remember anything about the drug ring we are running at the facility.  

Sometimes you just have to go along.