Set to be a scorcher..

Today is set to be a scorcher of a day at least reaching 40 degrees celsius. All whilst many of my friends abroad are experiencing blizzards. Worlds apart, united by the Internet. It never ceases to amaze me that we can all converse in an instant via the web. Including providing images of what is going on too. I often scroll through the images people put on their blogs or on Face book and say to myself, " Wow, that is what it is like there right now". Remarkable!
Just 20minutes ago I was sitting there listening to the talk back radio station and hearing the Drug and Alcohol board guy speaking about the use of "pills" at this time of the year, and the way in which people drink themselves into oblivion every new year's eve. It is something that gets on my goat.
The talk turned to the main topic and that was how to stop this from happening. People rang up saying it was up to parents of these young adults (not talking about teens here, but about people over the age of 18). Whilst I know many parents are responsible adults and have probably spoken to their children all of their growing up years about how not to over indulge in the drink and never to take a glass off of someone you don't know, and never to pop a pill in their mouth and the fact that, as I tell my kids "Drugs will kill you!" there always be people out there who will not say no, who will be convinced that the person handing them the drug is "cool" and they will either die or, maybe, just if they are lucky ...become a patient in a hospital.
The "patient" will probably never see the person again who dealt them their "pill". They will not recall the Paramedics putting a tube down their throat to be able to maintain their airway because they are vomiting too much. They will not recall nurses having to strip their body of clothing, washing them because they have become doubly incontinent and having puked all over themselves. They may have even ended up in the ICU. But, when they do get extubated, and have enough anti nausea medication and IV hydration, they will be clean and pure looking. That blank look you get from them when the consultant is telling them they could well have died without the aid of medical intervention, that we don't want to see them in here ever again... that "No, you cannot have your clothes because they were cut off of you and were soiled..doubly". No registration at all. Parents are mortified, friends sometimes think it is a laugh (which pisses us off), but good friends would make sure it would not occur again. Especially if they were there to see everything at the time.

So, as all my friends head off for their New Year celebrations... please take care, enjoy your time either alone, with friends, or, I know, some of us have to work... and get home safely on 2011. I hope 2011 brings more wonderful times to share together.