Anastasia

We lost my brother to an overdose in October 2015.
After a long stretch of spinal issues after a work-related injury, my brother was at his wits end and still couldn’t get enough pain relief from his prescribed medications. Finally, he turned to street drugs and began using heroin as a means to disassociate from the constant physical and emotional pain. On his last day, he used a mixture of pain reliever, heroin, and muscle relaxers which swept him away from us. Although medical personnel brought him back via Narcan for a few moments, the muscle relaxers did their job and slowed his heart muscle until it was no more.

My heart still hurts, as I can only imagine the slowing of his, as well as the quiet and stillness the ushered his soul into the universal energy that surrounds us. I weep because of my selfishness, of wanting to keep him, knowing that he no longer feels the pain he did for so long. Instead of hanging my head down I gaze into the night sky and know that from stardust he came and to stardust he returns to the heavens above.