FanStory.com - DUEL with the DEVIL - Chapter 33by Jim Wile

Recap of Chapter 32: Recovering in the hospital from his overdose of Oxy, Brian relates to both Julia and Fran everything that happened. Brian and Julia look to Fran for advice about what he should do for the last few weeks of the semester. Fran suggests that he get the spinal cord implant ASAP rather than wait until the summer. Dr. Eppig promises to talk to Brian’s surgeon back home in an attempt to expedite this, and Brian leaves the hospital with Fran and Julia.

Back at his dorm, Daniel is glad to see him, and Brian decides to tell him about everything. He also enlists Daniel to help dole out the taper-off dose of Oxy that Dr. Eppig had prescribed him. Fran leaves after wishing him well.

Chapter 33

Looking back on this period in my life, I can honestly say that those final four weeks of my freshman year and the coming summer months, more than any other time, set me on the clearest and straightest path to my future. You’ve already met some of the most influential people in my life, and I was about to discover one more who probably had the most effect on my ability to navigate through challenging times and also to shape my future career. You’ve met him too, but now let’s take a look at him in action.

Over the next few days, I had an appointment with a physiatrist* who fitted me with a TENS unit for temporary relief until I could have the surgery, and I also got an appointment with my spine surgeon back home in Winston-Salem for eight days from now. Dr. Eppig was instrumental in getting this expedited for me.

My spine surgeon’s office emailed me the appropriate instructions and forms to fill out for the surgery, as well as a doctor’s note to show my professors, explaining the absence. Organic chemistry lab would be one of the classes I would miss. After lab a few days later, I stopped to talk to Dr. Rieke.

When I informed him that I would have to miss class because of a scheduled surgery, he said, “Why don’t you come into my office, Brian, and we can talk about it?”

Hmm, what did he want to talk about? All I wanted to do was give him the doctor’s note. I had an uneasy feeling as he led me down the hall to his office. When we got there, he offered me a chair while he sat down behind his desk. I handed him the note, and he perused it for a few moments.

“I know it’s none of my business, but do you care to share with me what this surgery is all about?”

“I don’t mind. I’m having a spinal cord stimulator implanted to help ease a chronic pain I’ve had for a couple of years.”

He looked at me thoughtfully for a few moments before asking, “Have you been treating the pain yourself lately?”

This question took me by surprise, and I took my time answering it. I had a strong feeling he knew what I’d been up to. How he knew, I wasn’t sure, but I could detect something in his eyes that told me he might understand if I were to level with him. Besides, I was tired of lying about it and keeping it a secret, so I decided I would just tell him. He was a nice man. We got along well, and I regretted having lied to him previously.

“Last week, when I caused that accident in the lab that burned Kimiko, I wasn’t honest with you. My friend didn’t die, and my mother doesn’t have breast cancer. Both she and my father died in an auto accident when I was 12. My big sister took care of me until I was 18.”

I just decided to lay it all out there for him. I told him about my own accident when I was 16 and how I’d hurt my neck and back so badly that I’d been in chronic pain ever since. I told him about the addiction to Oxy, the rehab, the recent accident in the gym that caused the flare-up again and the relapse. I brought him right up to the events of last week and the lab accident.

“And that’s largely the reason for screwing up in the lab,” I said and stopped to consider whether to tell him the rest.

When I didn’t speak for a while he said, “I have a feeling there’s a little more to the story if you’d care to go on.”

Man, he was perceptive. Might as well finish it. “Yeah, there is.” So, I continued telling him how I OD’d that night and how Daniel had found me in the midst of a seizure and called 911. I finished by saying that Fran, Julia, and I had decided together that I should try to get the operation right away and not wait until summer.

“And are you now under a doctor’s care to give you a controlled amount of Oxy so you don’t have withdrawal symptoms?”

“Yes. You seem to know a lot about this.”

“Brian, I had an inkling of this when your test scores began dropping some time ago. Then last week after lab, I surmised that you were lying to me about it. I have some experience with this in my own family. My nephew, Peter, who I was very close to, died of an Oxy overdose just last year. It was devastating to my brother’s family and to me personally because Peter and I were just... simpatico. It was so unexpected. None of us had seen the signs indicating that he was in danger. So now, I am extra-attuned to it and determined to help out when I can. It sounds like you have a support system in your sister and girlfriend, but maybe I can also lend a hand in helping you get back on your feet.”

I was surprised by what he had just told me about his own experience with this and also by his offer of help. I felt badly for him, but why should he help me, and what could he really do?

“I’m so sorry to hear about that, Dr. Rieke. It must have been very difficult for you and your brother’s family, and believe me, I appreciate your offer of help. But I’m just a student in your class. Why would you care to go out of your way for me?”

He looked at me with a wan smile and took a moment to answer. “I appreciate your condolences, Brian, but here’s the thing. You remind me so much of Peter. You’re very bright, and I sense outstanding potential in you. Plus, I just like you. I feel awful that I never recognized how much Peter needed all of our help, and if I can help make up for that in some small way by helping you, it would mean a huge deal to me. I’d like to offer you a job this summer, working in the lab with me. I know now that the best way to avoid drugs is to have something that interests you and keeps your mind busy in an instructive and constructive way, and I think you’d get that by working in the lab. I’d keep you so busy, you wouldn’t have time to think about drugs. I think you would really enjoy the challenge too. And of course, I would pay you.”

I choked up and the tears began to flow. I hung my head and couldn’t speak for a time. When I finally gained some composure and looked up at him, I said, “When would you like me to start?”

He smiled. “Right away, as soon as you’ve had your last final. You can begin the following day, but there’s just one condition. You’ve got to attend a support group for addicts. There’s only so much I can do to help you, and I believe that a support group will help you even further to deal with your addiction.”

His kindness nearly overwhelmed me, almost causing me to break down again, but I simply nodded in agreement. I stood up and held out my hand, and he took it in a firm shake. Then I turned and left without another word.

(1 more chapter until the end of Part 1)