DUEL with the DEVIL
Viewing comments for Chapter 29 "DUEL with the DEVIL - Chapter 29"The problem of creating a non-addictive painkiller
19 total reviews
Comment from barbara.wilkey
I am not surprised at what Brian is doing, but I am not at all happy about it. I expected he'd go this way, and he will probably lose Julia in the process, and go deep into debt. This is a good read.
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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I am not surprised at what Brian is doing, but I am not at all happy about it. I expected he'd go this way, and he will probably lose Julia in the process, and go deep into debt. This is a good read.
Comment Written 21-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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Yeah, lots of ways this can go. It kind of depends on the strength of the people around him and his own willingness to keep trying and not just give into it. A little bit of luck can also help.
Comment from lyenochka
Well, this new title is more dramatic but I kinda liked the other one. Anyway I think you developed a lot of sympathy for Brian in how he needed to salvage his grades but the slippery slope of deception has begun with lying to Fran and Julia and dipping into his trust fund.
I enjoyed your humor about Smetana which in Russian means sour cream. I don't know if it's the same in Czech.
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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Well, this new title is more dramatic but I kinda liked the other one. Anyway I think you developed a lot of sympathy for Brian in how he needed to salvage his grades but the slippery slope of deception has begun with lying to Fran and Julia and dipping into his trust fund.
I enjoyed your humor about Smetana which in Russian means sour cream. I don't know if it's the same in Czech.
Comment Written 21-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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When I got to writing the final chapter, which I did yesterday, I decided to change the name, mainly because of the way the story comes to a conclusion (not counting the Epilogue which will probably be a total surprise!). See if you don't agree by the time we get there.
Sour cream, huh? Sounds fitting.
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Well, it must be the same in Czech but somehow he mostly spoke German. Probably his area were German-speakers. So maybe they weren't laughing at his name. On the other hand, Germans have names like Knoblauch which means garlic!
Comment from Debbie D'Arcy
Oh dear, It's started all over again, not just the relapse back into Oxy, but also the self-deception and justification, minutes after swearing to Julia that he'd never take the course again. He's felt obliged now. The devil has tempted him and he's succumbed. He can't afford to drop out of the semester and resit later. And, more and more, this 'temporary measure' seems to be the only option. I like the way you've portrayed the drug dealer - laid-back, witty, irresponsible - the sort you could drop in on anytime. And that rapport has yet to become still stronger and more interdependent. Well done, Jim! Debbie
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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Oh dear, It's started all over again, not just the relapse back into Oxy, but also the self-deception and justification, minutes after swearing to Julia that he'd never take the course again. He's felt obliged now. The devil has tempted him and he's succumbed. He can't afford to drop out of the semester and resit later. And, more and more, this 'temporary measure' seems to be the only option. I like the way you've portrayed the drug dealer - laid-back, witty, irresponsible - the sort you could drop in on anytime. And that rapport has yet to become still stronger and more interdependent. Well done, Jim! Debbie
Comment Written 21-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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Thanks, Debbie. I patterned Scorch after a guy in my freshman dorm, who coincidentally was also nicknamed Scorch. He started out as a normal kid who got into drugs his freshman year and eventually into selling them. He had a sense of humor much like this Scorch. I don't know whatever happened to him because I lost track of him after freshman year.
Brian is in a sticky wicket alright, and it's really hard to judge him unless you've experienced the kind of prolonged severe pain that he has. I myself have never experienced a chronic pain that severe for as long as him. I have some chronic pains, but they are more like a level 2.
I have felt level 7-8 pain for only a relatively short period compared to Brian, and I required an opioid to get through that when I had a herniated disc back in 2007, so I can kind of relate to his reasoning and actions with that kind of pain for an extended period.
Writing this story has really challenged me to try to think how I would think and feel if I were in Brian's shoes, and I'm not so sure I wouldn't also fall into the same trap.
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My lumbar spine was broken in a head-on fatal car crash. It was in France and I had wonderful surgery performed and a brace put in. Then 2 years later I had the metalwork removed. I've experienced very painful spasms but nothing like Brian's longer term crippling pain. If I did and my quality of life was impaired whilst awaiting an intervention I would be sorely tempted, telling myself it was only temporary. I tried to avoid any pain relief after the ops which shocked the doctors who urged me to take some and actually made me feel negligent for not!
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The thing about it is that everyone is different in their reactions to opioids. I took Vicodin for 4 or 5 months, up to 5 a day, and never felt high from it following the back surgery. I also had no trouble tapering off it. But some people get high and get addicted quite readily. It seems to be in the genes. (And that's a hint about Brian's eventual solution to the problem.)
Comment from royowen
Gee, I hope he doesn't fall into the old habit, I thought he was going to do something silly with the dead weight lifting, when we life a weight a little beyond, one lifts with areas one shouldn't when they do it, beautifully written, well done, blessings Roy
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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Gee, I hope he doesn't fall into the old habit, I thought he was going to do something silly with the dead weight lifting, when we life a weight a little beyond, one lifts with areas one shouldn't when they do it, beautifully written, well done, blessings Roy
Comment Written 21-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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Hard to avoid that old devil who speaks with such a mellifluous voice and assures you that all will be well. Just take this Oxy and all your pain will go away, and you won't have to worry about anything. It will all be okay, and it won't cost you much. Just a few hundred here and there, and you've got all that trust money to use. Your girlfriend will understand, but perhaps maybe she doesn't even need to know about this. Your big sister either. Besides no pain, doesn't it just make you feel really nice? So relax and enjoy life and don't worry so much.
Makes it tough to argue with that old devil.
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Yep, I understand
Comment from Tom Horonzy
Obviously, to see what was coming, and disappointedly horrific. I see him leaving school, and Jules, and returning to a land down under even if only in his head.
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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Obviously, to see what was coming, and disappointedly horrific. I see him leaving school, and Jules, and returning to a land down under even if only in his head.
Comment Written 21-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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Have a little faith that he may come to his senses in time! You think not? You may be right, and maybe that's too much to ask. Perhaps the only thing that gets him out of this is some extremely strong support from others. We shall see.
Comment from Wayne Fowler
Well written.
Hate to see this turn of events. Now, not only will he be addicted to a drug that he can't afford, but will also lose its efficacy, requiring more and stronger doses. Now also, Brian must lie to Julia, who I think could detect drug lies.
Why didn't Scorch offer 8 pills?
Best wishes.
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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Well written.
Hate to see this turn of events. Now, not only will he be addicted to a drug that he can't afford, but will also lose its efficacy, requiring more and stronger doses. Now also, Brian must lie to Julia, who I think could detect drug lies.
Why didn't Scorch offer 8 pills?
Best wishes.
Comment Written 21-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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He thinks he can control it for the couple of months until he can get that implant. But it's hard to tame the beast or come out on top in a duel with the devil. Let's see how successful he is with that.
The part that he has either discounted or apparently forgotten is what Raffi warned him of--that when you mix pleasure in with pain relief, priorities get screwed up. Add in the fact that tolerance develops, and you require more for the same effect, as you mentioned, and now you've got a mess on your hands. He is definitely headed down the rabbit hole.
As for Scorch (there was a drug dealer on my freshman dorm floor named Scorch who I patterned him after), I guess competition among drug dealers has become fierce, and his "introductory offer" of a discount was meant to buy loyalty. That's my story, and I'm stickin' with it! :-)
Comment from jmdg1954
Oh crap. Nothing good will come from this. There is no, " As long as they do what they're supposed to, I'll keep coming back." temporary fix. Once it's in the body, the body will crave more.
Brian is going down a dark, dirty road where nothing good will come out of it.
Looking forward the more.
John
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reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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Oh crap. Nothing good will come from this. There is no, " As long as they do what they're supposed to, I'll keep coming back." temporary fix. Once it's in the body, the body will crave more.
Brian is going down a dark, dirty road where nothing good will come out of it.
Looking forward the more.
John
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Comment Written 21-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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Thanks, John. You knew the good times had to end eventually, but so will the bad times on this roller coaster ride of his.
Comment from Wendy G
I knew it. It's very understandable, but now it's a slippery slide down to rock bottom, and It's not going to be a fun ride. I can see his desperation, and people in severe chronic pain don't always think straight. An excellent chapter.
Wendy
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reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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I knew it. It's very understandable, but now it's a slippery slide down to rock bottom, and It's not going to be a fun ride. I can see his desperation, and people in severe chronic pain don't always think straight. An excellent chapter.
Wendy
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Comment Written 21-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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Thanks very much, Wendy. You know Brian pretty well now to know that he doesn't do this lightly. He had good intentions of not getting back into drugs, but desperation is a powerful force.
Comment from AliMom
Nice, compact writing which immediately drew me in. Even without having read the previous chapters I was intrigued by the story of this young and and his struggles to stay clean. I also very much like your new title. It accurately describes his difficulties and temptation to remedy them in spite of his problems with drugs previously. I find myself rooting for him while feeling sympathy for his plight. Never once did I think, suck it up, buttercup. The need and the lure of the drug was just too great to ignore. His logic is the logic of a desperate person in pain who just wants, just needs, the pain to stop so he can get on with his life. You've given a more sympathetic view to the addicted. A more 'human' view.
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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Nice, compact writing which immediately drew me in. Even without having read the previous chapters I was intrigued by the story of this young and and his struggles to stay clean. I also very much like your new title. It accurately describes his difficulties and temptation to remedy them in spite of his problems with drugs previously. I find myself rooting for him while feeling sympathy for his plight. Never once did I think, suck it up, buttercup. The need and the lure of the drug was just too great to ignore. His logic is the logic of a desperate person in pain who just wants, just needs, the pain to stop so he can get on with his life. You've given a more sympathetic view to the addicted. A more 'human' view.
Comment Written 21-Aug-2024
reply by the author on 21-Aug-2024
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Thank you very much, AliMom. I'm honored by your 6 stars too.
Through just this one chapter, you've picked up immediately Brian's plight. At age 16, he crashed his car and hurt his back and has been paying for it ever since. He has many ups and downs within this story, but he's a brilliant kid and decides to do something about it by inventing his own drug that is a super-analgesic without causing pleasure and consequent addiction.
Terrific goal, right? But it won't be a straight path getting there, and there will be many problems along the way.
Thanks again for your great review.