“The FDA recently made it easier to obtain the overdose-reversing medicine, Narcan.”

Recently…

The word rang in my head. 

Recently, it wasn't enough to save his life.

Recently, as if his life wasn’t worth saving.

Recently, that made the difference between his life and his death.

A medication to reverse an overdose–  

not every overdose,

not his overdose.

Put to rest because saving his life was too hard.

Because our lives depend on accessibility.  

How was this fair?

A life saving drug–not accessible until now.  

This opioid epidemic touches every part of our country, 

and only now the once prescription drug, will be sold over the counter.

The once prescription drug…

That’s what could have stopped it all, 

what could have been prevented so many deaths,

what could have saved his life.

It’s simple to use too, almost anyone could have done it. 

The white tip in the nose, push the red button.

So why, 

why did it take so long? 

Close to a million dead since the start of this epidemic.

Was that not enough?

Haunted by his own demons, he took those pills, 

washing them down with sink water.

Maybe even regretting it as the pills took to work, 

But still he never got that second chance those now get, 

never got to say goodbye, 

never got to truly live.