Back from Training

This past week was kind of fun since I got to go out of town on Thursday and Friday on a training for work. It was an all expenses paid trip and me and one of my coworkers got to stay at the Sheraton Hotel which is always nice. I always love staying at hotels (gotta love those high thread-count comfy bedsheets!) and I actually remembered to bring my workout gear, so I got a good run and UBWO in at the hotel's gym.

The training was on harm reduction which is the lingo we use in the addictions field to mean helping someone who is not ready to become abstinent from drug use to at least reduce their use, or engage in less risky drug use. Unfortunately, the reality is that many of the youths we work with are not willing to give up drug/alcohol use altogether, but they want to make changes to their use so that it does not cause them as many problems in their lives. So, if a youth was using 5+ grams of marijuana a week and they are able to cut that down to 1-2 grams per week, that is the start of some progress.

Here in Ottawa, we have needle exchange programs for heroin users, and distribution of crack pipes for crack-cocaine users and those too are forms of harm reduction since it has been found that cities with these programs in place substantially reduce their rates of HIV and hepatitis C infections. It's contraversial stuff though, and many people are pretty leery of such programs. I know my inital reaction was that we were just making it easier for drug users to use, but the more I work with teen users, the more I've come to realize that if people want to use, they are going to find a way to do it, and if clean, safe equipment is not available, they will find anything they can get their hands on that will help them get that high. One of the presenters was a psychiatrist who actually sets up information booths at raves and who has had a lot of success in helping teens think twice about their use. He brings an ecstasy testing kit with him and people can bring their pills over to test what is actually in them. Okay, I am getting off of my soap box, promise!

When I got home, I noticed that one of Kyle's eyes was red and I had the feeling he had pinkeye. Sure enough, when he woke up this morning, his eye was glued shut and I took him to the clinic where the doc said he had an infection. We have to give him drops 3 times a day for 7 days. I am soooo squeamish when it comes to eye things, so I'll be glad when this is done. I absolutely cannot watch eye operations on tv, and I don't think I could ever wear contact lenses or have laser surgery without hyperventilating! Luckily, my eyesight is good and I have not had to deal with these issues!

Okay, now it's time to go and catch up with all of you guys. Emily is napping and Kyle is at a b-day party (with a patch on so that he does not infect anyone!) so I actually have a few minutes to read blogs. Yay!