Jeffrey Mitchell

Thank you for letting me be apart of this group. I just shared my story for the first time on another site. So if you haven’t seen yet, this is my story of my Husband Jeffrey 4-14-23 forever my angel. I used to be afraid to talk about because I was threatened and intimidated to shut my mouth about ever talking this. But this my husband and my story to tell. If I can be an advocate and save just 1 that to me would be the very least I could ever expect. This is my husband Jeffrey Mitchell my beloved forever angel 48. My husband Jeffrey Mitchell was a loving Man. He was a public servant and a Fire Fighter both drug testing jobs. So that tells you what kind of a man my husband was. He was fighting a fire and pulling down a ceiling when he fell back on to another fire fighter and immediately felt something in his back tear. After being evaluated at the ER it was diagnosed as bulging disc and crushing syndrome. Requiring surgery which was done and then on to the pain clinic which switch meds and pushed OxyContin. We tried to ask for something less than that but they said that was protocol. We strictly managed it. Each prescription refill was a drug test before to make sure he was taking the meds. When physical therapy said he could go back to work, but only light duty he was over joyed. He missed his boys. While working the pain never stopped and ended up back in the hospital only to find out the first surgery failed. Now requiring a second surgery that would mean through scar tissue and much lengthy process. A longer healing process. Again, once released from the surgeon’s care he was put into the pain clinic which switch his pain meds once again. This is against our wishes, but again protocol they said. Why push an opioid you don’t want? Another round of healing, no lifting, frustration and then PT. Released back to work still with pain but kinda manageable. He was excited for a new position opening that was going to be less manual labor. We had just planned our 5th wedding anniversary trip to the beach, our boys were happy and everything seemed great. We snuggled in to watch a movie one of our favorite and he fell asleep before we could give our good night kisses. I plugged his phone in and kissed him goodnight and climbed into bed. I woke up to his alarm and said aren’t you getting up babe? No answer. I got up and our dog was laying on top of him he was looking right at me as I was the last thing he saw. I started doing cpr as I called for help. I could tell by every push it was too late, but I wasn’t giving up. Screaming come on baby. Our friend and paramedic arrived and called it. My world ended. I was told I could not lay with my husband on our bed because of his age it was a crime scene? What? I just walked around not knowing what to do, what was next, someone said you’re young you’ll find love again? I thought my husband is lying in my bed how dare you say that to me? The medical examiner came closed the door asked me some questions about his medications, which he was so OCD he emptied the bottles into his pill boxes by days. So the pills were in the boxes and I couldn’t get into the room to see. They carried this black bag out. I’ll never forget that for the rest of my life. 3 people to take him out and almost drag him on the grass. When they closed that door I felt like my life just closed with it. When people started to leave I started to look around and go through somethings and found his phone. He had asked someone he trusted for a Percocet. I didn’t really think much of it at the time. Until his autopsy came back. Keep in mind he just had a drug test for his refill and does not do drugs other than prescription medication. The Autopsy showed he had a Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack) with fentanyl present along with all his other medications. So 1 pill he asked for just 1 that he trusted and he took. Took his life. Left a wake of carnage in the rear mirror. Make no mistake I did not give him this pill and I would never give any prescription pill to anyone otherwise. Jeff was a husband, father, son, cousin, uncle, nephew, friend, brother to his FF and co workers. I will never ever stop saying his name. He lives on in every breeze, rainbow, wave, flicker, memory and song in my heart. He will forever be on this wall for all to see and to maybe stop just 1 from becoming an angel like him.