By Kathleen E. Carey
Daily Times
DELAWARE COUNTY, Pa. 鈥� Phil Waibel decided to give life a chance again as he lay in the ambulance on his way to the hospital after being revived by Narcan 鈥� and that鈥檚 one reason the Delaware County Health Department launched Delco Revive Tuesday.
鈥淣arcan was, and I say this very sincerely, the catalyst that tipped the scales in favor of life over death for me in my experience,鈥� the 28-year-old county resident said.
Delco Revive offers free harm-reduction techniques that include free Narcan nasal spray, fentanyl and Xylazine test strips, and wound care kits, as well as CPR training and stop-the-bleed tourniquet training.
鈥淎ll of these tools are available at our three locations of the Delaware County Health Department,鈥� Public Health Director Melissa Lyon said.
Those locations, all open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, are the Delaware County Wellness Center at Yeadon, 125 Chester Ave.; the Delaware County Wellness Center at Chester, 151 W. Fifth St.; and the department鈥檚 Eddystone location at 1510 Chester Pike, Suite 700.
CPR certification and stop-the-bleed training appointments are also available for free through the Delaware County Wellness Line at 484-276-2100 or through delcowellness@co.delaware.pa.us.
Fighting addiction
Waibel shared his story of battling an opiate addiction that started when he was in college as a 鈥渨eekend warrior鈥� type of recreation.
鈥淚t progressed,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 even see it progressing. It got to the point where it did dominate my life.鈥�
It got to the point, he said, that he lost his girlfriend, his job and potential career and was evicted from his apartment.
鈥淎s a young man, I had to move back into my parents鈥� house,鈥� Waibel said. 鈥淚 remember looking around, thinking, 鈥業鈥檓 viciously addicted to these substances. I really got nothing going on for me.鈥� So, I made a conscious choice to go out.
鈥淚 overdosed, and the next thing I remember is waking up with EMTs hanging over my head, telling me that my life was just saved and revived by Narcan. Unfortunately, I felt very angry at the time. You think I鈥檇 be grateful, but I was angry, I was displeased with my life and where I was at.鈥�
However, it was the ride to the hospital where he was motivated to make a change.
鈥淚 was in the ambulance on the way to the hospital,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 remember clenching my fists in anger, like resentment at the world and then, something just came over me and I just opened my palms up and I just took a deep breath and I was like, 鈥楳an, I give up. I can鈥檛 do this anymore.鈥� At that moment, I just surrendered.鈥�
He then decided to seek recovery.
Last Thursday, he graduated from Widener University with a master鈥檚 degree. He works as a substance abuse counselor at MVP Recovery after having gone through its Sober Living program.
鈥淚 work with law enforcement and police to help people who are struggling with addiction access treatment,鈥� Waibel said. 鈥淟ife could never be more full. I couldn鈥檛 imagine this in my most wildest dreams ... But it was the Narcan that allowed me one more day of life that I could surrender to the addiction and pursue services, pursue help and receive that help.鈥�
A community need
Delco Revive is funded through $137,286 of Delaware County鈥檚 allotment of opioid settlement funds.
Delaware County is on schedule to receive nearly $63 million over 18 years from settlement funds stemming from the opioid distributors litigation. Earlier this year, the county council unanimously approved disbursing $4.1 million for 14 programs in the second round of the settlement funding.
鈥淭his is a program that is helping the entire community,鈥� Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor said of Delco Revive. 鈥淎fter all, we know that opioid addiction affects residents of all ages, races and genders from throughout the county and all across the country. Addiction has no boundaries.鈥�
Lyon said she wants the program to destigmatize conversations around substance use disorders and to focus on finding help and recovery options.
One way to reduce the stigma, she said, is by having everyone carry Narcan nasal spray.
鈥淐arrying Narcan and Naloxone is not only about saving the lives of people we know,鈥� Lyon said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about having tools available to save a life of somebody at any time. That is why we say, 鈥楤e a good friend, be a good neighbor, be a good stranger.鈥欌��
Another is to understand a person can鈥檛 get in trouble for administering Narcan or taking other lifesaving action, as it is covered by the Good Samaritan law, which protects anyone trying to render emergency care, first aid or rescue.
With county officials having stated that four county residents die each week related to opioids, Lyon said it鈥檚 likely everyone knows someone who鈥檚 struggled with substance abuse.
鈥淲e all know of someone whether it鈥檚 a family member, a sibling, a friend, a colleague,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e all been touched by this in some way ... And, if there鈥檚 anything I hope for you to take away today ... is that there is hope.
鈥淓ven when it seems unlikely, recovery is possible for everyone because if you have hope, you have a chance,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f you have a chance, you have a life. Narcan gives the gift of one more day of life.鈥�
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