Milwaukee VA raising awareness of 'staggering' overdose deaths

“She allowed someone with drugs to pick her up, and she was dead within 45 minutes of leaving the hospital,” Bathory said, saying the event was a turning point in her long battle with addiction.

“I wanted to get out. I told myself, ‘I can’t keep relapsing.’ That’s when I really stopped,” she said. “When I got out (of the hospital), I followed my doctor’s orders to a T.”

Bathory, 41, is now on the road to recovery, thanks to the treatment she’s receiving from the Milwaukee VA Medical Center. But for many Veterans, the struggle with addiction and danger of overdosing continue to loom over their lives.

Fatal overdoses have increased significantly in recent years, so much so that overdose is now the leading cause of death for people ages 18-49 in the United States.

“It’s staggering,” said Nicole Powers, a Milwaukee VA social worker who works in the Substance Use Disorder Clinic. “These are young people. They should have many, many years ahead of them. It’s really shocking and disheartening.”

To raise awareness of the overdose crisis and remember those we have lost, the Milwaukee VA will recognize International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31.

Veterans, staff and the public are invited to visit information tables that will be set up in the main hospital (Building 111) as well as Building 43 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be overdose prevention education in the Domiciliary that day, and chaplains will assist with moments of silence for overdose victims. Attendees will be encouraged to share remembrances of those lost to overdose and how it has affected them.

In addition to educational materials, attendees can pick up medication lock boxes, gun locks, medical disposal bags and fentanyl test strips. Veterans will be able to receive a prescription for naloxone (Narcan), and others will learn how they can receive a free naloxone kit of their own. There will be demonstrations on how to administer naloxone, which is life-saving medicine for anyone overdosing on drugs. It is often dispensed as a nasal spray, making it quick and easy to use.

While addiction and overdoses cut across all demographics, Veterans are at a higher risk, Powers said, as drug use is often coupled with other problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, mental health struggles and problems with chronic pain.

“This is why we need to make this (overdose awareness) a priority,” she said. “We need all hands on deck. We all need to be part of the solution so we can turn the corner on this.”

Overdose deaths increased during the pandemic, but even before the pandemic, overdoses related to synthetic opioids — primarily fentanyl — were rising dramatically and have continued to soar, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control.

Substances obtained illegally are often adulterated with fentanyl, Powers said, noting that some 80 percent of overdose deaths in Milwaukee County involved fentanyl. She said as little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be deadly.

“It’s very scary. Fentanyl is a lot stronger than opioids like heroin and morphine, and more deadly,” she said, noting that anyone using any illicit drugs — not just opiates — needs to be aware of the danger and have naloxone available.

“Naloxone is a lifesaving medication. We can reverse overdoses with naloxone. If I had my way, we would all have it in our pockets at all times.”

Any Veteran struggling with addiction can get naloxone free from VA, Powers said, saying it is available from any provider. The Milwaukee VA also provides immediate care through the Emergency Department and the Immediate Mental Health Access Clinic.

The Milwaukee VA also offers a variety of inpatient and outpatient services for Veterans struggling with addiction, along with residential treatment through the domiciliary.

“We can meet the needs of our Veterans, no matter where they are,” she said.

Bathory can attest to that. She started using drugs shortly after her discharge from the Air Force in 2006. Living in Alaska, she was struggling with isolation and the deaths of her father and grandfather when she turned to drugs.

At first she was a casual user, but around 2013 she said she became addicted, leading her into bad relationships with other users and suppliers. She said attempts to get help in Alaska were futile, so when she moved to Wisconsin, she balked at seeking help through the Milwaukee VA.

“I was so scarred by my experience in Alaska that I gave up,” she said.

But shortly before Thanksgiving last year, she was pulled over for having expired license plates, and police found drugs in her vehicle. She went to jail, but was given “a miracle,” she said: complete a treatment program through the VA and get the charges dropped.

She’s in that program now and has not used since her last relapse in June.

“It’s been very, very hard,” she said. “I’m still in a very fragile state, but I want to complete my treatment. But I don’t want to stop there. I want to continue with counseling and after-care. I want to continue getting help.

“The people who work at this VA are caring and compassionate. They care about Veterans,” she said. “I’ve gotten the help I needed.”