Sophia Sits Saturated in Sadness

Sophia sat saturated in sadness at the prospect of missing her daughter's likely random visit on this day.  

Her daughter turns 17 today and Sophia knows that her daughter would want to visit her homeless Mom at the God-Forsaken street corner of This and That Streets in the suburbs surrounding Emerald City.

And so Sophia sat soaked in the sweat of dope sickness knowing full well that she could find healing after one 'date' and the quick purchase of a little blue bag of 'medicine.'  

"I don't want to miss my daughter's visit on this, her 17th birthday."

Tears of a broken-hearted Mom and the Trembles of Dope Sickness competed for Sophia's attention and yet her determination set sickness aside in the hopes of hearing from her deeply devoutly cherished daughter.

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To occupy her time between dates and consuming her 'medicine' Sophia paints pictures.  As a resident of the streets of Kensington, she is limited on supplies and locations to paint.  But her passion persists.  

A few days ago, she chose the flat metal surface of a trash dumpster that had been parked near where I found her earlier today.

Sophia is an artist and a Suburban County resident reliant on Medicaid to pay for the treatment she needs to put aside her Substance Use Disorder and pursue her passion for painting.  

Sophia is a patient with a Substance Use Disorder.

Sophia is not "an addict" nor is she any of those derogatory terms used to describe a person who begrudgingly provides sexual services so as to raise funds to purchase drugs she'd rather not be consuming.   

Sophia is a Mom and an artist.  

Sophia is a woman worthy of dignity, honor, respect, and love.  

Sophia is worthy of dignity filled health care provided by people who pledged their medical careers to the ideals of Hippocrates.  

Sophia is not one of "them."  

Sophia is an extension of "us."

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Sophia Sits Saturated in Sadness…