I heard something I am really starting to think about it.

If I changed one thing today, where would I be tomorrow?

Today I changed just one thing, what I ate for breakfast. Instead of the same old bowl of cereal I had oatmeal instead. One start, one change and it may not make much of a difference tomorrow, but what if it makes a difference later. Not just breakfast of course, but what if I finally geet myself under control and start doing what I used to do before? Will I finally get back to where I was then?

I talked to my friend Karen the other day.  If she can continue to smile or laugh then I think I can.  Not only is she trying to save her house from foreclosure, had to give up school (which she is on her last term) she has the medical issues going on after just finding out that she may have cancer.  She was on her way to a full day of doctor appointments the other day.  Now she is on all kinds of medication right now. She has hypertension, her nerves are shot from all the stress and raising five kids on her own, finding out she may have cancer as her initial tests came out positive, and she may possibly have parkinsons which they haven't yet tested for but she shakes uncontrollably at times.  On her way to her appointments that day (at 9 am mind you) she was stopped by an officer because she had a headlight on her van that was duct taped in because a couple months before she had hit a deer and was unable to get it fixed.  She did however check with a state trooper who told her that it did meet the state legal requirements for the headlight. 

The trooper that stopped her that day told her that she was being stopped for having a headlight out. Of course she was shaking uncontrollably that morning.  He saw this and had asked her about it and she of course was very honest about everything and told him the medications she had taken that morning and that she was on her way to a full day of doctor appointments.  He, of course, thought she was on illegal drugs and arrested her.  He gave her a sobriety test to which she of course did questionably. Well no shit, she shakes sometimes to the point of needing two hands just to take a drink.  She was not however driving erratically, swerving or anything of the sort that would cause him to think that she was intoxicated, it was because of the headlight. 

She was arrested because she did "questionably" on the sobriety test because she was shaking uncontrollably.  He questioned her at length about taking illegal drugs intreveniously as well as illegal drugs to which she told him emphatically NO, she gave him all of her prescription bottles for what she was prescribed to take.

She did submit willingly to the blood test that was required and was actually very calm, pleasant and lucid with the officer that took her in. To a certain point I understand his suspicion, I do have several relatives in law enforcement.  What I do not understand is that she provided all information to the officer, she was not violent, she did not cause a problem and was very upfront about her medical condition and the fact that she was on her way to a full day of appointments.  The doctors offices were very well aware of her condition.  Why would they place her on a four hour hold that was completely unnecessary simply because she was shaking?

A single mother raising five children, unable to find a job, her home in danger of being lost which could possibly lead to the loss of her children as she would be unable to provide a roof over their head and the possibility of cancer and other medical problems.  She has even gone so far as to check with family members who would be able to take her children should something happen to her.  She talked jovially to the officer about all of this.  Not only did he give her a fix-it ticket for the headlight, he charged her with a DUI, gave her a ticket for driving irratically and then to add insult to everything they held her from 9:30 a.m until 6 pm at night simply because they thought she was on illegal drugs because she couldn't stop shaking! And by the time she was released she was shaking even worse than before! She was released and had to walk WELL OVER AN HOUR TO GET A RIDE BACK TO HER VAN. 

What type of training are the officers in Tennessee given that this type of treatment is given?  I am both upset and completely appalled that no reason for this treatment other than the fact that she was shaking uncontrollably which she explained and even a quick call to her physicians office would have been sufficient to allay any fears they had that she was under the influence. 

With everything that she is dealing with she also missed all of her appointments for that day. The mamogram to check for cancer, the appointment to find out why she has blood in her urine that is getting worse.  She missed the further testing that would be required to determine the cancer and if it is benign or if she has to worry about going through all kinds of chemotherapy. 

She was honest about all of it. She informed them of everything. She told them everything she had taken that morning.  They treated her like a criminal.  She now has to wait another two months for the test results to come back to prove that what she told them was the truth.  Two months with a DUI hanging over her head.  Two months of having to worry that they will take it further and call protective services.

Is this really how people in law enforcement are taught? That every single person is to be suspected of illegal drug use? That after all the searches and finding absolutely nothing and no reason to suspect anything further that people are still treated to this type of abuse of privilege and power? 

I do understand that there are people out there that are doing drugs and no, I do not want those people on the road.  But there should be a certain amount of common sense.