6. Treating dependency patients … retirement of Dr Andrew Byrne.
It has been my privilege to treat thousands of dependency patients over 35
years in our medical practice in Redfern, an inner suburb of Sydney,
Australia. Just as smokers are sometimes the most interesting people at a
party, drug users have often led extraordinary lives punctuated by risk taking,
harrowing stories, personal interactions and more. Some of the most
talented people in our society also suffer from drug and alcohol dependence,
and many die young due to prevailing circumstances (brilliant artist Brett
Whiteley was one of many local examples).
A majority of my opioid maintenance patients did not finish school and
are lower socio-economic citizens. They now
mostly live on social services in public housing with family and friends away
from poverty and crime with access to medical, mental health and vocational
facilities in our relatively well served area.
Many were victims of abuse as children and many have been from the Aboriginal
stolen generations. A substantial minority,
however, are school teachers, nurses, tradies, drivers, business people, etc. A small number have been university educated
professionals. There were doctors,
lawyers, academics and even one police officer in this group over the years.
After a difficult 2 years dealing with the Covid pandemic and all the
other ‘normal’ stresses of running a business I have decided to close our
clinic and seek quieter pastures in semi-retirement. My thanks to the many local doctors, clinics,
pharmacies and hospitals who have offered to take on my current opioid
maintenance patients. And apologies to
these patients for the disruption caused.
I also propose to continue writing about comparative Abrahamic religions
having been a fellow-traveller in a major Sydney synagogue as well as a mosque for
over a decade. In both places I have
been accorded a substantial welcome despite being a secular outsider. Cantorial cross-over
culture (cantorialcrossoverculture.blogspot.com)
Piano, opera, astronomy and cooking are also my regular pastimes as my
regular readers will know.
Best regards, Andrew Byrne ..