SHS Wrestling Results on Page A5 visit us on the web at www.sissetoncourier.com Volume 130, Number 31 Tuesday, January 28, 2020 Sisseton, SD $1.25 NEWS Addiction has many faces .… You Can Use by Josie Deutsch It all started so innocently friend’s, she would stop by to Over eighty people and their after three surgeries. The first check on them and then ask to children attended the Addiction two surgeries went well and use the bathroom, looking fran- Celebrate Sisseton & Recovery presentation by she took the pain medications tically for any pain medication. Melanie Weiss, O.D., held at (opioids) as prescribed, but At her worst, she was using Planning Meeting the Sisseton-Wahpeton College after the third surgery every- 40-45 Vicodin tablets a day and Jan. 28 Auditorium during the evening thing changed. After all, she wore four fentanyl patches on of Jan. 14. The event was spon- convinced herself, she was a her back. Melanie started doing There will be a Celebrate sored by the SWO Tribal Opioid doctor and she knew her body. things she never would have Sisseton planning meeting on Response Project and co-spon- She knew what she needed and done if she were not addicted. Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020 at 6:00 sored by the Early Childhood how much to take. The pills Her final day was a Friday p.m. at City Hall. This meeting Intervention Program, Special made her better – a better doc- and she was working in her is not a volunteer meeting, but Diabetes Program for Indians, tor, a better wife, a more suc- clinic. She had a small window an idea and input meeting. and Veterans Memorial Youth cessful businesswoman. Soon of time between patients, so she Celebrate Sisseton 2020 is Center, featuring displays she was taking a couple more decided to walk 1.5 blocks to fast approaching! Please come from these programs as well a little more often, a decision a home where she knew both and be a part of this summer’s as Indian Health Service, that would ripple her life in people would be gone. She event. Community Health Education a way she never could have went in and filled her pockets and the Youth and Family anticipated. with pain medications. As she Reminder: TREE Project. Earlier in the Using opioids long term walked out, she was met by day, Melanie also presented at changes the way nerve cells police detectives. She recalls Please adhere Tiospa Zina School and spoke work in the brain and over- that as she was taken away in to Deadlines to teens at the Youth Center. rides normal thinking. Soon her the cop car, she took a huge “How did I get here? This life and all her thoughts were sigh of relief, knowing this To help ensure timely pub- isn’t me. This is not who I am!” consumed by the thoughts of eight year battle with opioid lication of your requested sto- Melanie proclaimed as she opioids. When could she take Sharing Her Own Experience use disorder was at last over. ries, ads, etc., please abide by reflected on her thoughts while her next pill? Did she have Melanie Weiss addresses the crowd at the Addiction Melanie served 110 days all deadlines for submissions incarcerated. She found herself enough for the week? The day? and Recovery presentation at SWC on Jan. 14. in the Codington County jail to the Sisseton Courier. serving time with other people The hour? She started writing and completed three months of Normal deadline for sub- who had substance use disor- prescriptions for others to fill ailments: she fell on the ice, quit, but she could not do it. treatment. She has had to work missions is Thursday noon ders -- moms, grandmothers, and give to her, which they back pain, any kind of excuse The same woman who had the extremely hard to regain her unless otherwise stated. Your a pharmacist, a lawyer, young were willing to be talked into to be prescribed an opioid. She determination to overcome so life. She prides herself on hav- cooperation is greatly appreci- and old – good people who had doing. She had a close call after was believed, “because why many obstacles and achieve ing been able to apologize to ated. made bad choices, not the typi- her brother-in-law turned her would a doctor lie to another things others told her were every single person from whom cal on-screen images of who is in for prescribing her nephew doctor.” impossible, could not stop she stole. She has received a in the criminal justice system. medications. She manipulat- After the Prescription Drug using! “I just didn’t have to lot of support from the commu- PLEASE NOTE Melanie Weiss was born and ed the system and passed 12 Monitoring System (PDMP) put the pills in my mouth, but I nity and this year was named raised in Watertown and had a months of urine drug samples came out in 2010, she knew could not do it!” She googled Businesswoman of the Year, a that this week’s dream of becoming an eye doc- required by the State Board she would get caught if she and researched how to quit – come-back to be proud of. issue of the tor, an optometrist. Through of Optometry, while using! continued doing that. After wean off faster, wean off slow- Her mission is to spread hard work she made that dream After losing her DEA license she exhausted her resources, er, take sleep meds, exercise.... awareness about her journey Sisseton Courier a reality. She had a life to be she could no longer write pre- she started to do the unthink- Nothing worked. and knowing that sometimes contains only envied – a great career, a thriv- scriptions, so she started “doc- able. First, she took pills from Melanie started breaking bad things happen to good peo- one section. ing business, a wife, and three tor shopping.” When visiting her family -- parents, siblings, into houses and confesses she ple and good people do bad beautiful daughters. Melanie every other doctor she knew grandparents, close friends/ even used her daughters as bait. things. But you have a choice had everything. she would invent all kinds of family. She said she tried to When her daughters were at a to let it define you or make something of it, she advises. Check out Her website reads, “Life isn’t about how fast you run or how Public Notices high you can climb, but how well you bounce.” - Vivian in this week’s paper Komori. Her advice is to keep Included in this week’s fighting; don’t ever stop fight- Sisseton Courier are nine pub- ing. Your past does not define lic notices with information who you are today and who that is a matter of public record you can become! and may be of interest. For more information on This week’s paper opioid use disorder and treat- includes the Roberts County ment options available in Commissioners Proceedings, our community call Tribal Sisseton School Board Minutes, Opioid Response 742-3605. two Notices to Creditors, The presentation was funded Roberts County Notice of by Tribal Opioid Response Deadline for Filing, Sisseton (TOR), a Federal grant from City Notice of Vacancies, Learning About Addiction and Recovery the Substance Abuse Mental Peever Town Notice of Above, attendees at the Addiction and Recovery Presentation at the Sisseton Wahpeton College Auditorium Health Services Administration Vacancies, a Notice of Real pay close attention to what presenter Melanie Weiss has to say. ~ Courier Photos (SAMHSA). Estate Sale, and a Notice of a Hearing on Sale of Malt Beverages and Wine. Roberts Holland Foundation issues grants The Board of Trustees of $2,000.00; Inc., the sum of $2,000.00; County the William J. Holland and Emanuel Lutheran Church, Roberts County 4-H Weather Alyce I. Holland Foundation the sum of $2,000.00; Community Center (Building Breakfast has announced grants totaling Gethsemane Episcopal Fund), the sum of $2,500.00; Temperatures $43,360.00 for its 36th fiscal Church, the sum of $1,560.00; Roberts County 4-H, Precipitation in Arizona year ending April 30, 2019. Grace Lutheran Church Breeding Heifer Award, the The Roberts County The Board announced Foundation, the sum of sum of $50.00; Hi Lo Snow Wind Breakfast was held at 9:00 a.m. that 27 grants were made $2,000.00; South Dakota Community Jan 17 21 -10 1.9 35 on Friday, Jan. 17, 2020 at the RED Shirt by the Foundation totaling First Presbyterian Church, Foundation (VVCC), the sum Jan 18 21 -5 .6 35 Golden Corral in Mesa, AZ. $43,360.00. Eight religious the sum of $1,500.00; of $3,500.00; Jan 19 1 -7 T 22 After hearing the weather report Friday honors grants totaling $10,560.00, New Hope Free Lutheran Memorial Library, the sum Jan 20 11 -13 -- 16 for South Dakota, the group two charitable grants totaling Church, the sum of $250.00; of $500.00; Jan 21 28 10 -- 38 was glad to be in Arizona. deployed $4,000.00, two educational Christian Outreach Center, Sisseton Volunteer Fire Jan 22 37 18 -- 16 Those present for the military grants totaling $6,000.00 the sum of $250.00. Department, the sum of Jan 23 25 17 .5 15 Breakfast were Gene and and 15 civic grants totaling CHARITABLE $2,000.00. Wind is the peak for the day Martha Roth, Carol Jones, members $22,800.00 were made.