It’s a shame that everybody in America assumes that if you’re talking about class you are Marxist. It’s a shame that in these United States populism became a dirty word — shades of racism and authoritarianism. I wrote an essay a while back trying to unpack the ways that class dynamics entrench and deepen divides around race and gender.
It was based on my own personal, lived experience. And oh yeah, there was a song that went with it.
The personal is political. That’s an ethos underlying hip hop and also feminism. I remember the day I took my friend for a walk in Forest Park. I don’t know if he’d ever been out that way before, even though he grew up in Portland. We were recording video for a crowdfunding campaign we had planned. Don’t know whatever happened to that footage. It’s probably lost until the end of time.
I don’t know what your street name is by now. You went through at least three in the time that I knew you.
I don’t know how it was for all of y’all, but this is how it was for me.
THAT Summer. Portland, Oregon. First year of the Pandemic.
You know there’s something wrong with your living situation when you’ve had a Go Bag packed since May. And not in case of forest fires.
There were red flags much earlier. But I let my roommate stay on, because I didn’t think I could get through quarantine alone. For almost two months, he was the only person that I saw IRL, other than supermarket cashiers. We were close.
“She came from Greece she had a thirst for knowledge / She studied sculpture at Saint Martin’s College”
We watched movies together. He cooked for me.
We were friends. I thought.
I wanted to collaborate creatively. Specifically, I wanted to produce this parody radio play, “POORtland,” about being poor in Portland during the pandemic. I wrote the scripts for two six-minute episodes. The characters were diverse and multiracial. In retrospect the whole concept seems kind of hokey but at the time I thought it might bring people together and jolt middle-class listeners out of their bubble — give them greater empathy for people who’d just had the economic roof cave in on them.
I needed his sound editing skills to turn the scripts into something listenable. We recorded a run-through on my cell phone, but my friend lost interest when I wanted to bring in more voice actors than just the two of us. My Fred Armisen he was not.
That was all before George Floyd’s death. Poverty took a back seat to race then in the national dialogue, as maybe it should. It’s not for me to say.
This is not a victim narrative.
This is not a victim narrative because nothing particularly bad happened to me. Sure, I got groped. Yes, he had angry outbursts. Yes, I slept with my bedroom door locked every night. But I doubt I experienced anything worse during those first few months than your average day as a waitress at Hooter’s.
More to the point, I always had the option to leave. Not great options, sure. No health insurance on the East Coast and it would have been career suicide. But these are better choices than so many women have, who are in so much worse situations. Better choices than a shelter or a tent. There is no comparison.
“If you called your Dad he could stop it all, yeah / Never live like common people”
When it was clear that I wasn’t interested, something shifted between us. Quarantine had eased up by then. He stopped spending time at the apartment. He barely spoke to me. He paid a few hundred dollars each month to help cover expenses. It felt like a more typical roommate dynamic. Except I couldn’t get him to leave.
In the summer of 2020 in Portland calling the cops on a Black man was absolutely not an option. I wasn’t happy with the situation. I knew things would deteriorate when I started dating someone new. But until about a week ago, I didn’t have the cushion to cover staying at a hotel until it all got sorted out. So I smiled and made nice. I figured it was better to stay nominally friends and take his money than force a disruptive confrontation I could not win.
This is not a narrative to absolve or justify my actions.
I had always felt confident that he wouldn’t hit me or rape me. Until a certain Monday morning. He was mad because I went into his room after he left for work and stopped a video from rendering. I thought he just left Internet radio on. The sound was driving me nuts. In the past, this was the kind of conflict that would blow over, but not this time. Later that day, when he held the apartment door shut on me for several minutes so that I couldn’t get inside, the rules changed.
Luckily, no violence. I got a restraining order, but he left of his own accord before it was served. When we came back this Friday afternoon we had no idea what to expect. But he was gone, and he’d cleaned out his stuff. Took my HD video camera with him. As far as I am concerned, he is welcome to it.
Locks have been changed. Police never had to show.
A bunch of people have told me I don’t need to feel sorry for him but it’s not that simple. I caught him lying to me multiple times. I also know that he cared for me. I had Thanksgiving dinner at his mother’s house a year ago. He believed in my business and my artwork, at least early on. Not that many people did. He wanted to be a part of it.
I remember working on my spare laptop (the beat-up Chromebook, all covered with stickers) at a club in Buckman while his friends performed. I felt like Neo in the first scene of Matrix. Wherever we went, it seemed like he always knew some of the musicians performing. I am glad he is out of my life but truly sorry that it had to end this way.
I don’t think he wanted to live here past June or July. He just didn’t have a better option. That’s what poverty does. It erases freedom and control.
“You will never understand / How it feels to live your life / With no meaning or control / And with nowhere left to go”
He worked full time at UPS as a package handler. Made $15 an hour. Only job he could get with a high school diploma. It didn’t go far, and it was murder on his body. He put everything he had into his music and his films.
White guilt is toxic and embarrassing.
I don’t have a lot of it, because I’ve spent much of my life under the poverty line. To some extent that was by choice. When you don’t have children or other dependents, you can go out on a limb financially. You can follow your dreams. You can travel. You can try a new career and see what shakes out.
What’s that you say? Entitlement?
The nonprofit gig I have right now comes solely through a personal connection. The funny thing is, I didn’t meet my friend in boarding school or at my elite Northeastern liberal arts college. I met her at a party thrown by a friend I made at the People’s Pint in Greenfield, Massachusetts. He worked at the local food co-op, as did his roommate. He had a college diploma. His roommate was a high school dropout.
That was more than a decade ago. It sort of boggles the mind.
That town was super unusual because it was a place where you could make $11 an hour and sort of get by. A lot of serious money settled around the Pioneer Valley, precisely because it wasn’t the Hamptons or Northeast Harbor. They could blend. My joke was always that you could go to the local bar and have a millionaire sitting on one side of you and a bum on the other side, and not know which was which. That town was one of the least class-segregated places I have ever encountered. Bohemians ruled the roost. Very different from Boston, or for that matter Portland, Oregon.
I don’t know where my roommate is right now, but the ease with which he was able to move suggests that he will be ok. He was only spending about four nights a week at my place the last two months — wouldn’t tell me where he was the rest of the time.
As a white woman, it’s very hard to know how to engage in the battle for racial justice. We are told all the time that we need to be silent and fall back. That the most valuable contribution we can make is our financial support.
The only problem being, we make only $0.81 for every dollar a man makes. Kind of slims down the margin for altruism.
Over 170 years ago, Abraham Lincoln said the nation could not survive half slave and half free. I would paraphrase to say that our democracy cannot survive with 22 million Americans unemployed and sinking into poverty.
Not a winning ticket.
It feels pompous and callous to move from somebody else’s personal misfortune into pontificating about policy issues, but dammit, this is one of those times when the personal is political. If we’d had affordable housing in Portland, or universal basic income, or a better economic safety net, the situation between us never ever ever would have gotten this bad. We stayed in the red zone for months, because financially no one had a better option.
Power dynamics poison a relationship, each and every time.
Unless of course that’s what you’re into.
It’s weird to think no closure. That someone who was part of my life for most of the past two years is now gone forever. I wanted to stay friends. I wanted to find ways to work together. But short of me deciding I wanted to be with him despite the fits of possessive rage or him finding some other woman to focus his attentions on, it wasn’t going to happen.
Incredibly unlikely that you find this post.
If you do find your way here, I hope you’re doing ok. I hope that video camera serves you well.
Some regrets, but plenty of good times too.
Rose C.
Previously published on Medium on November 21, 2020
If someone you know comes to you and says they are thinking about suicide, don’t do nothing. They make take it as tacit endorsement of their plan.
If you are not comfortable talking to someone directly about the subject, get someone else involved. Refer them to a crisis hotline. Or just say, “I’m not equipped to handle this.”
Are you looking for ways to support a pregnant friend, spouse, or loved one during the coronavirus crisis? These nine resources from PDX Local can help you to be the friend, partner, spouse, or parent your loved one needs during this emotionally challenging — and potentially isolating — time in her life.
How to Support Your Expectant Loved One
Pregnancy isn’t easy in the midst of a pandemic, but there are things you can do to take some of the weight off your pregnant loved one’s shoulders.
First, take the time to understand what your pregnant loved one is going through. Many pregnant and postpartum women are feeling stressed, anxious, and socially isolated as they attempt to protect themselves and their babies from the coronavirus.
Provide your pregnant friend with the support she needs during the pandemic with these five tips from Thrive Global.
Plan a distanced baby shower for your mother-to-be. Several safe alternatives to in-person parties include drive-by baby showers, virtual events, and tailgate showers.
Gift Ideas for Pregnant Mothers
These resources will help you to give your expectant or postpartum loved one everything she needs to navigate pregnancy and motherhood.
Explore the 50 best gifts for pregnant and postpartum mothers, including memory books, holiday ornaments, and handprint photo frames.
Give mom-to-be the gift of a meal subscription box. Several options include Blue Apron, HelloFresh, and Martha and Marley Spoon.
Check out the PDX Local Wellness Gift Guide for more than 50 potential gift ideas that can be purchased now or in time for the holidays.
Tips to Save on Pregnancy Gifts
You don’t need to spend a fortune on pregnancy gifts to support an expectant loved one during the pandemic. These three resources can help you save on your purchases and make a few DIY gifts for your pregnant loved one.
Use deal websites to find savings on purchases from clothing retailers like Old Navy. You can find Old Navy cash back offers, promo codes, and coupons — helping you to save on maternity apparel for your pregnant loved one.
Make a DIY gift for your pregnant loved one. DIYS.com offers 20 do-it-yourself gift ideas for expectant mothers, including a two-seam maternity dress, pregnancy journal, brunch basket, and herbal foot soak.
Look for deals on baby essentials while shopping on Amazon.com, visiting thrift stores, or buying from Target.
While preparing for the arrival of a new baby is rarely simple, the pandemic has made pregnancy and childbirth even more difficult for many expectant and new mothers around the world. However, your support can make a world of difference as your loved one prepares for the birth of her new baby, and learns to navigate pregnancy in the midst of a pandemic.
Emily Graham is the creator of Mighty Moms. She believes being a mom is one of the hardest jobs around and wanted to create a support system for moms from all walks of life. On her site, she offers a wide range of info tailored for busy moms — from how to reduce stress to creative ways to spend time together as a family.
2023 is a work of fiction, set in a future Portland. All characters are composites. Any resemblance to real persons is purely coincidental.
Michelle decides to organize a resistance after her girlfriend Lauren is taken in the middle of the night by a sinister government organization known as the Sentinels. They both live in Portland.
Michelle is short with spiky hair, bleached blond at the tips. She has a quick temper and wishes people would take her more seriously. Her girlfriend is a few years older. Lauren is medium height, with shoulder-length light brown hair. She is the grown-up of the couple — has the car and the office job. The lease is in her name.
Lauren works for a nonprofit, and Michelle works for an unnamed coffee shop in a supermarket. Lauren’s only crime was going to one Antifa meeting and also participating in a bunch of marches, including Pride. Michelle feels mega guilt because she hid when the secret police came to their apartment, so she decides to organize a resistance to free her girlfriend.
The one other hacker Michelle knows in Portland won’t help her, so she writes her own game mod (for a first-person shooter, very primal and raw) as a recruiting tool. She attracts a fair number of followers, many of them ex-military. The kind of people who play paintball on the weekends. They decide to plan a raid.
They are successful at breaking into one of the three detention facilities at a camp outside Spokane and freeing prisoners, but it turns out not to be the one where Lauren is held. Michelle is even more guilt-ridden because the experienced soldiers would not let her lead the raid. They told her she was too green and also too valuable. She watches the action play out from a hilltop, with two guards for protection.
People died because of her. She has a movement on her hands and the Sentinels are on to her…
2023
Part One: “Taken”
I had insomnia that night. Got out of bed, left Lauren sleeping. Raided the fridge. Pistachios, gummy bears, and queso. Hit the boards, played the new Star Wars game past the point of idiocy, and was counting the hours until my shift began at the coffee shop when I heard a knock at the door.
No doorbell. Just loud, insistent knocking.
I checked my phone. It was 3:53 AM, exactly. That’s not a good time for anybody to be knocking at your door. Not that fall. I’d heard the rumors. I’d heard the stories.
I was going to run back to the bedroom and warn Lauren. I swear I was. But I just froze.
Then she came down the stairs, an angel in a blue bathrobe, and answered the door. WTF? Why would she do that?
And I am so ashamed of myself, but this is what I did. I hid.
Not any place fancy. We didn’t have any secret bunker. No safe rooms or go boxes. It was a $1200 / month Victorian walk-up off Alberta. I hid in the coat closet. Shut the door behind me so fast. Would they hear the sound? There I was, trying to breathe through Polartec and GoreTex, while they took my baby away.
I couldn’t see at all. Even the words were muffled.
They asked her name. They asked her for identification. I remember her saying:
“Why are you taking my picture?” “Why won’t you read me my rights?” “Am I under arrest?”
They never identified themselves. Never said what agency or branch of government they were with. They wouldn’t answer her questions directly. They never asked about me. Queer invisibility is worth something, I guess.
They just said, “Come with us, ma’am. And there won’t be any trouble.”
Ma’am! Lauren is 27. She went quietly, I guess. I didn’t hear much of a struggle.
The last words I heard her say were, “I want to speak with my lawyer.”
A muffled shout. Feet shuffled out, and then the front door slammed.
I was shaking. My heart was racing. I could barely breathe I was so scared. I was crying and I think I thew up a little bit in my mouth but I was trying my best not to make any sound. I had my phone with me the whole time but I was too scared to use it. I mean, what if they could track that? I stayed inside that closet until I could see gray daylight filtering through the crack at the top of the closet door.
The apartment was empty. Lauren’s unmade bed. Her work clothes set out neatly for the next day. Jeans, black velvet top, brown ankle boots. Her lunch in the refrigerator. Her car in the driveway.
I felt so guilty, and so sad.
I wished I’d had a gun. I would have used it. Wouldn’t have made any difference in the long run, but we could have made it to the getaway car, gone out like Thelma and Louise, in a blaze of glory.
I wished I’d just fucking gotten myself together and run up those stairs to warn her in time. Maybe we both could have hid. Maybe it would have been better if they’d taken us both.
I didn’t want to go home. Fuck, maybe they were waiting for me too.
Shit.
I had to tell her family.
Her mom. Her brothers.
But the only way I knew to reach them was Facebook. And that was a no-no. Just trust me on that one!
Did she have an address book hidden away somewhere? We’d only been going out seven months. Would I know if she had a written record of her contacts, apart from her phone? I started to look, rifle through drawers and bookshelves like the Sentinels hadn’t even bothered to, but then I realized it was all just fucking pointless.
They were coming for all of us, or they weren’t.
They had the power. They had the data. They had the money and the numbers. This wasn’t one of my games. There was no Rebel Alliance. I was on my own. Dragging anybody else in was too dangerous.
So I did what I had to do. I locked up, grabbed my bike from outside, and went to work.
Made it there on-time, with seconds to spare. I don’t know what it says about me that no one much noticed that anything was wrong. It’s true I was insomniac and/or hung over and/or stoned a good 70% of the time. How much effort does it really take to press a button that says “Espresso”? I never tried to make the little hearts with cappucinno foam. Mine always came out wobbly, or demented, or both.
And it’s so funny, nobody at work even noticed anything was wrong.
There was no, “Michelle, are you ok?” “Michelle, you look kind of out of sorts?” “Michelle, are you feeling all right?”
We all just went along our way. Happy robots as usual.
I could only think of one person to call.
I had to think really hard about this. I didn’t want to get anyone else involved. I had an inkling of where this was going. And the outlook didn’t look good for anyone.
Plus Michael’s girlfriend was always really, really jealous! Even though I was a dyke, with really short and spiky hair, and like 10 years younger than both of them. She hated my guts.
#cisgirls #whatever #workonyourownissues Except they never do that. They just pop out kids and pass on their insecurities to the next generation. I watch that slow-motion train wreck every day of my life.
So I pulled up Signal on my phone when no one was looking.
> What are you doing after work today?
We made plans to meet at the Bye & Bye, at 5 PM. At least Happy Hour wasn’t illegal yet.
No cocktails for me that night. Kind of wanted a beer to steady my nerves, but then I was like, what if the Sentinels came at that very moment and I had to snake my bike through traffic in the wrong direction (no helmet) and onto side streets to lose them? No way was I taking that chance.
We sat down. Michael got some bowl with rice and avocadoes. I had french fries. Lauren’s last lunch (untouched) had been dolmeh, hummus, and carrot sticks. In honor of her, I was thinking of turning vegan.
“They took her,” I told him.
“What?”
“The Sentinels took Lauren, in the middle of the night.”
“No fucking way!!! You’re shitting me.” Michael was incredulous.
“I wish I was. I was hiding in the coat closet. I didn’t see it, but I heard the whole thing.”
Michael lowered his voice. “Was Lauren into anything, you know, radical?”
I laughed and shook my head. “She went to an Antifa meeting once. And she marched in, I guess, six or seven protests. Climate change. Women’s equality. And of course, Pride.”
I gave him a long stare.
Michael backed up pretty quickly. “I didn’t mean to imply anything. It’s more just like…”
“You wanted to know, was she cooking up bombs in the pantry?”
“Pantry?”
“We–she–has–had a really nice pantry. And honestly, it would be really more my style to build a bomb. And think about what room of the house would be best for bomb making.”
“Uh huh?” Michael asked quietly.
“But I haven’t done that either! Puh…leaze. I don’t even visit your warez server.”
Michael broke in. “Michelle, this is serious. Are you sure this is the best place to talk about it?”
We’d all had the paranoia discussion, so many times online. In a sense we believed in it, but none of it seemed remotely real. All the ways *they* could be listening: the microphones on cell phones, video cameras on monitors, smart TV’s. I never “X’d” out the cameras on my monitor with tape. But that was because all I had in the way of hardware was a beat-up Sony Vaio laptop. And my phone. And the Xbox I bought Lauren. (That was a bowling ball named “Homer,” if ever there was one.)
“Can you think of a better place?” I replied.
“Fair enough.”
Michael sipped his beer, and paused before speaking again.
“So you think they were Sentinels?”
“I do. I didn’t see them, but it’s how they operate.”
“Michelle, how much do you know about the Sentinels?” he asked me.
“I know they were created after the quote-unquote Terrorist Dirty Bomb Attack of 2021. Created the very next day. And they aren’t answerable to anyone except the Oval Office.”
“Rump and Pants. Our President and Vice President.”
“Yes, them.”
“Their raids are nearly always in the middle of the night, and they target U.S. citizens suspected of quote-unquote terrorist activity,” Michael intoned, then stopped himself. “Am I mansplaining?”
“No, I’m interested. Keep talking.”
Michael continued. “What is interesting is that the Sentinels have no ties whatsoever to the criminal justice system. They do not charge individuals with a crime. They simple seize them and hold them.”
“America’s home-grown Gestapo,” I chimed in.
“I’m afraid you’re right. Nobody knows who they are. Nobody even knows what their budget is, or how many of them there are,” he said.
“What I want to know is where they took her,” I told him. “So I can break her out.”
“Michelle…”
“Don’t try to talk me out of this.”
“Ok, then. How are you going to do it?”
“I don’t know yet. But there’s got to be a way.”
“Michelle, these facilities are heavily guarded…”
“No system is uncrackable. How many discussions have we had about that?”
Michael looked flummoxed. “Sure, in theory. But do you know what the consequences would be if you got caught?”
“Do you know what the consequences were for Lauren? Who had done absolutely nothing?” I whispered in a hoarse stage whisper, since I couldn’t shout in the crowded bar. “Sooner or later they’re coming for all of us.”
Michael was shaking his head.
And this was where I lost my cool, I admit it. “Look Michael, I know you’ve got a good job. I know you’ve got a lot to lose. I know you’re a straight white male. But you’re not immune.”
Michael got really defensive, then. “Don’t play that victim card on me! You could get a job as a programmer too. You have the chops. I’ve seen your code. Just go back to school.”
“This isn’t about that, Michael. You are acting like we’re still living in 2019. We’re not. This is the new world. Nobody is safe.”
Michael’s face just froze up. He wouldn’t talk to me. At the Bye & Bye you pay at the counter, but I saw him glancing around as if maybe a waiter could rescue him.
“I’m sorry, Michelle. I don’t know what you’re looking for. But I can’t help you.”
I stared at him, incredulous.
“Look, Michelle. You should be more careful. Just try not to attract attention. You’ll be fine.”
“But. What. About. Lauren?”
Michael was talking faster now. I could tell he was nervous. “And you know, really do think about a coding bootcamp. You’re a very bright young woman! I hear there are some where you don’t even have to pay anything up front. They just take 30% of your salary until the tuition is paid off.”
Now was my moment to get up and push my half-empty water glass and plate of cold fries away.
“Michael. Don’t give me advice.”
And then I made my daring getaway by bike. I really did weave in and out of traffic, and get honked at twice, but it was mostly because I couldn’t see through the tears. The only person I had trusted to help had just let me down.
To get further chapters and story updates from 2023, join our mailing list here.
I wrote this story at the end of March. Feeling a little bit alarmed that two months later, parts of this nightmare vision appear to be coming true. Ted Wheeler needs to do more to address the looming crisis of poverty and houselessness in this city. A night or two of curfew is not enough. The specter of riots and looting isn’t going anywhere, any time soon.
Imagining July 2020
by Rose C.
Successive waves of closures and reopenings have failed to stop the spread of Coronavirus, but left massive social and economic dislocation in their wake. Area hospitals have tents pitched around them, with patients being treated outside in cots. People are still lining up to get in. Grocery stores operate with armed guards outside the doors, due to periodic flare-ups of looting. Almost every other business is closed.
The National Guard has been called in to maintain order because local law enforcement is overwhelmed. A strict curfew is in place. Houseless people are being arrested and jailed. As a direct consequence, a large tent city of houseless people has grown up inside Forest Park. They are not bad people or criminals. They just don’t have anywhere else to go. Somebody has a weenie roast over a campfire. Sparks fly.
Soon all of Forest Park is in flames. The people camped there perish.
The sky darkens. The air is full of ash. Healthy people and sick people alike are choking, unable to breathe. Death rates skyrocket. The city will never be the same.
How can we avoid this fate? Very simple. Mayor Ted Wheeler needs to raise taxes and institute an emergency fund to house people and restore order. This special organization should have a different jurisdiction and coordinate closely with Multnomah County government. Distrust of the police is at an all-time high right now, but that doesn’t change the importance of the city delivering social services. It only increases the urgency.
We also need to ensure a better mechanism so that houseless / homeless people are able to vote in the fall elections.
As of a Portland, Oregon resident and taxpayer, I would gladly pay more taxes to keep my city safe in a time of need.
Suicide touches all ages and incomes; all racial, ethnic, and religious groups; and in all parts of the country. It is a leading cause of death in the US.
As self-inflicted injuries increase so does the need to prepare for encountering someone who has attempted suicide. As a first-aid provider, you have a vital role in addressing immediate medical needs. You can also provide clarity and support to the victim and other people at the scene.
In 2017, guns were the most common method of death by suicide, accounting for a little more than half of all suicide deaths. The next most common methods were suffocation at 27.72 percent, and poisoning at 13.89 percent.
The following first-aid recommendations are for each of the most common methods of attempted suicide. Each case is unique, and it is essential to tailor your care and support to that person’s needs.
Above all ensure the safety of everyone present and address any serious medical needs first.
A self-inflicted gunshot wound (SIGW)—or any gunshot wound—to the head is correlated with severe disability and a high mortality rate. There is a greater chance of death caused by SIGWs compared to victims injured by gunshot wounds that are delivered in an assault or by accident.
Head trauma from a gunshot wound is fatal in about 90 percent of cases, with many victims dying prior to arriving at the hospital.
About 50 percent of the victims that survive the initial trauma die in the emergency department.
Head trauma from a gunshot wound is the cause of approximately 35 percent of deaths attributed to traumatic brain injury.
Although the head is the most commonly injured body region during a suicide attempt, the following is a general guideline for how to approach a gunshot wound on any area of the body.
Ensure your safety. Ensure the scene is safe and immediately call or have someone else call 9-1-1 or emergency medical services.
Locate the source of the bleeding. Attempt to open or remove the clothing over the wound so you can see it—this will allow you to see injuries that may have been covered or hidden.
Stop the bleeding. Pressure to stop the bleeding is the most critical intervention. If the victim has blood that is coming out of a hole, put steady pressure on it with both hands by pushing down as hard as you can.
Use a dressing (towels, shirts, gauze, etc.). Dressings will help seal the wound and aid in clotting.
Elevate the extremity. If the gunshot wound is above the waist do not elevate the legs to treat for shock (unless the injury is in the arm). Gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen will bleed more rapidly if the legs are elevated, thus making it more difficult for the individual to breathe.
If you can, use a tourniquet.Tourniquets will only work on arm and leg injuries. Using them correctly takes practice, and they should only be used if the bleeding cannot be stopped when direct pressure and elevation are applied immediately and simultaneously or if there is a reason why direct pressure cannot be maintained.
Gunshot wounds to the chest may be sealed with a type of plastic to keep air from being sucked into the wound—this can help prevent a collapsed lung. Remove the seal if shortness of breath worsens after sealing the wound.
Chest compressions in a cardiac arrest caused by hemorrhagic shock from severe blood loss may worsen the situation.
First Aid for Hanging or Suffocation
Self-administered and assisted suicides by asphyxiation—the process of being deprived of oxygen resulting in unconsciousness or death—can be done by several methods. The use of a plastic bag, or suicide bag, is often in conjunction with a flow of an inert gas like nitrogen or helium.
Suicides using a plastic bag with helium were first recorded in the 90s. Since the 2000s, guides on how to use this method have spread on the internet, in print, and on video; and the frequency of suicides by this technique has increased.
Asphyxiation is also present in hanging and strangling. Both hanging and strangling can obstruct blood flow to and from the brain as well as block air flow to and from the lungs.
How to Recognize Suffocation
A constricting article is around the neck
Marks around the victim’s neck where a constriction was removed
Impaired consciousness or unconscious
Grey-blue skin (cyanosis)
Uneven breathing
Prominent veins and congestion of the face
Petechiae – tiny red spots on the face or the whites of the eyes
What to Do in the Case of Suffocation
Make sure the scene is safe, and immediately remove any constriction from around the victim’s neck; support the body if it is still hanging.
Call or have someone else call 9-1-1 or emergency services.
Lay the victim on the floor. In the case of spinal injury, don’t move the victim unnecessarily.
Check for breathing and pulse; If not breathing begin CPR.
If breathing, place in the recovery position and monitor until emergency responders arrive.
Don’t interfere with or destroy any material, such as a knotted rope, that police may need as evidence.
First Aid for Overdose or Poisoning
Poisoning is due to swallowing, inhaling, touching, or injecting various chemicals, drugs, gases, or venoms. Both suicide and unintentional drug overdoses kill adults at twice the rate today as they did two decades ago, and opioids are a key contributor to this rise. The following focuses on the use of drugs as a means of attempting suicide.
When a drug overdose is suspected, you may not know what drug the person was taking. Often, an overdose victim will either be unconscious or not fully conscious of their surroundings. Because of this, it is imperative to recognize the general signs of a drug overdose and what to do for first aid in the majority of situations.
How to Recognize an Overdose
Unusual sleepiness or unresponsiveness
Confusion, disorientation, or hallucination
Slow, shallow, irregular, or absent breathing
Bradycardia (slow heartbeat) or hypotension (low blood pressure)
Cold and clammy skin
Constricted pupils (small or pinpoint pupils)
Cyanotic (nails and lips are blue)
Mood changes, including aggression, agitation, anxiety, or depression
Abdominal pain or vomiting
Loss of coordination or motor control
Do’s for Drug Overdoses
Make sure the scene is safe, and check alertness. Comfort them if they are awake. If they are unconscious, turn them on their side to prevent aspiration (choking on their vomit).
Call 9-1-1 or emergency medical services. Call, or have someone else call, even if the person seems not to be experiencing overdose symptoms; never wait to see if the overdose will wear off. Some effects of an overdose don’t present themselves right away.
Check for breathing and pulse; If not breathing begin CPR.
Remove unnecessary clothing if the situation allows. Some drugs cause the patient to quickly overheat.
Find details to aid with treatment. Knowing what drug was taken, how much, when, and by what method is important. If the victim is not awake, look for containers, needles, syringes, and other items.
Don’ts for Drug Overdoses
Don’t put the person in the shower. Even if the victim seems okay, a large temperature change could put them in shock.
Don’t let the person sleep. Someone who overdosed may pass out, and you will not be able to stop them; however, trying to keep them awake makes it easier to monitor their condition.
Don’t attempt to make them throw up if they took the drugs orally. This can increase the chance of aspiration.
Don’t wait for the drug to wear off. Call for emergency medical services immediately.
Don’t try to feed the victim. Some foods can have adverse effects.
Don’t leave the victim alone. Stay with them, monitor their condition, and provide help as needed.
Don’t try to reason with or restrain a violent person or put yourself in an unsafe position.
First Aid for Known Opioid Overdose
Examples of opioids include morphine, codeine, oxycodone, oxycodone with acetaminophen, and hydrocodone with acetaminophen. Because opioids affect the part of the brain that controls breathing, too high of opioid levels in the blood can slow breathing down to dangerous levels, which could cause death.
For victims with a suspected or known opioid overdose who have a definite pulse but no normal breathing or only gasping (respiratory arrest) in addition to providing standard care, it is reasonable for trained rescuers—this includes first aid providers, non-healthcare providers, or BLS providers—to administer Narcan® (naloxone) intramuscularly or intranasally to victims with an opioid-associated respiratory emergency.
Victims with no definite pulse may be in cardiac arrest or they may have an undetected slow or weak pulse. These cases should be managed as a cardiac arrest victim.
Standard resuscitation should take priority over the administration of naloxone, with a focus on high-quality CPR. It may be reasonable to administer naloxone—especially when an opioid overdose is suspected—based on the possibility that the victim is in respiratory arrest, not cardiac.
Assess and activate. Check for unresponsiveness and call for nearby help. Send someone to call 9-1-1 and get AED and naloxone. Observe for breathing versus no breathing or only gasping.
Begin CPR. If the victim is unresponsive with no breathing or only gasping, begin CPR (CPR technique based on the rescuer’s level of training). If alone, perform CPR for about 2 minutes before leaving to phone 9-1-1 and get naloxone and an AED.
Administer naloxone. Give naloxone as soon as it is available. 2 mg intranasal or 0.4 mg intramuscular. May repeat after 4 minutes.
Does the person respond? If yes, stimulate and reassess. Continue to check responsiveness and breathing until advanced help arrives. If the person stops responding, begin CPR and repeat naloxone. If no response, continue CPR and use an AED as soon as it is available. Continue until the person responds or until advanced help arrives.
First Aid for Self-Harm or Self-Cutting
Because self-harm, also known as self-injury or self-cutting, involves physical injury, it can seem like self-harm and suicide are directly related. For example, it is common to think that cutting one’s wrist may be a suicidal gesture indicating that the person wishes to slit their wrists to die.
Self-injury can indicate a number of different things. Many people who practice self-injury may not intend to kill themselves and may even see self-harm as a way of avoiding suicide. It is crucial to note that with the pattern of self-injury occurring over weeks, months, or years, the person may be at risk for suicide.
Here’s what you should do if you a self-harm situation presents to you:
Make sure the scene is safe, and assess and activate. Assess the victim’s responsiveness. Call or have someone else call 9-1-1 or emergency services.
Locate and control the bleed. Arterial blood is bright red and spurts or sprays from the wound. If the blood is darker in color and easier to control, it means that the veins have been cut, and the artery was missed.
Apply direct, firm pressure. Apply a towel or dressing directly to the wound.
Elevate. Position the wounded limb in a position where it’s above the victim’s heart.
Occlude or pinch an artery above the injury. If possible apply pressure to an artery to halt the blood supply to that limb. If the bleeding does not stop after direct pressure, a tourniquet may be needed.
Assuming the bleeding has stopped, continue to assess the victim—circulation, airway, and breathing. Follow the Basic Life Support (BLS) Algorithm.
If You Know Someone in Crisis:
Call the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL) at 1–800–273–TALK (8255), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The service is available to everyone. The deaf and hard of hearing can contact the Lifeline via TTY at 1–800–799–4889. All calls are confidential.
Washington State Crime Victim Service Center Hotline: 888.288.9221
Contact social media outlets directly if you are concerned about a friend’s social media updates or dial 911 in an emergency.
Learn more on the NSPL’s website. The Crisis Text Line is another resource available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Text “HOME” to 741741.
We’re already socially distant. The pandemic is reaction to the systemic distortion of academics. 5G is radioactive pollution while the body succumbs to inner confusion designed and spread by mass media controlled execution. Mistrust is a must in a world built on ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The meek won’t inherit the earth as stock markets crash and cryptocurrency gains its worth. All in all as hysteria rises the unseen government builds firewalls to prevent a scenario that ends in total recall and catastrophic downfall. The love frequency has been corrupted by mental meltdown and deviant delinquency. Stay aware and resilient, maintain your militant stance, we’ve been infiltrated by reptilians. Tomorrow never knows but today the heat signature in the atmosphere grows causing an unprecedented increase in the force of tidal flows. We must dwell and excel together as we have crossed the threshold into the new forever.
In the time of COVID-19, we need access to quality therapists, coaches, and specialists now more than ever. PDX Local has assembled a guide of Portland area service providers for mental health and holistic/physical health offering consultations by video and phone. If you have additional practitioners you would like to suggest, please contact us.
Abri Radically Open DBT. Abri, based in Portland, Oregon, is one of the first psychotherapy clinics worldwide to specialize solely in Radically Open DBT for disorders of over-control. Both LiLin and Kirsten are on the RO DBT Senior Clinician team and are approved RO DBT trainers. They are enthusiastic practitioners of RO DBT, stay current with the research and have an active consultation team with other senior clinicians in the Northwest. Their mission is to provide excellent full-fidelity treatment in a lovely and inviting setting. (503) 386-1515
Connective Therapy Collective. Committed to intersectional, trauma-informed,
pleasure-centered clinical work in sex and gender. (971) 361-8303
The Counseling Umbrella. We are a mental health counseling private practice, committed to helping clients & our community engage around mental health issues. Masters in Professional Mental Health Counseling, Social Work. (503) 473-1600
Emerging Path Counseling, LLC. Mental Health counseling, general practice as well as specializing in trauma and anxiety. Stephanie Garneaux is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor III, and a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. She has worked in behavioral health for over 10 years, and as a Qualified Mental Health Professional since 2014. Stephanie has a Masters Degree in Community Mental Health Counseling. (971) 291-0579
Family Roots Therapy. Family Roots Therapy is a counseling practice in Portland, Oregon focused specifically on the unique mental health needs of new parents and young children. (503) 746-3373
Kirgin Consulting. I am a Jungian psychologist and business/leadership consultant. I am working virtually with individuals, couples, leaders at this time. Contact Online
Marchick Counseling and Consulting. My philosophy is that in every stage in life there is an opportunity for personal growth and acceptance of self. Together we will evaluate the options available to you, discuss how to navigate family dynamics, create appropriate plans and strategies, and learn about self-care. Exploring and establishing healthy habits can help one find balance and feel success. (503) 683-3179
MindTree. I am a licensed child and family therapist primarily working with children ( 4 plus) and women. Currently offer virtual sessions! (503) 766-4895
Rachael A Ringwood. Specializes in mood disorders such as depression, anxiety and bipolar conditions. (385) 203-7622
Root and Bloom Counseling. Specializing in Holistic, Inclusive Pregnancy and Postpartum Counseling, Including Depression, Anxiety, Traumatic Births, Grief, and Loss. (503) 905-9839
Sarah Hart, Psychotherapy. My approach is dynamic & collaborative. I work from a culturally-informed, inclusive model & incorporate all aspects of an individual’s identity/experiences into treatment. My specialties include anxiety, depression, identity, Autism & relationships. (503) 967-9767
Urban Counseling Collective. We are open to new telehealth intakes for anyone that is wanting to begin psychological services or anyone needing additional support during this time of social distancing. 503-610-2044
Veronica Wilson. Therapist in Portland currently open to new clients for remote/teletherapy. I am inclusive and welcoming, and specialize in body image, health, wellness and weight loss. 503-765-7177
Coaches
Alignment and Alchemy. Hi, I’m Sarah, and I help women reconnect with their authentic selves and achieve greater health and happiness through movement, mindfulness, and mindset. Contact online
Apothic Energy. Working from a place of love and genuine desire for all to have well being, Apothic Energy utilizes old and new energy medicine techniques to bring people into a true sense of health. Contact online
Alyssa Rose Healing Arts. My focus and passion rests with end of life care and working with grief. I find Craniosacral Therapy and unwinding to be extremely beneficial for people at this stage of life, and love this work. I also practice massage (relaxation, wellness, MVA’s, myofascial, and deep tissue). (503) 345-0530
Beatriz Reyna. Inner child work/shadow work/journeys into your inner world.
Beloved Coaching. I am a Sex and Intimacy Coach who has completed Advanced Training in the Somatica® Method. My heart’s work is to help people explore, deshamify, and celebrate their unique sexual selves. (971) 238-8131
Coach Woida. Certified life coach specializing in mental health, building confidence and emotional intelligence. (802) 498-5062
The Courage Practice. The Courage Practice is offering FREE intuitive 1:1 coaching sessions via Zoom throughout April. Please share the love with someone you love. We are here for you and your community, friends. Contact online
Grief Warrior. I hope to soften the armor of grief by validating the pain and witnessing the emotion. Together, let’s make sure that the grieving know they are not alone. (800) 901-4617
Grounded Alignment. The Grounded Alignment work incorporates tools and practices from several disciplines, including guided breathing/visualization exercises, writing and daily practices. Contact online
Enhance Your Life. I work with heart-centered healers & women in business to create their ideal life. With over 30 years experience, Jan is a Transformational Coach, whose background includes: Tapping Into Wealth coach program, Naturopathic Physician (ret) instructor/speaker, hypnotherapist, and behavior therapy. (503) 593-3360
Inner Skye Counseling. Our inner world is multi-faceted, like the terrain of the Sky(e). I am honored and inspired to join you in navigating your inner landscapes. Now offering telehealth therapy sessions. (971) 361-8861
MCHealth Life Coach. I have a private Health & Life Coach practice where I specialize in transformational habit change, being an advocate for living healthy, and an accountability partner to keep you striving to reach your ultimate goals. Contact online
The Nature In You. Katrina Nilsson-Gorman, is a certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide and Intuitive Healer. She holds certifications with The Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, the Tree of Totems Spiritual Wilderness School as an Ayu-Shamanic Practitioner, and a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Puget Sound in Music and English. (970) 556-4562
Nurture Life Coaching. Certified Life Coach & Licensed Massage Therapist, Focusing on Women and LGTBQ Individuals. Cultivating your inner clarity for positive change. (503) 473-4754
Rachel Li Coach. Rachel works with leaders to offer soulful solutions to the disquiet spoiling the workplace. If you are tired from too much screen staring and from having partially present dialogues come recharge with some deep healing. Contact online
Soul Talk Coaching. Phone support for LGBTQIA + Individuals, couples, and families, help with anxiety, depression, dating, relationships, family, career, financial worries, spiritual growth, and much more. Contact online
Stella Harris. Stella Harris is a certified intimacy educator, coach, and mediator, who uses a variety of tools to guide and empower her clients and she teaches everything from pleasure anatomy, to communication skills, to kink and BDSM. Stella has appeared at conferences across the US and Canada, and regularly provides workshops and guest lectures to colleges and universities. Stella’s writing has appeared widely, including a weekly sex advice column in her local paper. Highlights of her media appearances include speaking as an expert on Banana Slug sex and appearing on the evening news discussing the importance of sex education in schools. Stella is the author of two books, Tongue Tied: Untangling Communication in Sex, Kink, and Relationships, and The Ultimate Guide to Threesomes. (503) 568-1275
The Vital Spirit. I am an empath, spiritual teacher, and intuitive healer living in Portland, Oregon. I created The Vital Spirit to be an instrument in the ongoing shift in human consciousness. I serve empaths and lightworkers through intuitive energy alignment and strategic business consulting. I align my clients with their true nature and their spirit-led businesses. (503) 784-3119
Sophia Treyger. Sophia is a Relationship & Intimacy Coach, and owner of Radical Pleasurist, teaching the global community how to have meaningful and deeply connected relationships through embodiment, courageous communication, and the creation of genuine agreements without needing to be a people-pleaser. Radical Pleasurist shifts people from pleaser to pleasure. Contact Online
Other Providers
Arbor Vitae. Massage & Somatic Therapies for every body, mind and spirit. Tap into the root of health at ARBOR VITAE. (503) 367-7659
Aurora Remember. My mission is to help Highly Excitable people use their fire without getting burned by connecting with their powers, balance their energy and feel a sense of accomplishment in their life. Contact Online
The Brain Breakthrough. Unlocking Your Brain’s Potential! Breakthrough anxiety, trauma, reading struggles, and concussions! (971) 231-5214
The Bodhi Tree. Dr. Sage Dillon The Bodhi Tree offering exercise, rehab, nutritional counseling, exams for new or old musculoskeletal injuries and referrals to imaging. I am also able to answer questions if somenone is unclear if they need to go to ED. Insurance is accepted for telehealth if you are in OR. (503) 331-1800
Dovetail College Counseling. Amy Romm Lockard is a dedicated college admissions expert and founder of Dovetail College Consulting. M.S.Ed. (609) 706-6492
Flying Squirrel Consulting Partners, LLC. I am offering discounted virtual business coaching: survival and recovery strategy. Flying Squirrel provides flexible support services for motivated business owners who are seeking mentoring, coaching, & experienced perspective. (503) 926-3601
Ikigai Wellness. Walking along in your journey of life, you’ve come across physical trauma, difficulties and stressors that have affected you in many ways. Your health is the foundation you walk on, a wholistic environment comprised of your physical, mental-emotional and spiritual well-being. My purpose is to assist you with reducing your pain naturally, finding your balance and returning to the activities you love. (503) 308-8676
Kirin Bhatti. Earth-Based Healing+Strategy Guided By The Rhythms Of The Seasons And Our Bodies. For The Change-Makers, Leaders And Healers Who Are Hungry To Resurrect Ancient Blueprints On How To Lead And Live Naturally. Email
New // Narratives. Robin Carlisle is a Multidisciplinary Healing Arts Practitioner, working with a wide range of therapeutic modalities from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Mindfulness, as well as variety of Somatic practices. (503) 457-2749
Tara Jade Nichols. Star Alchemy ~ a seemingly magical process of turning one’s life into gold. Astrology readings allow for discovery of your Soul’s contract, blessings, and challenges. This insight can lead to significant personal growth. Contact online
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to give health or fitness advice. Exercise at your own risk. Consult your doctor or another health professional if you are unsure whether a service or form of therapy is safe for you to use. All opinions expressed are those solely of the PDX Local blog, and do not represent its sponsors, affiliates, or guest contributors. No paid advertising or paid endorsements have been provided for the products featured above. The reviewer makes no claims regarding the efficacy, workmanship, utility, or safety of any of the products listed above.
Who is Molly Muriel? What inspired you to choose that name?
The name Molly Muriel was inspired by my dog. That was her name, and she was my biggest inspiration when I started this company. She was just a pup back in 2002, and sadly left this Earth last year, at almost 16 years of age. So she had a very long and happy life. Her legacy lives on with this business, and she is still a great inspiration.
I read your story on the website. Can you tell us more about the journey from a candle making class to your own line of vegan soaps, balms, and cosmetics?
After spending a good year trying every kind of candle I could find info on, I wanted to branch out. I’m not sure why soap was my goal, but I quickly dove in and tried my first batch. Back then there wasn’t so much information online like we can find now, so I was reading books on fixed oils, fragrances, colorants, and pretty much tried them all. I truly feel that not being able to access so many recipes and info gave me a huge advantage of completely understanding the process of formulation and saponification from the ground up. Through many mistakes and troubleshooting came the beginnings of the product line that exists today.
What does being vegan mean to you? Do you personally practice a vegan lifestyle?
I’m not one to love labels, i.e. vegan, vegetarian, etc. I live my life more from a conscientious standpoint. I’m a clean eater, avoiding processed and chemical derived foods. As for environment, I try to avoid plastic when possible, and use as many recycled goods as possible. Veganism is such an individual thing and can mean different things to many people. Being a lover of animals, I do what I can to respect them in all of my life choices, including the food I eat, the clothes I choose to wear, and the goods I purchase.
What goes into your testing and product development process?
My process begins with research and development. I do a lot of investigation on ingredients I want to implement. I read about their nourishing attributes, as well as potential allergens or irritants. I also dive deep into sourcing to make sure that the ingredient that reaches me is the best quality. As for testing, my friends and family are usually my best test subjects. They give me honest feedback about scent, function, reactions, or anything else that may pertain. I’m so thankful to be surrounded by great people who will take the time to try some of my creations.
What are some of the challenges of marketing, manufacturing, and distributing an independent, plant-based brand in a crowded global marketplace?
Marketing is a huge part of business, it has the largest impact on getting my brand out there. It also happens to be my least favorite part of running a small business. But I’ve found that it’s very necessary to have a great marketing strategy or you won’t get the information about your products to the people that are looking for it. I’ve done everything from trade shows and cold calling to emailing and visiting potential stores in person to try to connect. It’s a lot of work, but can also be very rewarding. Manufacturing can be challenging as well, as I’ve gotten to points where I’ve had to purchase ingredients in larger quantities and make bigger batches, there’s always a learning curve with each step forward. I still go through that now, 16 years in! As for distribution, I’ve realized that my industry, natural beauty/body care, has been on the rise and will just keep going, so I don’t try to compete with large companies. I have a vey different product that will appeal to those folks that seek natural and healthy lifestyles. I do what I can and figure that beyond that the products will speak for themselves, and so far they have.
What are some gifts you would recommend for vegans? (These can be from your store, but they don’t have to be.)
Of course I would suggest anything from my product line. However, one of our lines stands out for vegans. It can be very difficult to find vegan lip balm, most is made with bees wax. We use candelilla wax and floral wax instead, which is so very nourishing to chronically chapped lips. My favorite is the lavender mint. Outside of my product line, I really love Queen Bee products using vinyl instead of leather. They also have a 25% discount buy-back program that rocks! Also, a gift certificate to Blossoming Lotus or Sweetpea Baking Company would be excellent, two of my favorites! Yum!!
What is the most popular item / product among your customers?
Our bar soaps have always been great sellers, specifically the Volcanic Bliss bar. I can’t seem to keep that one in stock. During the winter months we sell a lot of candles, the Spice It Up being a big hit, it has cinnamon and clove essential oils and is warm and spicy during those winter months.
This isn’t a question but I have to say that as someone with perennially chapped lips, your lip balm is truly the best thing I have ever tried. Better than all the national brands. Thank you.
Founder Branda Tiffany
Well, thank you! I find the same thing to be true. I had chronically chapped lips for years and did research to formulate this product for myself. The mimosa floral wax I use helps not only to heal tissue, but is a great protectant against the elements. I’m sure that’s why it has been so great for me 🙂 I’m so glad that you’re experiencing the same thing!!
You’ve been in business since 2002. Any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
I would say, put your focus on feeding your soul before your bank account, and this can be a very sustainable venture for you in the long run. Of course we have to be practical, but true happiness comes from choosing to do something that we love and the money will follow. Don’t give up, just keep your eyes and ears open, and listen to others’ advice, whether you take it or not. One of the worst things we can do is to be stubborn and let our ego get in our way. If we move that aside we can be very successful in all the ways that matter.
Have a local business, artist, or service provider that you love? Let us know.
Advertising
We do not accept advertising. All stories, interviews, and blog posts in PDX Local are by invitation only.
Donate
PDX Local is an all volunteer organization dedicated to helping get the word out about important community resources. We celebrate resilience and coexistence. Learn more.
What goes into your testing and product development process?
