9781422270578

None of his receivers was open, so Tyler took off running. Tyler successfully evaded every tackler but one at the very end. With the grace of a gazelle, he leaped in the air over the defender. As he spun, he crossed the end zone and landed, hard, on his feet. His right ankle cracked in over a dozen places, and he fell to the ground, screaming in agony. The game was over, and his team had won. But Tyler’s future was in jeopardy because of his last-minute heroics. Emergency surgery saved his ankle, as the doctors were able to ensure that the bones would set and heal properly. However, Tyler was in a lot of pain, more than he’d ever felt in his life. Thankfully, Kendra was by his side as much as possible, helping him get his homework and turning it in for him. Life wasn’t easy, but he was able to get back into the groove eventually. However, Tyler’s doctor made a decision that day that nearly ended his life and permanently altered its course. Tyler’s pain was so intense that the doctor, wanting what was best for the young athlete, prescribed multiple painkillers to help him feel better. Tyler was the kind of guy who had never so much as smoked a cigarette or vaped in his life. Tyler didn’t even like to drink. Nobody had any idea how Tyler’s body would react to the painkillers he took. Would he be one of the many people who took them every year and never developed an addiction? Or would he have a hard time leaving them behind? Tragically, Tyler developed a long-lasting dependency on painkillers that we’ll highlight and discuss throughout the rest of the chapter-opening stories in this book.

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Meet Tyler: A Star Student-Athlete, Nice Guy, and Painkiller Addict