When I come up here to Washington each spring, there are things I do as a matter of routine although I am not a person who does well with routine. Some people thrive on it, but I prefer flexibility and my middle name should be “Change.”

The first week back I did do something which has become a biannual routine. I did a CPR refresher. I did them in Canada when I was working in social services and then there was a lull for a few years when I lived fulltime in Mexico. Once I moved to Leavenworth CPR refreshers became routine in my volunteer work at church and in teaching fitness classes. It’s interesting how ideas change from course to course, especially with regards to the issue of providing breaths in addition to compressions.

This year the course was a combo of CPR and First Aid. And I was introduced to Naloxone, an emergency treatment in case of opioid overdose. I had read about it previously but at the course our instructor encouraged us to obtain at least one kit and to keep it handy. I went home that night, went online and ordered a kit. I opted for the nasal spray. The kit contains two single dose nasal spray devices and arrived in the mail in one week.

I did some research and it is legal to have it in my carry-on. It is also legal in Canada, my destination next month, although it is not as easily obtainable in that country. And I’m thinking it’s something that I can easily throw in my purse as well. So forget guns and pepper spray; this Washingtonian will be carrying Naloxone.