Heath Ledger has passed away :MEMORIAL PICS POSTED

[lucyanna girl]

I just read the last ten pages of this thread.

Wow!

I would like to say that I am just recovering from the flu and I can very easily see how someone who had pneumonia could have accidentally over-dosed when you feel so awful and you are sleeping odd hours, or even worse if he was having trouble sleeping. The first night I was sick I could NOT go to sleep and felt so very, very bad - I wanted so much just to go to sleep and not be aware of just how bad I felt. Yes, it would be very easy to do.

A family will grieve forever for a son and father lost much too soon. A little girl will never know her real father, only the characters he plays in movies she will watch when she is older.

None of us know the true circumstances of his death yet. When all of the facts are in we will know more. Personally I do hope there is some other cause of death. While it is sadly true that dead is dead, there are some ways to die that are easier for those left behind to cope with. Personally, if I had to lose a loved one, I would prefer to think that there was no wish on their part to have left me behind, nor any stupid action that took them away. I would also not want to have their reputation lessened.

I hope we can all remember a talented young man who had much more to give and left us too soon.

Penny

 

[LindaM]

No matter what he died of, the most important thing is there is a little girl who lost her father, parents who have to bury their child way too soon. All this speculation from the media, how is the family suppose to get through this? Yes their son was a celebrity's, but man there's got to be some compassion for those left behind.

 

[sweetandsassyfl]

I'm another one who can see how easily an accidental overdose could have happened. I recently hurt my hand by falling and trying to catch myself. It was "just" a contusion. However, due to where the contusion was and how big of a contusion it was (there was one that covered my entire palm and reached up into the knuckles of all fingers except my pinkie and thumb and another on a bone on the back of my hand....since the initial incident, I've also got two at the base of the back of my ring finger and middle finger and one on my wrist), I couldn't spread my fingers apart, move them, etc. My hand was swollen to twice the size of the other hand and it was very, very painful (I still can't grasp anything with that hand, lift anything with that hand, or turn a door knob, etc. with that hand and this was two weeks ago.) I took a pain pill that I had left over from a sprained ankle in order to fall asleep the first night (they only gave me a prescription for Naproxen at the hospital even though the pain was bad enough to make my usual 90/60 blood pressure rise to 149/94.) What if I'd woken up in the middle of the night, it hadn't been long enough after the first one and I'd taken a second one or what if I'd accidentally taken something else that didn't mix well with the pain medicine? Would I then be a hated "druggie" who died of an overdose (especially considering that the pain pill I took wasn't prescribed for this particular incident)?

 

[Deb in IA]

Before this thread goes on about who is an "idiot" or people choosing to abuse drugs, here is an interesting interview with a real physician and pharmacologist from Newsweek about lethal, accidental overdoses of prescription medications:

Deadly Combo?
A pharmacology expert explains how the types of drugs found at Health Ledger's apartment can affect the body and why they are potentially lethal if taken incorrectly.


By Karen Springen | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Jan 23, 2008 | Updated: 7:30 p.m. ET Jan 23, 2008

The world won't know what caused actor Health Ledger's sudden death until the results of an official medical examiner's report are released in the coming days. But that hasn't stopped intense speculation about what kinds of medications the 28-year-old Australian movie star may have been taking when he was found dead in his Manhattan apartment Tuesday afternoon--and whether an overdose killed him. New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly held a press conference about the case Wednesday afternoon and said that there weren't any illegal drugs found at Ledger's apartment. But Kelly did confirm that a rolled-up $20 bill had been removed for analysis. (The bill was later found to have no trace of cocaine on it.) Kelly also reported that several prescription drugs were found at the scene and that they included sleeping pills, but he did not release the names of the medications or the quantity. However, a source close to the investigation has revealed to NEWSWEEK that authorities found six drugs with European prescriptions in Ledger's apartment: Zopiclone, Diazepam, Lormetazepam, Temazepam, Alprazolam and Donormyl-doxylamine. One was an antihistamine and the other five were either sleeping aids (similar to Ambien) or anti-anxiety drugs (similar to Valium). All of these medications depress the central nervous system--which can lead to death if taken in the wrong quantities or combinations, explains Edward Langston, M.D., a pharmacist and chair of the American Medical Association's board of trustees. "You just fall asleep and stop breathing if you take too much for you."

To learn more about how these drugs affect the body and why they are potentially deadly, NEWSWEEK's Karen Springen spoke Terrence Blaschke, M.D., professor of medicine and pharmacology at Stanford University. Excerpts:

NEWSWEEK: How can anti-anxiety drugs and sleep aids, or a combination of them, become lethal?
Terrence Blaschke: When you combine these drugs, they do act at different sites in the brain, and therefore they certainly can have additive effects in terms of depressing respiration. All of the drugs on that list are considered to be centrally acting respiratory depressants.

So could they can affect someone's breathing?
Yes. If you take them in combination, they have what we consider to be additive effects on one another. That could cause respiratory arrest.

Is there a threshold dose at which these drugs become deadly?
You can't put a number on it. It's not likely that [someone could take] two and that's what did it. It would be harder to overdose with these particular drugs than with other classes, such as heroin, morphine. All of these drugs, if they're taken with alcohol, could have a greater effect with fewer pills.

How easy would it be to accidentally take too many?
It's probably not that difficult to accidentally take too many. If they don't work immediately, and if someone was taking these things and didn't get the effect they wanted in five minutes, and then popped another and another … all of the sudden the drug gets absorbed from the intestines and has an effect.

How quickly do they take effect?
The effects can be seen in 15 to 30 minutes in someone who doesn't have any food in their stomach.

How quickly would they become lethal if taken in the wrong quantities?
Within an hour would not be a surprise. You just go to sleep and don't wake up. Your respiratory system gets so depressed that pretty soon there's not enough oxygen in the blood and the heart stops.

Would one doctor prescribe all these to one patient?
Generally speaking, no. There's so much overlap in these drugs that it would not be appropriate for somebody to be giving all these drugs to the same patient at the same time.

How would these medications interact with illegal drugs, such as cocaine?
Cocaine is a stimulant. While it has its own set of adverse reactions, such as high blood pressure, I wouldn't consider any of these other drugs to interact with the cocaine. If he were taking a narcotic, an opiate of some sort--methadone, heroin--that would be another added compound that could depress his respiratory center. Cocaine is not one I would consider interacting with those other drugs.

It wouldn't make them more lethal?
It would potentially put more strain on his heart. You can have arrhythmias and bleeds, and all sorts of nasty things could happen.

 

[momof2inPA]

I am sure if you searched my house today you would find at least 5 prescription bottles. Does that mean if I died unexpectantly it would be drugs? It's just sad they report all that.

The bottles were all next to the bed and so was a rolled up twenty. The logical conclusion is he snorted meth or cocaine and used the pills to come down, but we can't be certain unless an autopsy is performed that tests for these drugs. Yes, they were all prescribed drugs, but I am sure a famous actor can find an unscrupulous doctor (or doctors) to prescribe multiple drugs. Normal people do it everyday. Even if he overdosed, it is still sad but no more sad than what happened to that teenager who was mauled to death by a tiger becaue he tried to save his friend's life. I agree with tiggersmom, where was the outrage over insensitive comments in that thread?

 

[CathrynRose]

RE: Cool-Beans - 'liking' when stars OD.

Gimme a break. Everyone reads so much into what people post, it's unreal. Most all of you must also be psychics in your spare time, too.

*I* personally (because Im not looking to nit-pick every single post someone makes) took it as 'When someone OD's, it's a face and a name - not just a "Dont do drugs, Drugs are bad...mmm'kay?" Its an opportunity to say to your kids "This can happen to ANYONE! Young, Talented and Rich - drugs will still screw your life up, and possibly end it!'

Not like she's sitting at home, rubbing her hands together like Mr Burns, waiting for the next big star to OD. And then goes: YIPPEE!!! Drug Talk Time!!!

 

[Fitswimmer]

CNN is reporting that the "lovely" folks from Westboro Baptist Church will be coming to the memorial service because of Heath Ledger's role in Brokeback Mountain.

These people are not Christian in any sense of the term.

 

[Jennasis]

Take this for what its worth.



I find it interesting that Ambien isn't on the list, but Lunesta AND Restoril are. I can't believe he would be prescribed ALL of this from the same doctor.

The bottles were all next to the bed and so was a rolled up twenty. The logical conclusion is he snorted meth or cocaine and used the pills to come down, but we can't be certain unless an autopsy is performed that tests for these drugs. Yes, they were all prescribed drugs, but I am sure a famous actor can find an unscrupulous doctor (or doctors) to prescribe multiple drugs. Normal people do it everyday. Even if he overdosed, it is still sad but no more sad than what happened to that teenager who was mauled to death by a tiger becaue he tried to save his friend's life. I agree with tiggersmom, where was the outrage over insensitive comments in that thread?

the bottles were not all next to the bed. Many (if not most) were in the bathroom. The bottles were also described as nearly full. And your "logical conclusion" is pretty far reaching. I still don't get the flap for the rolled up $20. Was it rolled tight like a straw or just rolled up? I have a rolled up $20 in my pocketbook but I don't do drugs.

If I HAD to guess what happened...since he's been having such trouble sleeping he likely took several different pills hoping that they would all work "together" to help him flal asleep. If you've ever suffered from insomnia (or sleep-time anxiety) you would do/take almost anything to get some rest.

 

[harleyquinn]

RE: Cool-Beans - 'liking' when stars OD.

Gimme a break. Everyone reads so much into what people post, it's unreal. Most all of you must also be psychics in your spare time, too.

*I* personally (because Im not looking to nit-pick every single post someone makes) took it as 'When someone OD's, it's a face and a name - not just a "Dont do drugs, Drugs are bad...mmm'kay?" Its an opportunity to say to your kids "This can happen to ANYONE! Young, Talented and Rich - drugs will still screw your life up, and possibly end it!'

Not like she's sitting at home, rubbing her hands together like Mr Burns, waiting for the next big star to OD. And then goes: YIPPEE!!! Drug Talk Time!!!

I feel I have to defend myself, since I was the first to respond to her post.

I posted, because from the tone of her post I felt she was doing exactly what you stated. She was foaming at the mouth happy at the thought that Heath died of an overdose so she could teach her kids a lesson.

My response was simple, and I had hoped she would come back and say, "oh no, I really didn't mean it like that" and all would be forgotten. But she didn't, she reaffirmed her stance that she hoped it was drugs. It wasn't until her 3rd post (and a bunch of others jumping on her)that she stated that she hoped it wasn't drugs so the family didn't have to deal with the rage associated with that kind of death.

I very rarely flame or jump on anyone, but the post as it was written was clear to me and it upset me, because of the circumstances. I tried not to post, but I really was hoping that I read her intent wrong and she would correct me. I was not trying to attack her.

Besides message boards would be no fun if we all knew exactly what each other was trying to say and therefore never falsely(or not) jumped on someone's words.

 

[Mickeyistheman]

Wow! I read this entire thread took a few deep breaths and now I will respond.

If I get points I don't care
Cool Beans - Your post is horrendous, you should really take a look at it again and maybe you will see HOW you said that made a majority of us upset. You are teaching your children to discriminate and think they are better than everyone else. They also will see that you are not compassionate and when something happens to them (which it will) they won't come to you because they will now you have NO TOLERANCE. People make mistakes.

If anyone did watch Larry King last night SEVERAL times each person that was on the show kept saying - WE DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED HIS DEATH. We may never know and its not right that everyone is speculating that it might be drugs. JUST because he was a Celebrity. They don't all do Coke like Britney and Amy Winehouse. The bottles were not all found next to his bed they were found in his Apt. There was only one pill bottle that was next to his bed.

Alot of the online Bloggers kept saying I have sources that say he had a bad drug problem, and no one knew. That is why Michelle Williams left him...That is all SPECULATION.

They found no illegal drugs in his apt and the "rolled up dollar bill" HAD NO TRACES OF ANY ILLEGAL DRUGS

This is very sad, especially for his family and daughter.

Cool Beans I feel sorry for you, that you feel that way. Another posted did it explain it well, you are somewhat like the Phelps people, if I find out that they are going to protest at his funeral because he "protrayed a gay character" I will be right there in support of Heath and his memory. That is in poor taste and if they have a right to be there, so will I. I hope his other fans would do the same.

 

[diznygirl]

All this sniping is fun and all but really the focus should be...




What the heck is the connection with Mary-Kate????

 

[Camicar]

My parents managed to raise two kids who never tried drugs. They did so without laughing at people who were misusing drugs/alcohol or calling them stupid.

How did they do it?

Inadvertently, but effectively.

My mother was an nighttime ER nurse in NY. Every morning over breakfast she would talk about her night. Many times, unfortunately, her stories were about the consequences of drug/alcohol misuse. She never lectured or harangued or got on a soapbox about it. The most she ever did was say, "What a waste."

Hearing those stories very matter of factly without commentary made a deep impression on me and my sister. My mother never intended that her stories were the way to discourage us from using, but it worked nonetheless (just like I will never get on a motorcycle either).

So while I do use the troubles evidenced by celebrities and people we know IRL as life lessons, I certainly don't gloat in the opportunity to use someone's death and/or destruction to teach my dd a life lesson. It's unnecessary, unkind, and teaches a very wrong lesson, which is that intelligence doesn't have to be tied to compassion. Intelligence is far less important and useful than emotional intelligence and wisdom. Some of the most heinous people I know are highly intelligent and yet they are empty bec they lack compassion. I would hate to raise a child who is book smart but people stupid.

 

[momof2inPA]

the bottles were not all next to the bed. Many (if not most) were in the bathroom. The bottles were also described as nearly full. And your "logical conclusion" is pretty far reaching. I still don't get the flap for the rolled up $20. Was it rolled tight like a straw or just rolled up? I have a rolled up $20 in my pocketbook but I don't do drugs.

If I HAD to guess what happened...since he's been having such trouble sleeping he likely took several different pills hoping that they would all work "together" to help him flal asleep. If you've ever suffered from insomnia (or sleep-time anxiety) you would do/take almost anything to get some rest.

I have had insomnia and took a mild barbituate for a couple of nights, then I was good to go. Heath Ledger also hasn't been looking well lately. He's looked alot like Owen Wilson did last year, and he was oh what was it? Hooked on drugs.

Not lookin' good:
http://nymag.com/images/2/daily/intel/07/09/12_heathdebbie_lg.jpg

 

[Jennasis]

Mary Kate Olsen was his friend and happened to own the apartment he was staying in. Whether he was renting from her or just borrowing it for a hiwle, I don't know.

 

[momrek06]

What the heck is the connection with Mary-Kate????

I believe her apt is around the corner from Heath's and I heard they struck up a friendship when Heath moved into his building.

 

[sweetandsassyfl]

I have had insomnia and took a mild barbituate for a couple of nights, then I was good to go. Heath Ledger also hasn't been looking well lately. He's looked alot like Owen Wilson did last year, and he was oh what was it? Hooked on drugs.

Not lookin' good:
http://nymag.com/images/2/daily/intel/07/09/12_heathdebbie_lg.jpg

Isn't it lucky for you that that did the trick?
And duh, photographers get the worst pictures they possibly can of people. That's how they sell their magazines.

 

[Christine]

I took Ambien two times and stayed up all night! Sometimes insomnia isn't easy. Add some of those medications to his already distressed respiratory system (if he did have pneumonia) and there could easily be a problem.

 

[Jennasis]

I have had insomnia and took a mild barbituate for a couple of nights, then I was good to go. Heath Ledger also hasn't been looking well lately. He's looked alot like Owen Wilson did last year, and he was oh what was it? Hooked on drugs.

Not lookin' good:
http://nymag.com/images/2/daily/intel/07/09/12_heathdebbie_lg.jpg

Oy. Again, reserving judgement. I see you and Heath were real close since you've been following him around enough to know that he "hasn't been looking well lately". But whatever. I will wait until the test result are announced before calling him a drug abuser or anything of the like.

BTW, I had a wicked case of insomnia coupled with night-time sleep anxiety for close to a year. It was a hellacious experience. I was prescribed a whole slew of things to try. Narcotics, sleep-aids, anti-depressants. There were indeed nights where I would contemplate combining a few of them, desperate for a few precious hours of relief. I never did luckily.

So again, I prefer to wait and see what the DOCTOR'S say. Not Inside Edition/Access Hollywood/TMZ/Hollywood.tv/Larry King/Entertainment Tonight et al.

 

[momrek06]

Mary Kate Olsen was his friend and happened to own the apartment he was staying in. Whether he was renting from her or just borrowing it for a hiwle, I don't know.

This info is from TMZ! Not sure how credible that site is!

***NYPD Confirms: Ledger NOT at Mary-Kate's Apt
Posted Jan 22nd 2008 6:01PM by TMZ Staff

The NYPD has confirmed to TMZ that Heath Ledger was NOT at an apartment owned by Mary-Kate Olsen

***It's Not Mary-Kate's Apartment!
Posted Jan 22nd 2008 5:41PM by TMZ Staff

A highly credible source connected to Heath Ledger tells TMZ the apartment where the actor was found was not owned by Mary-Kate Olsen or related to her in any way.

***Inside the Building Where Heath Died
Posted Jan 22nd 2008 5:35PM by TMZ Staff

The Soho building on Broome St. where Heath Ledger died currently features an apartment for rent -- for only $23,000 a month. The 4,400 sq. ft., 3-bedroom, 2.5 bath loft features 15' ceilings, a fireplace, private balcony, central air, wood floors and a laundry room -- according to the real estate company, The Corcoran Group.

Neighbors tells us the building is supposed to be zoned specifically for artists -- meaning residents aren't allowed to move in unless they are approved by the city's Department of Cultural Affairs. But we're told that doesn't usually happen, and residents with deep pockets often get to move in instead.

 

[rie'smom]

Mary Kate Olsen was his friend and happened to own the apartment he was staying in. Whether he was renting from her or just borrowing it for a hiwle, I don't know.

The TMZ guy said that Mary Kate did not own the apartment and that this was a rumor.

ETA: Sorry, Karen I didn't read all the way through the thread and I've posted some info that you already posted.