Posted on 05/04/2016 3:02:56 PM PDT by dennisw
A specialist in painkiller addiction hurriedly made plans to see Prince hours before the music legend was found unconscious, a lawyer said Wednesday, offering possible new clues on the singer's sudden death.
Prince's representatives had contacted California-based Howard Kornfeld, who treats people with addictions to opioids, on April 20 and the doctor planned to fly two days later to the pop star's compound in Minnesota, said Kornfeld's attorney William Mauzy.
"Dr Kornfeld felt that his mission was a life-saving mission. He certainly felt it to be urgent," Mauzy told reporters in Minneapolis.
But Prince died on April 21 just as the doctor's son -- a medical student who pitches his father's clinic to potential patients -- arrived at Prince's Paisley Park complex and was told that the singer was not available.
"One of the staff members started screaming. Andrew went to the elevator where he discovered that Prince was unconscious," Mauzy said.
The son, Andrew Kornfeld, was the voice heard in a 911 emergency call pleading for an ambulance, according to the lawyer. Kornfeld named the victim as Prince but was unable to give the street address of Paisley Park.
The elder Kornfeld runs the Recovery Without Walls clinic in Mill Valley, north of San Francisco, which offers confidential treatment.
The lawyer said that Kornfeld had also arranged for Prince on April 21 to see a local specialist, who cleared his or her schedule for the day to give the often reclusive star privacy, but the "Purple Rain" singer did not show up.
"The hope was to get him (Prince) stabilized in Minnesota and convince him to come to Recovery Without Walls," Mauzy said.
The son hoped to encourage Prince to seek treatment "for pain management and any addiction issues," the lawyer said.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
What a shame. With a little better timing Prince might have been successfully treated and still be alive
All those people who adored him, family, and no one to stay with him when he was so sick. It’s sad he died alone; we will never know if his life could have been extended if someone had been there in time.
It’s a tragedy. I wouldn’t wish drug addiction on anyone. It is this hydra that just devours the living.
I think it’s better if we just leave it alone. We can use this death to open a good dialogue on drug abuse awareness and perhaps effectively fund the war on narcotics...?
The exact set of circumstances for many a famous death.
To really save him, the saver should have been there years ago, and Prince would have needed to pay attention.
My guess. He didn’t want to live.
Yes, it’s better to leave it alone.
Little kids that die from cancer, that’s a tragedy. Millionaire drug-addicted rock stars that die from drug addiction is not a tragedy. I’m sorry, but I’m sick of all the boo-hooing over this.
You know very little about addiction and that’s a sad thing.
You would be guessing wrong. I am someone who deals with chronic pain every day of my life. I suffer from psoriatic arthritis and a spinal defect that has my spine sitting 25 degrees left of where it should be. The pain of these two conditions makes some days nearly unbearable for me. My only wish is to be able to keep on working so I can afford the treatment I need which is unbelievably expensive. And yes, I also take opiates for pain relief. The last thing I want to do is accidentally cause my own death by using the very drugs I need to keep me employed and semi-active.
Sometimes I cannot believe the lack of care that comes from people who don’t realize how lucky they are not to have to battle chronic pain. It wears you down, it makes you anxious and depressed. I know my conditions will never get better, they will only get worse so I struggle with what the future holds for me. But I hope you and other like you will stop and think about what people go through and how hard it is to get relief. Try living my worst day and then come and tell me about it.
I’m from a large Irish-Catholic family. I’ve experienced first hand the results of raging alcoholics. In every case, they chose to start drinking. I will not apologize for thinking it’s more tragic when people suffer from diseases beyond their control. I have extended family members with MS, Cancer, Alzheimer’s, etc. I also have family members that drink too much and take drugs.
Prince was a fabulously wealthy, famous rock star. He jumped around on stage for decades and eventually needed a hip replacement. Millions of people get hip replacements. They don’t become addicts. His death is a sad tale yes. He was influential and incredibly talented. But I’m sorry, not a tragedy.
Very few do!
Did Prince have chronic pain?
I used to think just like you, but then I got educated about addiction and know better.
From what I’ve read, he did.
Anyone who takes opiates for a long period of time will become dependent on them and it is absolute agony to withdraw from them.
Let me add that it can be done and there are many programs and doctors who can help you do it. It sounds like this help came for Prince a too late.
I am so sorry you are in that place. I truly can’t imagine endless pain with no hope of recovery. Keep looking outside the box. Do not fear opiates. They are important pain relievers. Will pray for you.
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