fetcher
04-02-2005, 08:35 PM
Hi All,
Reading Revelation's posts have been quite enlightening. Thank you for your compassion and sharing your knowledge with those in need of it.
I'm tired of being dependent on Kaiser's drug pushing. I worry that if something happened where I couldn't get the Rxs, for one reason or another, it would resemble torture. I'm prescribed 400 Vicodin a month for pain (that I take 12 Excedrin a day with to make it work), Effexor, so I don't whine about the pain, Zantac, to reduce the acid in my stomach from taking Vicodin and Excedrin, Allegra for the chronic rashes and tissue swelling that I get from Vicodin, and Trazadone, for night pain and sleep.
I've unsuccessfully tried to reduce the dosage of these drugs. Without the high doses of Vicodin the pain is out-of-control and there is no quality to life, just pain. Reducing both the Effexor and the Excedrin, even missing one dose, sparks a migraine that lasts 2 days after taking the recommended dosages again. I take Allegra every twelve hours and by hour 11 my hands start to itch and swell and by hour thirteen I can't make a fist. Missing a Zantac brings on heartburn and stomach problems that can last for days, even weeks. And, of course, without Trazadone I can't sleep and wake up tired and less able to handle what I need to do to survive life that day.
See what I mean? Kaiser has been controlling my life 24/7 for the past 10 years and I finally decided to start doing something about it. THERE HAS GOT TO BE A BETTER WAY!
Yesterday I went to a doctor that specializes in medical cannabis and received my California card. I've been reading about it and experimenting for awhile now, but not using it the way I need to in order for it to make a real, long-term difference.
Now, picture this. A (young) 55 year old grandmother, nicely, yet appropriately dressed for a day out, a sassy hair style and moderate makeup. An attractive women that still holds on to her dignity while obviously struggling to achieve her goal. (That's ME LOL)
The doctor was great ... a very compassionate, professional office. Then I was sent to a store where paraphernalia was sold. I was a little uncomfortable since I haven't been in a similar environment for over 30 years. I was sent to the back where I filled out my paperwork and received my ID card. The staff was very friendly and helpful. I was the oldest person there and definitely over-dressed. I bought a pipe to smoke my medicine in with the help of a couple of young people. An epiphany; I realized that it's not my generation's world any more and it's time to hand it over with the hope they'll do a better job than we did.
The next step in my journey was to actually purchase the medicine from a dispensary. What an experience! I enter this little cafe with my paperwork neatly tucked into the folder given to me by the doctor. I guess it was obvious why I was there because I was greeted with a smile and told to go to the back of the cafe. Standing in back was a "bouncer-type" man that told me to have a seat until there was an opening in the room behind the 60ish curtain. I sat there with my purse on my lap and my cane resting against the wall all the time feeling out-of-place among the young people and street folk. Behind the curtain was a small, dark room with seating and a woman behind a half-door-counter setup. I didn't know what to buy, but didn't want to appear stupid, so I just picked two different strains, a cookie and a brownie. It felt a little sleazy.
There are many lifestyles, especially in California, and the impression I got was that medical cannabis is marketed to only a few of those. This could be a downfall to the legalization process. Maybe there needs to be little country stores for us more conservative (NOT politically speaking), grandmas and grandpas. LOL
So, here I am, pipe in hand and ready to use this herb to better my health and quality of life. I need your help.
Ali
Reading Revelation's posts have been quite enlightening. Thank you for your compassion and sharing your knowledge with those in need of it.
I'm tired of being dependent on Kaiser's drug pushing. I worry that if something happened where I couldn't get the Rxs, for one reason or another, it would resemble torture. I'm prescribed 400 Vicodin a month for pain (that I take 12 Excedrin a day with to make it work), Effexor, so I don't whine about the pain, Zantac, to reduce the acid in my stomach from taking Vicodin and Excedrin, Allegra for the chronic rashes and tissue swelling that I get from Vicodin, and Trazadone, for night pain and sleep.
I've unsuccessfully tried to reduce the dosage of these drugs. Without the high doses of Vicodin the pain is out-of-control and there is no quality to life, just pain. Reducing both the Effexor and the Excedrin, even missing one dose, sparks a migraine that lasts 2 days after taking the recommended dosages again. I take Allegra every twelve hours and by hour 11 my hands start to itch and swell and by hour thirteen I can't make a fist. Missing a Zantac brings on heartburn and stomach problems that can last for days, even weeks. And, of course, without Trazadone I can't sleep and wake up tired and less able to handle what I need to do to survive life that day.
See what I mean? Kaiser has been controlling my life 24/7 for the past 10 years and I finally decided to start doing something about it. THERE HAS GOT TO BE A BETTER WAY!
Yesterday I went to a doctor that specializes in medical cannabis and received my California card. I've been reading about it and experimenting for awhile now, but not using it the way I need to in order for it to make a real, long-term difference.
Now, picture this. A (young) 55 year old grandmother, nicely, yet appropriately dressed for a day out, a sassy hair style and moderate makeup. An attractive women that still holds on to her dignity while obviously struggling to achieve her goal. (That's ME LOL)
The doctor was great ... a very compassionate, professional office. Then I was sent to a store where paraphernalia was sold. I was a little uncomfortable since I haven't been in a similar environment for over 30 years. I was sent to the back where I filled out my paperwork and received my ID card. The staff was very friendly and helpful. I was the oldest person there and definitely over-dressed. I bought a pipe to smoke my medicine in with the help of a couple of young people. An epiphany; I realized that it's not my generation's world any more and it's time to hand it over with the hope they'll do a better job than we did.
The next step in my journey was to actually purchase the medicine from a dispensary. What an experience! I enter this little cafe with my paperwork neatly tucked into the folder given to me by the doctor. I guess it was obvious why I was there because I was greeted with a smile and told to go to the back of the cafe. Standing in back was a "bouncer-type" man that told me to have a seat until there was an opening in the room behind the 60ish curtain. I sat there with my purse on my lap and my cane resting against the wall all the time feeling out-of-place among the young people and street folk. Behind the curtain was a small, dark room with seating and a woman behind a half-door-counter setup. I didn't know what to buy, but didn't want to appear stupid, so I just picked two different strains, a cookie and a brownie. It felt a little sleazy.
There are many lifestyles, especially in California, and the impression I got was that medical cannabis is marketed to only a few of those. This could be a downfall to the legalization process. Maybe there needs to be little country stores for us more conservative (NOT politically speaking), grandmas and grandpas. LOL
So, here I am, pipe in hand and ready to use this herb to better my health and quality of life. I need your help.
Ali