Tank_Girl
07-06-2011, 12:15 AM
Seriously though, I just donâ??t understand.
Hello everyone, long time lurker first time posting.
As a recent transplant to this fair state, I have to say I am getting more and more discouraged by the process of obtaining my MMJ card.
A little about myself, I am a middle-aged disabled female diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis from the very young age of 18 months. I have lived with this disease my whole life, and have known little of life without excruciating pain. I moved to Southern New Mexico for the heat arid climate (great for my disease) and the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act (great for my disease and fear of incarceration). I have used cannabis since I was sixteen years of age and I am sure all of the folks on this forum would agree (from personal experience or otherwise) that cannabis is great for my condition.
What I just donâ??t get is how does someone/anyone who is obviously affected by â??The Great Cripplerâ? find a doctor who will sign off for my condition. I had called a place in Albuquerque (patient advocate?) and was told that not a single Rheumatologist in the state will sign off for the use of cannabis. I know this canâ??t be true because a search of the statistics at the New Mexico Department of Health* show that as of June 15th, 2011 sixty-three (63) people have qualified for the program with this condition. I know that this is nowhere near the top of the list of most â??popularâ? ailments that qualify, but I can also say if not a single Rheumatologist in the state will sign off (and from what I understand ONLY a Rheumatologist can sign off for Arthritis), the number would be just a pinch lower than sixty-three. The NMDOH states clearly that they wonâ??t help.
Sure, I can go the whole pain management route, but that involves multiple doctors (two) in multiple locations with multiple fees. I donâ??t want to say that time and money are not issues (they always are), but that kind of defeats the purpose. I want my doctor to know. I want my doctor to care. I donâ??t want to have to worry that my doctor may dump me because although it does help me with inflammation and pain relief, his political/religious/what-the-fook-ever stance(s) disagree with the whole program. Or maybe in his eyes since I partake in â??The Evil Marijuanaâ? (instead of asking for 3,6-Diacetylmorphine ) I am some drug addled junkie scratchinâ?? for my next fix. My current doctor (that I found through the Arthritis Foundation) is a great doctor, but told me straight up that he wouldnâ??t sign and then all but blew me off with no help what-so-ever. I fear my next visit will be my last (by his doing, not mine) for whatever reason previously listed or not.
I also understand that the doctors in the state that do approve donâ??t want their names thrown around. So, it is here, now, that I come to the people of this forum for some help. Please, contact me in whatever way this site will allow and get me some info. If you specifically donâ??t have a Rheumatologist that is program friendly, hopefully you know someone who does, or have maybe heard a rumor of one; a whisper on the wind. Maybe a friend of a friend knows of the info I seek. I have looked high and low and cannot find this ever elusive MMJ friendly Rheumatologist, but I know he/she is out there; the stats* donâ??t lie.
This is my most desperate hour. Help me Cannabis.com, youâ??re my only hope.
*(http://www.health.state.nm.us/IDB/medicalcannabis/Medical%20Cannabis%20Numbers%20as%20of%206-15-11.pdf)
Hello everyone, long time lurker first time posting.
As a recent transplant to this fair state, I have to say I am getting more and more discouraged by the process of obtaining my MMJ card.
A little about myself, I am a middle-aged disabled female diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis from the very young age of 18 months. I have lived with this disease my whole life, and have known little of life without excruciating pain. I moved to Southern New Mexico for the heat arid climate (great for my disease) and the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act (great for my disease and fear of incarceration). I have used cannabis since I was sixteen years of age and I am sure all of the folks on this forum would agree (from personal experience or otherwise) that cannabis is great for my condition.
What I just donâ??t get is how does someone/anyone who is obviously affected by â??The Great Cripplerâ? find a doctor who will sign off for my condition. I had called a place in Albuquerque (patient advocate?) and was told that not a single Rheumatologist in the state will sign off for the use of cannabis. I know this canâ??t be true because a search of the statistics at the New Mexico Department of Health* show that as of June 15th, 2011 sixty-three (63) people have qualified for the program with this condition. I know that this is nowhere near the top of the list of most â??popularâ? ailments that qualify, but I can also say if not a single Rheumatologist in the state will sign off (and from what I understand ONLY a Rheumatologist can sign off for Arthritis), the number would be just a pinch lower than sixty-three. The NMDOH states clearly that they wonâ??t help.
Sure, I can go the whole pain management route, but that involves multiple doctors (two) in multiple locations with multiple fees. I donâ??t want to say that time and money are not issues (they always are), but that kind of defeats the purpose. I want my doctor to know. I want my doctor to care. I donâ??t want to have to worry that my doctor may dump me because although it does help me with inflammation and pain relief, his political/religious/what-the-fook-ever stance(s) disagree with the whole program. Or maybe in his eyes since I partake in â??The Evil Marijuanaâ? (instead of asking for 3,6-Diacetylmorphine ) I am some drug addled junkie scratchinâ?? for my next fix. My current doctor (that I found through the Arthritis Foundation) is a great doctor, but told me straight up that he wouldnâ??t sign and then all but blew me off with no help what-so-ever. I fear my next visit will be my last (by his doing, not mine) for whatever reason previously listed or not.
I also understand that the doctors in the state that do approve donâ??t want their names thrown around. So, it is here, now, that I come to the people of this forum for some help. Please, contact me in whatever way this site will allow and get me some info. If you specifically donâ??t have a Rheumatologist that is program friendly, hopefully you know someone who does, or have maybe heard a rumor of one; a whisper on the wind. Maybe a friend of a friend knows of the info I seek. I have looked high and low and cannot find this ever elusive MMJ friendly Rheumatologist, but I know he/she is out there; the stats* donâ??t lie.
This is my most desperate hour. Help me Cannabis.com, youâ??re my only hope.
*(http://www.health.state.nm.us/IDB/medicalcannabis/Medical%20Cannabis%20Numbers%20as%20of%206-15-11.pdf)