My Mom the DARE Instructor and her Medical Marijuana Card

Discussion in 'Marijuana News' started by JakalopeIVXX, Dec 27, 2013.

  1. This thread is going to be the story of the last few months of my Mom's life and how my family has managed so far to get through this difficult time. So where do we begin?? I guess we start with the back story on my Mom first.
     
    Mom started her career as a junior high English teacher and loved working with kids. She was always active with her community, whether it was the school bake sales or collecting newspapers for the boy scouts or supervising the kids car wash for charity at the local gas station, she made a difference in many peoples lives. She really found her calling when the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Police Officer made his presentation at her school, from that moment in time she became one of the soldiers in the War on Drugs. 
     
    Anybody who ever met my Mom will tell you she was one of the most organized people you will ever meet. She never forgot a name or face and she would always ask you about your kids by name. She was a great communicator who always had a smile on her face, and she was always so happy it was almost annoying. Her great people skills made her an ideal candidate to lead the newly founded City Drug Awareness Council, and she was now in charge of the DARE program for the entire school system. Mom spent several years working with the city and the school district expanding drug safety awareness through programs like Red Ribbon Week and working with MADD(Mothers Against Drunk Driving) to help bring Grad Night(a safe party alternate for graduating High School Seniors) to the high schools of her school district.
     
    Mom continued this fight throughout her career until the day she retired and has several plaques and thank you awards for her time and service to the city and school district she loved dearly. She was most proud for her 7 year service award to the City for her time as head of the Drug Awareness Council. She never strayed from the belief that she was doing the right thing.
     
    At this point in my life had you asked me if there was any possible way to get my mom to try Marijuana I Would have undeniably answered NO. 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

     
  2. so she has a card now?
     
  3. Just goes to show that logic can prevail over lies.
    In 50 years, when marijuana will have long been legalized, young people are going to wonder how in the hell we lived in a country where smoking a joint was illegal..just like we wonder how in the hell black people were so mistreated back in the civil rights days.
     
  4. In April 2013 my parents flew from their home in CA to stay with us in CT to celebrate my daughter's bday. This was the first time we noticed some odd behaviors with my Mom that just seemed out of place. She began to show some slight obsessive compulsive behaviors like having to reorganize her suitcase and constantly looking for things to rearrange. We all just shook it off saying Mom just turned 71 and this was just normal signs of aging. 
     
    Her obsessive compulsion traits increased and she started to become agitated occasionally. In July they started running several tests on her trying to figure out what was wrong. After some of the signs and indications her Dr was getting he sent my Mom to Stanford University where they could narrow down what was exactly wrong with her. The tests came back with news you never want to hear. She was terminally ill and we didn't know how long.
     
    Once Stanford diagnosed my mom with a prion disease she was sent to UC San Francisco for further testing.They confirmed my mom had Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and began the tests to figure out which version of the disease she had. One version is genetic and can be hereditary. One version is fast. One version is slow. You can read up on the disease if you like or I will throw some info up on it.
     
    (from wiki)
     
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creutzfeldt%E2%80%93Jakob_disease
     
    (this is a paragraph from the link above)
     
    The first symptom of CJD is rapidly progressive dementia, leading to memory loss, personality changes and hallucinations. Other frequently occurring features include anxiety,depressionparanoiaobsessive-compulsive symptoms, and psychosis.<sup>[9]</sup> This is accompanied by physical problems such as speech impairment, jerky movements (myoclonus), balance and coordination dysfunction (ataxia), changes in gait, rigid posture, and seizures. The duration of the disease varies greatly, but sporadic (non-inherited) CJD can be fatal within months or even weeks.<sup>[citation needed]</sup> In some people, the symptoms can continue for years. In most patients, these symptoms are followed by involuntary movements and the appearance of an atypical diagnostic electroencephalogram tracing. Most victims die six months after initial symptoms appear, often of pneumonia due to impaired coughing reflexes. 
     
  5. JAK,
     
    Welcome back to GC from what must have been a difficult time. I'm looking forward to following your account of your Mom's story and in the meantime wish you and your family all my best.
     
    Chunk
     
  6. Damn man that's terrible..my family is going through a pretty bad situation with my great aunt at the moment. She is in the hospital and we are basically waiting for her to pass because the doctors have done everything possible.
     
    They say she has been living on borrowed time anyway..and she's only in her early 60's. She drank hard liquor and smoked cigarettes her whole life..she had been warned so many times..everyone telling her that she has to stop what she is doing because she had been in the hospital multiple times already for the same heart problems..the doctors told her the same thing..the constant drinking of jack daniels every single day and night..along with smoking at least a pack a day, if not two.
     
    Needless to say, she never stopped what she was doing. She even went to church stumbling drunk a few times I heard..I don't attend any churches but I can say that every time I saw her she was clearly stumbling drunk and smelled strongly of the liquor. I can remember me and my cousin having to drive her to the liquor store in her car one time when she ran out, and we were only like 12 or 13. 
     
    It's strange how very legal it is for people to kill themselves on things that are sold over the counter or prescribed by a doctor..seems like the government is actually trying to kill us..especially with the GMOs and who knows what else.
     
    Rick simpson oil could possibly work for her..that would be an incredible story! Best wishes to you and your family. :wave:
     
  7. My deepest condolences Jak. I was wondering what happened to your neverending cheer and happy attitude, now I know. I'll be following too. Wishing you and your family all the best.
     
  8. Hey brotha! I'm here for the journey. :smoke:
     
  9. #9 JakalopeIVXX, Dec 27, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 27, 2013
    So there we were in August of 2013, my Mom had just been diagnosed with CJD and they were now taking her to UCSF to begin running the tests to find out what version she had. Once the tests were given we would not know the results for 8 weeks. If Mom had the fast version of the disease she would be gone before we had the results. 
     
    As you can imagine we frantically started researching CJD and started looking for treatments. The more you research the more frightened you become.  Unfortunately there are no known cures or treatments, and even if you could find a cure, there is no fixing the damage that has been done by this disease. At this point we hadn't realized it yet but we were already in what we later called the "reacting" stage. There were no real good directions on how to treat someone with this disease let alone how to approach what is going to happen in their daily lives, you just have to react fast to each situation.
     
    At this point my Mom was still able to talk on the phone and have decent conversations with people, was still attending church every Sunday, able to go out to eat at restaurants, was still able to play Bridge and Mahjong twice a week just like she had the previous 40 years. If you did not know my mom was sick you would just think she had some quirky habits. She talked constantly about her upcoming trip in September to see the birth of my son, her 6th grandchild. She was very adamant that she had not missed the arrival of the other 5 grandchildren and nothing was going to keep her from the 6th. My sister and her kids are only 3 hours away so she gets to see her 3 kids often. We didn't live close by when we had our kids but Mom was there for each one.
     
    We planned her trip across the country with layovers in airports where they could stop and visit friends on the way. This was to help make the traveling easier for my Mom and to also let her see some of her friends one last time along the way. This trip was the first time Mom's friends could really notice a change in her. She had lost weight (40 pounds) and her conversations were much shorter, she was good for about 6-8 sentences and then sometimes could get confused and change the subject. We had canceled our family vacation to CA because of my Mom's sickness so this was the first time I was getting to see her in person again in 5 months, it was definitely an eye opener to how sick my Mom really was. I can't thank my Dad enough for the hardship he went through getting her here for the birth of her grandchild.
     
     
     
     
    EDIT Last installment for tonight. I will continue with the end of Mom's trip to CT and what happens when they get back for the test results of which version of CJD she has tomorrow. Thanks for following along !   :gc_rocks:
     
  10. Welcome Coth and Ifourtwenty   :smoke:
     
     
    Yes. We are almost at that point in the story.  Thanks for following along  :wave:
     
     
    Thank you Sir! I've had a few close blades helping me through this! Their support helped me when I needed it most and I can't ever thank them enough!!  :gc_rocks:
     
     
    Thanks Pink  :wub:  It's nice to be back in the city. I promise to be back in all my hangout spots soon.   :smoke:
     
     
    Thanks for tagging along Iron   :wave:   
     
  11. Subbed. Sorry for your situation, but glad your working things out for yourself! Your pretty good at story telling to btw :).
     
  12. Hey JAK, sorry to hear about your mom man. Very interesting story so far. Sorry you have a rough go of it tho.
     
  13. Here for the ride/story/journey! 
     
  14. Subbed....sorry your family is going through this rough time...
     
  15. Hey Jak.
    Sending healing thoughts your way man
     
  16.  
    Thanks Green, I tend to be long winded sometimes   :lol:
     
     
    Thanks Gold I appreciate the support!
     
     
    Welcome michigan glad you could make it   :wave:
     
     
    Thanks CE! This thread is a little therapy for me and hopefully gives people a better appreciation for the people in their lives, I took too many for granted prior to this!
     
     
    Thanks Thomas and welcome!
     
     
    I appreciate everyone's kind words and thoughts!! I will try to keep the posts of the story coming in on a regular basis. Thanks for all your support!!   :gc_rocks:
     
  17. Hon, I am so sorry for your family's situation. I may have a tiny ray of hope. From my "Granny Storm Crow's List"-
     
    Nonpsychoactive cannabidiol Prevents Prion Accumulation and Protects Neurons against Prion Toxicity        (full  - 2007)          http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/27/36/9537
     
    Recent News: Marijuana (Cannabis) May Prevent Mad Cow Disease
    (news/ forum repost - 2007)     
    http://www.420magazine.com/forums/prions/180924-recent-news-marijuana-cannabis-may-prevent-mad-cow-disease.html
     
    Cannabidiol May be Effective in Preventing Bovine Spongiforme Enzephalopathy (Mad Cow Disease)        (news -  2007)          http://www.letfreedomgrow.com/articles/fr070916.htm
     
    Pot Compound Protective Against ‘Mad Cow' Disease, Other Fatal Brain Disorders, Study Says      (news - 2007)        http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7362
     
    Pot smoking could stop Mad Cow Disease?        (news - 2008)
    http://chattahbox.com/curiosity/2008/12/06/pot-smoking-could-stop-mad-cow-disease/
     
    Alteration of the Endocannabinoid System In Mouse Brain During Prion Disease.
    (abst – 2011)
    http://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/ebm/record/21195746/abstract/Alteration_of_the_Endocannabinoid_System_In_Mouse_Brain_During_Prion_Disease_
     
     
    Hon, I would look for a "high CBD" RSO for her!
     
    Also, since the endocannabinoid system is "disregulated" in prion diseases, you might want to pay special attention to the Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratios in her diet. She (like most folks) likely is getting way to much Omega 6 and too little Omega 3.  This imbalance on its own is enough to mess up the way the endocannabinoid system works! 
     
    How too much omega-6 and not enough omega-3 is making us sick 
    http://chriskresser.com/how-too-much-omega-6-and-not-enough-omega-3-is-making-us-sick
     
    Good Oils and Fatty Substances http://www.math.ucsd.edu/~ebender/Health%20&%20Nutrition/Nutrition/oil_good.html
     
     
    These guys were looking at the way a lack of Omega 3 affects mental processes-
     
    Nutritional omega-3 deficiency abolishes endocannabinoid-mediated neuronal functions.    (abst – 2011)           http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21278728
     
    The corollaries of the obesity epidemic that plagues developed societies are malnutrition and resulting biochemical imbalances. Low levels of essential n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) have been linked to neuropsychiatric diseases, but the underlying synaptic alterations are mostly unknown. We found that lifelong n-3 PUFAs dietary insufficiency specifically ablates long-term synaptic depression mediated by endocannabinoids in the prelimbic prefrontal cortex and accumbens. In n-3-deficient mice, presynaptic cannabinoid CB(1) receptors (CB(1)Rs) normally responding to endocannabinoids were uncoupled from their effector G(i/o) proteins. Finally, the dietary-induced reduction of CB(1)R functions in mood-controlling structures was associated with impaired emotional behavior. These findings identify a plausible synaptic substrate for the behavioral alterations caused by the n-3 PUFAs deficiency that is often observed in western diets.
     
    The CB receptor is what the cannabinoid hooks on to, which sends a chemical message to the effector protein and the message goes into the cell. If the receptor and the effector are not connected, it is kind of like a speaker with a loose wire, the message is there, but it just doesn't get through!
     
    Also prion diseases and Alzheimer's have certain definite similarities, so anything helpful in Alzheimer's will likely be helpful in CJD. These are a couple of articles I have in my research into Omega 3.
     
    Omega-3 fatty acids increase brain volume: while reversing many aspects of neurologic aging. (full – 2010)   http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Omega-3+fatty+acids+increase+brain+volume%3a+while+reversing+many...-a0237529250
     
    Alzheimer's: Diet 'can stop brain shrinking'  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16344228
     
     
    And Jak, you know how to PM me!
     
     
     
     
    Granny
     
     
    ( FYI, blades - Activating your CB1 receptors with THC to get high is an "endocannabinoid-mediated neuronal function", so too little Omega 3 in your diet may be affecting your high, too! :eek: )
     
  18. Mom and Dad arrived in CT on Sept 15th two days after my son was born. The physical change in my Mom's appearance since the last time I had seen her was shocking. The confidence and smile that was always on my Mom's face had been replaced with an expressionless look of confusion. It wasn't until they drove her outside of the secured area and I was able to hug her that she remembered where she was and what she was doing.
     
    Her motor skills were still ok at this point, she could walk without any assistance but preferred to hold someone's hand when she did.(Dad was always her first choice) You could hold conversations with her but you had to be prepared for the quick change of subject. Her ability to stay focused on any task at hand cost her the favorite joy of playing cards or board games with her grandchildren. It was about this time when the agitation and anger started to first appear.
     
    We took Mom to the Yale University Art Museum while she was here so she could share her love of art with the grandkids but the passion that once drove her spirit inside was gone. Going out to eat had suddenly changed as well, Mom no longer wanted to go anywhere but Panera and ordered the same thing every time.I didn't know it at the time, but these would be the last conversations I would have with my Mom that had meaning.
     
    After a great visit and her getting to hold her newest grandchild Mom and Dad boarded a plane and began their trip back west to CA. We knew as she flew away that this was the last time Mom would ever board an airplane. We had her next round of tests coming up at UCSF to see where the progress was on her disease and we were about to find out which version of the disease she had.
     
    At the end of August after learning what my Mom had been diagnosed with I had began researching into Rick Simpson and his healing oils and began to accumulate my information about the healing power of Medical Marijauna and presented my information to my father. (thank you @[member="Storm Crow"] for your list)You have to realize at this point my Mom had just been diagnosed with the disease and we still didn't know how long she had had it for or which version she had, we only knew that every MODERN SCIENCE method had failed to stop this disease and there were no more options. My Dad reluctantly promised to take my Mom in for her Med Card evaluation when they returned home.
     
     Dad took my Mom to her Dr's evaluation and she had her Medical marijuana card from MediCann filled out. Once I knew my Dad was going to allow me to pursue this course of treatment for my Mom, I began working with some blades from the city to obtain an oil with the right qualities for my Mom.
     
  19. My heart goes out to you jak.
     
    Thank God for fellow blades helping with the meds.
     
    And also to you for staying strong and able to help your Mom and Dad.
     
  20. Thanks for sharing jakBarking up the right tree
     

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