Sunday, November 4, 2012

The Jesus, Weed and Politics Post



Yes, that picture above is titled Pharmacist Jesus, and the link was provided by one of my readers, a woman who can not only write like a whirling dervish but struggles herself with epilepsy. She sent me the photo when I declared that I wouldn't try another drug for Sophie unless Jesus himself offered it to me.

Which brings me to the weed part of the post. I forgot about the weed possibility!  I honestly forgot about this, a post that I wrote barely a month ago and that got me all excited! What is wrong with me? Thank you for reminding me. Next week, I'm going knocking on a couple of medical marijuana doors in the neighborhood that come highly recommended. I imagine that I will be weaning Sophie off of either the Vimpat or the clobazam and simultaneously starting her on a regimen of brownies or cookies. Think of the money I'll save if I wean the clobazam first ($500 a month). However, my dream of traveling to Vancouver as a drug mule for a pick-up of the clobazam and then a rendez-vous with a stranger in a hotel room will go unfulfilled -- the sacrifices we make for our kids. Honestly.

Which leads me to politics. A friend of mine in the special needs world announced on Facebook that she has finally decided and is voting for Romney, and me being me, I got engaged. All was civilized, and I'm done trying to convince her otherwise, but just when I felt really depressed by her arguments about unemployment and the economy and how Obama should have fixed it by now, etc., I read Eric's post on Pressure Support and felt uplifted and edified and awed by his persistence and good, clean arguments. Yes, I know I'm a choir -- but no matter -- at least I know that if Romney wins, there are plenty of people out there with whom I will band, a community that truly believes in community and our connections to one another.

It must sound, sometimes, that the experience of raising Sophie, seeing her seize, struggling with the systems of care -- the healthcare system, the education system, the rules and laws protecting the disabled -- even the constant fight, inherent or real, over her dignity as a human being is something that has informed every single bit of my life, including politics. Some might say that disability has circumscribed my beliefs, that I'm a one-noter or beating a dead horse, over and over and over. Others might say (and have done so) that I'm unpatriotic and bitter, but what I think is that these very personal issues have informed and made me even more passionate about real, liberal principles, perhaps even radical ones. Can you even imagine what direction I'd take if Sophie's seizures stopped with medical marijuana?

Now, I'm going to smoke some weed.

(just kidding. I haven't smoked in probably thirty years. I get extremely anti-social when I smoke the stuff -- and bored out of my mind.)

11 comments:

  1. oh please keep me posted. if brownies and cookies help sophie, i will be out there on a soapbox agitating for legalization. it will be my deepest cause.

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  2. Actually, I think marijuana might be a good idea. I was listening to NPR the other day and they were talking about how Canada is waiting expectantly to the verdict about legalizing weed here in the states. As it is, they can't legalize it because it would cause so many problems at border crossings. If I understood them correctly and there's a good chance I didn't. Ha.
    xo

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  3. " if Romney wins..." Elizabeth! I should come right down to your home and smack you on the hand for that!

    If it makes you feel any better I am unpatriotic and bitter.

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  4. I am hoping beyond hope that this is the thing that is going to help Sophie. My husband just sent me some links today about the research done in 1974 to see if Cannabis was cancer causing. They found the opposite, that it killed the cancer. http://www.drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/cancer/THC_cancer_sep_1975.htm

    And a recent study finding the same. http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/22-us-government-repressed-marijuana-tumor-research/

    It makes me sad...my Grandma died of lung cancer. Had we known about this study's findings then, you better believe I would have been feeding Grandma brownies.

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  5. I think you have to get her a medical marijuana card before you can knock on some doors...would any of her docs prescribe for her? I hope this is a fruitful endeavor.

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  6. Elizabeth..ADD me to your choir..having a son who struggles with bi-polar and border line schizophrenia ( schitzo-affective is what they named it) I understand that LONG ASS LIST of BIG PHARMA , and not enough medical PRACTITIONERS ....I Get It...one of the reason I will advocate (probably to my death) Holistic Medicines be added to insurance plans...As for your post seeking a Shaman..I almost emailed you with the answer of the next best person ( that I know) who happens to be on a plane right now heading to L.A. (for her birthday) ....She does go to L.A. for work but I wasn't able to connect with her in time to see IF she would PLEASE contact you ...I shall continue to inquire of her about her L.A. work schedule ..as this comment is getting long email me If you would like my thoughts about "her" and how I believe she can help You & Sophie~~HUGS~~ you are not alone!!!

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  7. Oh, Elizabeth,

    Thank you so much for the link and for sharing my piece on facebook. I'm glad that you found it (or that it found you)at just the right time. As far as your other endevour, I so hope that it works out for Sophie. Especially since we also have medical marijuana laws here in Rhode Island (along with the decriminalization of less than an ounce starting in April) and by the time Liam grows old enough it may be something we try. At only 4 years old next month we've already checked off a bunch of those meds and treatments from your last post. It's apparent already that we're going to need options. Good luck.

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  8. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with defining the political by our personal. How can we not? HOW CAN WE NOT?
    I love you, you Wise Woman. And what a gorgeous picture of Jesus offering weed to whoever needs it.

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  9. I don't mean to get your hopes up but here's a compelling story in the L.A. Times in case you didn't see it.

    I imagine they'll be fairly knowledgeable at the dispensary, but you definitely want the high CBD tincture (minimal THC) if it's available. If you can't find it there, we'll send out a CBD oil task force and track some down, by golly.

    It's blasphemous, i'm sure, but Dispensary Jesus might be my very favorite. Especially, especially if it ends up helping Sophie. That would be epic (and i don't just throw that word out there like all the rest of the riff raff these days). I really mean it. I'm hoping my heart out.

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  10. Dispensary Jesus is lovely. I think he and Sophie would get along just swell. Wishing you the absolute best of luck.

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  11. Legalization is on the ballot in Washington state, so if it passes and Sophie finds relief with it and you have any trouble getting it, you could revive the drug mule idea and head to Seattle to visit me and Karen and get your supply. ;-)

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