I have so much information to update you all on so this blog will likely be lengthy. First of all, Happy New Year to everyone out there who has stumbled onto my blog. Jeramy and I have been non-stop since our arrival in Denver.
We arrived in Denver the evening of December 7th, just in time for the snow storm to hit town. Dad drove Jeramy's truck up here and Zach flew down to Austin to drive my car up(since I am not able to drive long distances anymore). We stopped and stayed the night in Lubbock on the 6th and then woke up the next morning to finish the last leg of the trip. Jeramy arrived first with the moving truck and started unloading. Zach and I got in that afternoon after Jeramy and helped unload with Zach's roommate, Rich. Dad did not make it in until much later that evening and was sick as a dog (we found out it was the flu after we put him on a plane home two days later). The next morning, we started the daunting process of unpacking our things and setting up the new house. The unpacking and unloading is still in progress, as weather and travel have slowed our unpacking process a bit.
Over the course of the first week here, we chipped away at the process while equally working to get information and equipment to the DMV so that we could establish residency. It took 3 tries going to the DMV, but we were finally able to get our drivers license's and register to vote. Once I received my Colorado ID, we went down to a local physician's clinic and completed the medical cannabis application (MMJ card). Obviously a brain tumor is a qualifying condition, so it was not challenging getting approved (although the Dept. of Health is backed up and I may not get my actual card before my temporary expires). I will go more into this later, but back to the move...
After we got all the major stuff set up and situated, Jeramy learned that he wouldn't be starting work until after the 1st of January, so we decided we would meet my family in Cincinnati, Ohio to celebrate Christmas (mom was upset that we weren't going because of Jeramy's new job). We drove up on the 16th of December and surprised everyone (except my aunt and uncle who had to know we were coming) and drove back on the 1st of January. We were able to see family we hadn't seen since the 2014 family reunion in Florida, which was fantastic. We also made the decision to get Lasik Eye Surgery from my Uncle at LasikPlus. It was the fastest and easiest surgical recovery I've ever had. That was our Christmas gift to each other this year (well I ended up getting two big gifts, but one was due to an unfortunate accident). I love it. Highly suggest lasik for anyone who normally wears contacts or glasses.
Jeramy started work on the 3rd of January and will be training days for the next 2-3 months before he switches to the night shift and 7 on/7 off daily schedule. This schedule is awesome because I won't be working for a bit while I complete my cannabis treatment and so that means we will be able to travel across the state to places I haven't been in such a long time. Jeramy and I enjoy adventure and this will be such a great opportunity for us to do more things together through travel and activity.
So now we are in the process of developing routine and getting settled. The month of January will not be any less busy for us than December I imagine. The blogging that I do from here on out will shift focus to include education and following me on my path of utilizing medical cannabis in the treatment of my condition(s). I will be utilizing medical cannabis to treat my possible tumor recurrence, seizures, and all other side effects associated with previous conventional treatment.
To start, I will provide an introductory explanation of the process of this treatment. Currently I am utilizing something called CO2 indica hash oil that is about 80% THC and supplementing with CBD oil during the day. Starting in February I will begin making my own oil so that I can utilize a high CBD strain full plant extract for treatment. The protocol that has been suggested to me is a 1:1 ratio of CBD to THC. My goal is to work up to taking a gram a day for a total of 60 grams. They say you should do this over a 90 day period, but I have spoken with quite a few individuals who have struggled to meet this dosage in 90 days, so I may not make it to that level within that time frame. At the present moment, I do not have full plant extract oil, so I am working with my dispensary to supplement the necessary amounts of THC with a high CBD oil. According to the education I have received from other individuals who have treated their own brain tumors, there are certain conditions that are more ideal than others and certain strains that are suggested over others. For Brain Tumors, the 1:1 ratio is ideal (although others have said its better to utilize a high THC strain). Suppository is the suggested means to transmit medicine because it causes the THC to bypass the liver and can deliver what is called Delta-9 THC to the brain (what is believed to be the most efficient way to produce cancer cell apoptosis). The other suggestions include mixing it with tea, rubbing it on gums, or adding it to meals. The problem with this delivery method is that it causes the THC to be broken down in the liver to 11-Hydroxyl THC (which is what delivers the feeling of being "high"). The process is very intensive and I have found that I do not particularly enjoy the feeling of being high. It has the most pronounced effect on my nervous system and causes me to experience mild levels of nausea. This is why I have decided to do the suppository route with my Full Plant Extract. I won't get the intense high, since it will be placed directly into the blood stream instead of broken down in the liver. We will make our own suppositories and then I will combine my dose with a carrier like coconut oil or olive oil to allow for appropriate transmission to the brain.
Phew! That's a lot for a supposedly "short" summary. Since we've been here, I have learned more than I ever thought possible with cannabis options. So, hopefully you will be intrigued enough to follow along with me on this journey. I am incredibly optimistic from the conversations I have been having with others regarding the use of cannabis to treat cancer. I have spoken with a gentlemen who had a rare form of liver cancer who was diagnosed as terminal and sent home to die. I spoke with him at the end of November and he explained to me he had been doing the cannabis protocol (over 90 days) at the request of his children. When I spoke to him in November, he had already surpassed his expiration date and stated he was feeling great and able to travel. As of January 1st, he has been declared cancer free (after they sent him home to die). I am also speaking with another gentleman in the Illinois area, who has a similar brain tumor and has been treating it with cannabis oil. He is almost finished with his treatment and goes in for an MRI next week and I am anxiously awaiting his results of the scans. I have read countless testimonials (especially with brain tumor patients) and spent the past 2+ years reading and talking to individuals who have both experienced the benefits of cannabis, as well as worked with others who have utilized cannabis for treatment of conditions. Within a few months of investigation, I knew this was the best option if the tumor came back.
Please feel free to reach out if you have questions or inquiries. I will do my best to answer what I can, but if you are truly interested, I suggest you look into it yourself. I'd start at www.leafly.com (it's the preferred site for legitimate information on cannabis use and benefits). So welcome to my journey! I hope that I can be a guiding light for other out there that have to face the unexpected and unfairness of being diagnosed with any illness, including cancer.
