What Ails You Sweet Mary Kane? Part Two

The fact is simply that I am Cannabinoid deficient when I do not medicate. And if you're not using Cannabis I would argue that you are too. Evolution has not 'weeded out' the presence of Cannabinoids in mothers breastmilk. They're importance and function should not be ignored for lack of understanding.

Now let's talk about my other ailments I choose Cannabis over big pharma to treat. We'll start with PMS I have the kind of PMS that makes one go utterly mad, I'm talking like suicidal mad and the physical pain is ridiculous, as well. Since my tubal ligation my symptoms seemingly worsen with time. Rubbing on a little salve relieves cramps, of such intensity I would have been bed ridden on Percocet for two days otherwise, within minutes. When I saw a nurse practitioner seeking relief from the uncontrollable  frequent, and random suicidal thoughts that were bombarding me during my cycle I was given many samples (probably six months worth) of a drug called Geodon, from big pharma. I was told it was a mood stabilizer and sent home. I took them and drove home several times considering continuing a straight path although the road curved. Fortunately I was also a nursing student at the time, and I immediately pulled out my drug reference book to discover the truth. I had just seen the drug dealer, and she was pushing anti-psychotics on me, out of a student health care center, without a mental health professional on staff! I threw them out and got by on Percocet and bed rest for several years before discovering Cannabinoid treatment. I'm not going to lie I can still get almost split personality crazy (we even have a humorous name for her), but fortunately for me a good brownie will knock her out within 20 minutes, and I can be part of my life again without waiting it out under the covers. Works the same way with depression.

Next up Alopecia Universalis: an autoimmune disorder in which your body does not recognize hair growth as part of you and, therefore, kills the enemy. I have been totally hairless, including eyelashes/brows, ear and nose hair, etc. for just over a decade. This is a tricky one because there is not a lot of factual information out there. Being considered a cosmetic disorder only many insurance companies do not cover treatment (which unfortunately is more like experimentation). Being considered otherwise healthy in combination with our low numbers (approximately 2% of the population affected) doesn't earn us any priority on the research list either. Here, is what I do know. If you have an autoimmune disorder, you are more likely to develop a second. If you have an autoimmune disorder, your pain tolerance is extremely high. I save a ton of money on hair related expenses and can take a shower faster than anyone that I know.

As far back as I can remember I recall my complaints of pain being met with 'suck it up', 'nothing looks wrong with you', 'it's all in your head' and the like. I also remember the pain continuing to nag at my brain as I tucked it away at these remarks. Sometimes my brain doesn't recognize pain properly or sends me an improper signal, like my hip hurts, but the only thing wrong with me is a kidney infection that presented no other symptoms. If I have to go to a hospital, I am treated like a hypochondriac, drug seeker, and/or giving a "prescription bandage" and discharged swiftly.

I have no desire to attempt to regrow my hair with Cannabis. As the person experiencing this disorder and all my other symptoms, I believe that they are related to the Alopecia Universalis. And while I am not saying that Cannabis could be a cure for it, I want the right to treat my symptoms as I see fit.

I also have a whiplash injury causing a reverse cervical bend and a knee injury that I use the balm on often. I once swung to hard and strained my shoulder golfing. I could have taken four Ibuprofen and waited twenty minutes, but I opted for the Cannabis salve, and my  oldest son watched the clock waiting for me to notify him that it had worked. Three minutes. We continued to play. I put more salve on at bed time and the next day my shoulder felt just brilliant.

'Spirituality and Cannabis' is an entire blog of its own.

There are other things we could talk about. For instance when I treat my symptoms with Cannabis and am no longer pestered by incessant pain signals I am able to soak up information like a sponge. My 4.0 GPA during my college years can be credited to "Wisdom Weed". I can be creative. I can spend quality time with my children. We could go on and on, but I think I have gone on long enough for now. It's your turn.