on March 13, 2013
Kathie Zamanjahromi A true inspritation read her story - A big activist of the Human Solution - The Human Solution is a non-profit grass-roots organization dedicated to the legal defense of medical marijuana patients and providers, and educating the mainstream medical community on marijuana's relative safety and therapeutic value.
https://www.facebook.com/Kathiezzzz?fref=ts
My name is Kathleen M. Zamanjahromi. I'm a 63 year old retired pediatric oncology RN. I worked with all ages over my 30 years of nursing. As a child I was found to have a aortic valve malfunction but was able to complete my nursing school. Gradually over the years while I worked, the repetitive lifting and carrying caused my osteoarthritis to progress in the spine, legs, shoulders and hands to destroy the joints. This last month the doctor told me they feel it is genetics and both shoulders are now affected. I already have titanium joints both hips and both knees. Now they want to replace the left shoulder. I have had 9 major surgeries in 10 years. In the last three months I have been hospitalized for hypertension crisis, and 5 days when lung collapsed and had apnea spell. I have become difficult to treat because of intolerance to the pharmaceuticals and require other methods to control the arthritic pain but also have IBS, abdominal pain, spasms, nausea, and vomiting secondary to mesh implant complications after multiple abdominal surgeries. It is important to me that I be comfortable but I do not want to be sedated and unable to maintain my self care and not able to participate in my daily activities.
In 2008 I found an article on Medical Cannabis research on neuropathies from UC San Diego and saying the research looked positive and at that time there wasn't another option. I went to Dr. Sonia Patal MD in Los Angeles, Ca. We discussed my condition and I decided to get my recommendation. That is where I began my journey to find the medication. Back then I only knew of a collective in Los Angeles or Venice Beach. They only carried a few kinds of cannabis, fresh buds and one kind of edible medicine. I would go and sit and talk with patients about what they learned. Then I started reading the magazines articles coming out about studies. I found that I was able to cut back on the pain pills and stopping the sleeping pills and anti-depressants. My primary doctor was aware and discussed the therapy with me. He preferred that I use vaporizer not smoked doses. Saw that the oral, sublingual analgesic, and topical helped and was positive about the changes in my condition as I improved.
As my experience in therapy I learned that when vaporized or smoked it gave about 1 1/2 hours of relief, rubs, sprays and other topical helped increase the comfort. I then found that if edible I could increase the length of comfort to about 3 1/2 hrs. All during this time the other problems of access made it difficult for me to learn my needs because of different growers, methods or strains. These all affect the effects of the different routes. I am a science trained professional and I can't imagine an everyday person trying to figure it out. It shows me that most people aren't getting the most effective therapy. That is why we must study this medicine as a whole plant and how to use it. But the wonderful healing is happening even with the limits caused by these problems. I have seen this community responding to this need. We have more and more educational programs coming out. The studies out of UC San Diego's Center for Cannabis Research have been promising.
I am physically limited at this time to grow for my own needs. I must rely on others to help me with some activities of daily living. The strength, energy as well as knowledge are lacking. So I am truly blessed because I have found individuals to help me each year. I learned to make butter, oils, and water concentrates as well as juicing raw plant also. These all have helped me master this balance that is my health. I went from over 20 pharmacy medications to about 5 now. I still am trying to control the new pain from my shoulders. Because of an ulcer in esophagus and stomach I had to stop more medications. Then with new medication came more complications. My HMO has policies about treatment that is cookie cutter version. But I have multiple complicated conditions that don't fit into there little boxes. The MD has only a few minutes see me. I have been told so many times "What are you here for today?" "I'm treating your left shoulder today." But how can you treat me with medications that affect me as a whole without looking at the entire package. In 2003 I was beginning into four organ failure from complications and side effects.
I must be my own advocate to prevent that from happening again. Yet I feel like I have to justify my therapy each time I see a new doctor. My previous doctor was retired last December so this has been a very disturbing problem lately. When I'm frustrated I cry and that makes it difficult to articulate my needs. My behavior is crazy to them. But if I hear one more time, "Why are you so upset, it's just our policy?" My answer to each of you is: "It is important to me because it is my health care! It is my life!
Now let's talk access: As stated above I have to have others grow and make my medication. Therefore I must take responsibility for each and every citizens who goes to jail for this plant. As that responsibility I see that we can not have this conflict between the federal government and the citizens via their states. I have gone to court on both the state and federal levels and I see the devastation that it causes to everyone involved. When there is this much need for the sick and injured to have this therapy to decrease the cost of pharmaceutics and increase the satisfaction. It is not a new treatment it is returning to the medicine of our elders, a source of wisdom of the ages.
God gave us the Herbs of the field to heal ourselves. Sometime we have to the quiet voices to learn the greatest truth. I learned to cherish the joy of every moment from those who I cared for at the end of their lives. Now I ask you, the Honorable 113th Congress to please do the right thing for those who suffer and need access to this medication.
We must stand for what we know is right.
https://www.facebook.com/Kathiezzzz?fref=ts
My name is Kathleen M. Zamanjahromi. I'm a 63 year old retired pediatric oncology RN. I worked with all ages over my 30 years of nursing. As a child I was found to have a aortic valve malfunction but was able to complete my nursing school. Gradually over the years while I worked, the repetitive lifting and carrying caused my osteoarthritis to progress in the spine, legs, shoulders and hands to destroy the joints. This last month the doctor told me they feel it is genetics and both shoulders are now affected. I already have titanium joints both hips and both knees. Now they want to replace the left shoulder. I have had 9 major surgeries in 10 years. In the last three months I have been hospitalized for hypertension crisis, and 5 days when lung collapsed and had apnea spell. I have become difficult to treat because of intolerance to the pharmaceuticals and require other methods to control the arthritic pain but also have IBS, abdominal pain, spasms, nausea, and vomiting secondary to mesh implant complications after multiple abdominal surgeries. It is important to me that I be comfortable but I do not want to be sedated and unable to maintain my self care and not able to participate in my daily activities.
In 2008 I found an article on Medical Cannabis research on neuropathies from UC San Diego and saying the research looked positive and at that time there wasn't another option. I went to Dr. Sonia Patal MD in Los Angeles, Ca. We discussed my condition and I decided to get my recommendation. That is where I began my journey to find the medication. Back then I only knew of a collective in Los Angeles or Venice Beach. They only carried a few kinds of cannabis, fresh buds and one kind of edible medicine. I would go and sit and talk with patients about what they learned. Then I started reading the magazines articles coming out about studies. I found that I was able to cut back on the pain pills and stopping the sleeping pills and anti-depressants. My primary doctor was aware and discussed the therapy with me. He preferred that I use vaporizer not smoked doses. Saw that the oral, sublingual analgesic, and topical helped and was positive about the changes in my condition as I improved.
As my experience in therapy I learned that when vaporized or smoked it gave about 1 1/2 hours of relief, rubs, sprays and other topical helped increase the comfort. I then found that if edible I could increase the length of comfort to about 3 1/2 hrs. All during this time the other problems of access made it difficult for me to learn my needs because of different growers, methods or strains. These all affect the effects of the different routes. I am a science trained professional and I can't imagine an everyday person trying to figure it out. It shows me that most people aren't getting the most effective therapy. That is why we must study this medicine as a whole plant and how to use it. But the wonderful healing is happening even with the limits caused by these problems. I have seen this community responding to this need. We have more and more educational programs coming out. The studies out of UC San Diego's Center for Cannabis Research have been promising.
I am physically limited at this time to grow for my own needs. I must rely on others to help me with some activities of daily living. The strength, energy as well as knowledge are lacking. So I am truly blessed because I have found individuals to help me each year. I learned to make butter, oils, and water concentrates as well as juicing raw plant also. These all have helped me master this balance that is my health. I went from over 20 pharmacy medications to about 5 now. I still am trying to control the new pain from my shoulders. Because of an ulcer in esophagus and stomach I had to stop more medications. Then with new medication came more complications. My HMO has policies about treatment that is cookie cutter version. But I have multiple complicated conditions that don't fit into there little boxes. The MD has only a few minutes see me. I have been told so many times "What are you here for today?" "I'm treating your left shoulder today." But how can you treat me with medications that affect me as a whole without looking at the entire package. In 2003 I was beginning into four organ failure from complications and side effects.
I must be my own advocate to prevent that from happening again. Yet I feel like I have to justify my therapy each time I see a new doctor. My previous doctor was retired last December so this has been a very disturbing problem lately. When I'm frustrated I cry and that makes it difficult to articulate my needs. My behavior is crazy to them. But if I hear one more time, "Why are you so upset, it's just our policy?" My answer to each of you is: "It is important to me because it is my health care! It is my life!
Now let's talk access: As stated above I have to have others grow and make my medication. Therefore I must take responsibility for each and every citizens who goes to jail for this plant. As that responsibility I see that we can not have this conflict between the federal government and the citizens via their states. I have gone to court on both the state and federal levels and I see the devastation that it causes to everyone involved. When there is this much need for the sick and injured to have this therapy to decrease the cost of pharmaceutics and increase the satisfaction. It is not a new treatment it is returning to the medicine of our elders, a source of wisdom of the ages.
God gave us the Herbs of the field to heal ourselves. Sometime we have to the quiet voices to learn the greatest truth. I learned to cherish the joy of every moment from those who I cared for at the end of their lives. Now I ask you, the Honorable 113th Congress to please do the right thing for those who suffer and need access to this medication.
We must stand for what we know is right.
1 Liked
1 person likes this.
Exactly! I do love marijuana but I also take as medication for the injuries I have taken to my hips and knees, marijuana even helped my asthma....ever since using it I have never had another asthma attack as bad as they used to be. We can only hope it gets better, even still out here in Colorado I ... View More
Like
March 13, 2013
Sponsored
