Where To Begin: Long Ago But Not Far Away

10/13/18

As far as pot goes, I guess I have to go back to the late 60’s when I was attending the Univ. of Colorado.  I remember the smell walking around The Hill and the strange sight of dancing, half-clothed hippies high on weed and feeling pretty dismissive of it all since I was already married and teaching elementary school in Boulder.  It didn’t really get my attention for another 10 yrs when I was living in Mexico City.  During the 70’s it was surreptitiously available through a friend who worked at the embassy, my marriage was unraveling, and although I tried it hoping for relief, I was also trying to quit smoking so that small bag sat in our safe for another 30 yrs because we were afraid to throw it out!  (Mexico is notoriously hard nosed about pot usage in the general population. The collage on the left has a photo of me at age 38, in our Mexico City house)  But I have tried to pay attention to new information along the way and when I moved to the Aspen Valley in 2015, and my daughter was at the same time diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) I really became more focused on the possible benefits for chemo patients.  Although all forms of cannabis are legal here in Colorado, this was complicated because she was in Texas where marijuana is illegal, still.  Add to that, the fact that Duke Medical Center where she was on a research protocol for immunotherapy discouraged any intervention not on the protocol. I never really became comfortable with limiting her options because of a ‘protocol,’  but life is full of choices and she always supported what was asked of her.  Elise passed in January of this year. ( 45 years old, 3 children, the love of her life–who was the loving family ballast for almost 3 yrs), a rewarding career, what can you say.)

Right now, I’m focused on learning what I can, what is out there, what information is new and reliable; what could I be using for my aches and pains of living and getting a ‘good night’s sleep,’ whatever that is.  What research is being done with cannabis and GBM (I think this will turn out to be worth paying attention to, btw), and learning what I can from success stories that exist.  I’ve done enough research to value anecdotal information (especially in large numbers) as much as traditional, double-blind research.  So here I hope to share what I’m learning all along that spectrum, how to get comfortable in pot shops, and support what I call ‘Palliative Living’ options for geezers:  To access relief from disease, pain, physical stress and mental stress as we age, naturally and without opioids or other addictive substances, that will enable us to continue to flourish in place with joy and gratitude.

Peace and blessings