[B]WWGD?[/B] (What Would Grassman Do?)

[PaJo]

Grassman loved us and called us "His people" when speaking to his family.

I am one of those many whom he helped greatly, as have many in these forums where i have come and gone for ten years. I have recently realized that i owe him a debt of gratitude, and this is where to pay it.

The MS forum has been having a lively, insightful, and reflective conversation on " What has happened to this community?" It has inspired me to think of the great importance of Grassman's conversations, and true sense of community, which i have encountered here.

Nobody can ever take Grassman's place, or be him...obviously.
We miss his knowledge, wit, honesty, and humour....But friends...he came here for everyone else: for us, to share and discuss vast amounts of pertinent information related to a subject which offers so much promise to so many people who are suffering.

I did not know him as well as many of you did, but i still believe he would want us all to continue this communal dance of assistance. Thus, i propose a rejuvenation here in this rightly dedicated forum...a rejuvenation in the conversation and sharing of information related to medicinal cannabis, as well as an opportunity to (re)introduce ourselves a little as it relates to the subject. (For me, as a quietly suffering hermit in South America, this is a big step for me, and it is dedicated to Mike) I have come to realize just how much the personal relating means to me, and have been reluctant to do so in the past.

I have a Chiari malformation, Syringomyelia, severe Scoliosis and Syringobulbia. The latter refers to a cyst in my brainstem, and is my predominant reason for finding the one medicine on which i have relied for eight years, without any pharmaceuticals whatsoever. I was on massive doses of Morphine, Fentanyl, Baclofen, and Oxycodone when i coded three times. I later found out that the drugs had been lulling my damaged brainstem into permanent sleep.

My life is not pain free, nor does the progression of my conditions cease...but my life is livable- i have a life, thanks to a plant which has been helping the multitudes for millennia. The amount of research and information coming out is immense, and now more than ever i believe, this forum can be of great service to many people. (With availability increasing, more must be searching now than ever before.)

I admit that i have left the forums behind a bit as i have just been dealing with circumstances and in my moments day by day. With Mike's passing i faded more...but it is not fair to not continue sharing the experience we each have and others may now just be discovering. I hereby commit to do my part in sharing any information and experience that can be of assistance, and to keep learning from you each! This is a special forum as it draws readers and participants from everywhere.

Thank you so much for reading, and i anxiously await thoughts and actions on sparking up this important forum.

Thank you so very much Grassman, and may we shine brightly upon your legacy and love.
Blessings and Peace- PaJo

[PaJo]

Interesting, indeed...

five weeks, 265 views, and not one single being has anything to say.

I am still here. I am still med free. I am still willing to engage.

Thank YOU Grassman! Peace and Blessings....PaJo

[Leeaelle]

Hi Pajo ~ I read with interest, your post. I SO WISH I had known Grassman! Unfortunately, I did not. I'm so sorry to read of his passing, as he sounds like a very kind, vibrant man. I'm sure he will be missed.

The reason I'm here is that I've been a chronic painer for 23 years and on pain meds for all that time. This week I mentioned to my doctor about using cannabis for chronic pain and he was open to it, but wanted to give me some reading material first. He left to go get it, then got side tracked and forgot all about it ~ I never got it, and that was the end of that!!! Plus he said that if I went on the cannabis, I wouldn't need ANY of my meds anymore. HUH???? I don't THINK so!!! What am I going to do between smokes???? Do I have to smoke 24/7??? He doesn't seem to understand that the pain is constant, and I doubt that the cannabis works for that long.

What can you tell me about it? How long does the effect last from one cigarette? Believe me, I have SEVERE pain! Right now, I'm undermedicated. He has me on 80mg per day of Methadone for pain. That's all the pain meds. I do take Topamax for the nerve burning. Other than that, that's all I take for pain. With that, the pain is STILL at a 7-8 on the pain scale.

So would cannabis take care of the pain all day for me? Would I still need my pain meds? Thanks for any info you might be able to give me. Hugs, Lee

[Concha]

I joined the MS forum almost ten years ago, was very involved in the community for the first year or two of my diagnosis and made many friends. I moved around a lot, changed jobs and relationships, and when my MS seemed to stabilize I faded from this community.

I came back because my life is kind of a mess (employment and financial issues), my MS seems to be haunting me again, pain is suddenly a big part of my life, and access to good medical care seems to have gotten worse. I saw this forum and was shocked and saddened to see In Memory of "Grassman" in the title. He was a fixture and a friend. I am sad that I was unaware of his passing.

How/when did it happen and how did the members of the Braintalk communities find out?

I haven't yet checked in with the MS forum because that community is so large, and I wonder if anyone there will even remember me.

If anyone here can tell me anything about Mike's passing, I would appreciate it.

[Maeve]

There are several videos on YouTube that address the medical cannabis question which should answer your questions. From what I understand most doctors would prefer if their patients used a vaporizing type unit that fills a bag with the smoke. It is less harmful on the lungs. I would imagine you would 'dose' when you need it. Everyone is different with medication, and I would imagine it would be the same with that drug too.

Yes, it seems doctors will scoot around any sensitive topic like this... and to think 100 years ago it was prescribed for many ailments. We have big business like Dupont and a senator in their back pocket to thank for years of being deprived of this potentially helpful plant.


Hi Pajo ~ I read with interest, your post. I SO WISH I had known Grassman! Unfortunately, I did not. I'm so sorry to read of his passing, as he sounds like a very kind, vibrant man. I'm sure he will be missed.

The reason I'm here is that I've been a chronic painer for 23 years and on pain meds for all that time. This week I mentioned to my doctor about using cannabis for chronic pain and he was open to it, but wanted to give me some reading material first. He left to go get it, then got side tracked and forgot all about it ~ I never got it, and that was the end of that!!! Plus he said that if I went on the cannabis, I wouldn't need ANY of my meds anymore. HUH???? I don't THINK so!!! What am I going to do between smokes???? Do I have to smoke 24/7??? He doesn't seem to understand that the pain is constant, and I doubt that the cannabis works for that long.

What can you tell me about it? How long does the effect last from one cigarette? Believe me, I have SEVERE pain! Right now, I'm undermedicated. He has me on 80mg per day of Methadone for pain. That's all the pain meds. I do take Topamax for the nerve burning. Other than that, that's all I take for pain. With that, the pain is STILL at a 7-8 on the pain scale.

So would cannabis take care of the pain all day for me? Would I still need my pain meds? Thanks for any info you might be able to give me. Hugs, Lee

[Concha]

Hi Leeaelle,

I am so sorry to hear about your pain and what you've been through. I don't know what the laws are like where you are, but here in CA, it is very easy to get a medical marijuana ID card and "pot clubs" are everywhere. There are doctors that advertise literally on billboards and in newspapers that they will give you one--but they charge an arm and a leg and don't take insurance. They are preying on the vulnerable, but not all docs are like that.

My partner, who is a family doc at a community hospital and at a public health clinic does it all the time. She's a firm believer in the benefits---especially for chronic pain, and says she just fills out a simple form for her pain patients and sends them on their merry way to get an ID card from the city of SF. She says that her patients report that some of the dispensaries are pretty sleazy, But they just go in, get their cannabis, and get out. They are usually in "bad" neighborhoods, and have guards outside the door. I don't know why they can't be in the hospitals or clinics, or near the pharmacies. It just maintains the stigma...

What kind of a doc are you seeing? My mom is a chronic pain sufferer and she goes to a "Pain Clinic," where they use a multimodal approach. They have many different types of practitioners, including health psychologists and integrative medicine physicians. My mom isn't a cannabis user, but they do suggest that to patients who are open to it. Can you find something like that in your area? Usually, they are affiliated with big hospitals or teaching hospitals. If you are seeing someone you like, then bug him. Call him up and remind him that he was going to help you get on cannabis. I would not let this guy drop the ball.

Good luck to you.

Concha

[AncientWolf]

Thank you for this one. I don't come to BT as much as I used to because no one ever posts. I can make an effort to be here more often if other folks will as well.

My name is Daniel. I am a minister and I am disabled. I have osteoarthritis in my spine and I have epilepsy. Cannabis is the only thing that controls the epilepsy effectively, all the time, and it is MUCH better than the opiates they want me to take for my back.

Grassman was indeed an awesome guy. He's one of the primary reasons we have this forum. I was sad to see him pass and heartened to see the dedication for him on this site. I didn't know him in person, only online, but he seemed like a guy with a huge heart. I really appreciated his wisdom as well.

Namaste,

Ancient Wolf