Yes, I’m definitely done

There’s not been a lot to say lately, hence the lack of posts. I just don’t have the time or energy to keep up here. I’ll be shutting down commenting today, though the contact form may remain up for a while since I still get occasional questions from people in tough situations like ours.

Alex’s situation hasn’t changed a lot since his return from KKI. We’ve stopped with the cannabis tinctures despite having a wonderful donor (TJ’s Organic Gardens), because we just couldn’t figure out what he needs. We’ve found that while our initial struggles were lack of knowledge and supply, our struggle now is figuring out how it’s actually affecting Alex. His inability to communicate has always made medications difficult, but in the case of cannabis, this country’s bullshit paranoia has made research so spotty that it’s 100% up to the parents to guess at dosage, strain, etc.

So it’s with a lot of frustration that we decided it wasn’t worth the trouble to keep trying. While we still believe in cannabis, it’s just not going to work for Alex until there’s a lot more research and understanding of which components (THC, THCa, CBD, CBN, etc.) are best for different ailments. And as long as that’s the case, we just have no choice but to watch the idiot lawmakers keep screwing up the rules instead of making smart, compassionate decisions.

Quick update – Alex has oils again!

We got Alex’s OMMP card recently, and we now have a donor (TJ’s Organic Gardens), so we’re able to give Alex a blend of high-CBD and high-THC oils, mixed to whatever ratio we think will work best. We’re not sure how much he needs or what ratio, so it’s still a bit of a guessing game (TJ’s has been giving us pointers), but we’re back to being able to dose him again, which is obviously very important. And we can dose him TWICE a day since he’s so close to us. In practice, we’ll probably miss a dose here and there, which sucks, but so far we’ve hit a lot more two-dose days than not.

In other news, the U.S. Senate is considering a bill to reschedule cannabis. Please support the Carer’s Act so that kids like Alex can get cannabis without jumping through absurd hoops. (For instance, if we go on vacation, nobody is legally allowed to dose him)

Why 2015 could be Alex’s best year

I touched a little on it recently, but Alex’s new home’s upper management seem to be significantly more concerned about doing what’s best for Alex than his last home. This is just one of many reasons I’m thinking this year could be the first one where things really start looking up. Continue reading “Why 2015 could be Alex’s best year”

Vote yes on Oregon measure 91

Alex visits are extremely draining when he’s almost three hours away (round trip). As such, I won’t be posting a lot about him unless there are major changes. But I figured our ballot measure is worth at least a quick mention.

A few weeks ago, New Approach Oregon got their cannabis legalization initiative on the ballot. It will be measure 91 on the ballot in November. Continue reading “Vote yes on Oregon measure 91”

Alex is cannabis-free in Baltimore

Well, after a lot of fighting we got Alex to the Kennedy Krieger Institute. It was a ridiculous battle, and shame on Providence for trying to deny somebody as obviously in need as Alex. Their initial denial was flimsy at best, claiming various administrative errors. We appealed and they denied with much more coherent (but still ridiculous) reasons. Continue reading “Alex is cannabis-free in Baltimore”

Why cannabis must be legalized – a non-user’s perspective

The federal government recently refused to reclassify cannabis, stating it still hasn’t been proven to have medical value. Of course, it’s a tough thing to prove when the government allows very limited research on the subject. And to be honest, even if they do reclassify it, we don’t much care anymore. We want full legalization, even though neither Alex’s mother nor myself use cannabis. Why? Continue reading “Why cannabis must be legalized – a non-user’s perspective”