“A healthy man wants a thousand things, a sick man only wants one,” goes the popular and very true saying.
Battling any kind of disease, even an acute one, is exhausting. But when it comes to chronic conditions things are incomparable.
And imagine having an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system, which disrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and body, or in other words – multiple sclerosis (MS). According to the National MS Society, more than 2.3 million people around the world struggle with this disease, which can eventually, cause permanent damage or deterioration of the nerves.
The cure?
Nonexistent.
Did you know that the cannabis plant can provide amazing benefits to people suffering from this horrible disease?
Yes, marijuana, weed, ganja, pot...etc...or Cannabis Sativa – an under-researched plant with so many compounds. An amazing example of the plant’s healing power comes from a true story about a dad from Kinross, Scotland, who got his life back on track thanks to cannabis.
You Have MS
Tony Paterson, 33, was admitted to the hospital for an eye quint operation. After undergoing an MRI scan in January 2011, he was diagnosed with MS. Like so many life scenarios, the horrible diagnosis came the day after he was hired for his dream job as a chef with Gleneagle hotel.
"After being diagnosed my whole life was turned upside down,” Paterson said. “I didn’t understand the condition - all I knew is that my body was changing and there was nothing I could do about it. I couldn’t see properly, my body was weak and I was completely disorientated.”
To make things worse, his condition was rapidly progressing forcing Paterson to use a cane to walk and then a wheelchair. He went back to his parent’s home where they could take care of him, writes Nottingham Post.
"I couldn't work and I was on so many tablets and struggled with brain fog, confusion, memory issues, mobility issues, my bowels and bladder,” he said.
Pills To Counteract The Symptoms Of Other Pills
The treatment?
75 tablets a day.
"At one point, I was taking over 20 tablets a day, three or four times a day. It felt endless. I had pills to counteract the symptoms of other pills,” Paterson explained.
He tried a plethora of therapies and medications, always with no success. As years passed by, Paterson began to experience mental health problems, like anxiety, depression and even bipolar issues.
When his daughter Zevanna was born in 2014, he regained power and again began a search for other solutions. He came upon an NHS research project examining the effect of medical marijuana, so he enrolled in the trial.
Paterson ditched his other medications - all 75 pills - in favor of cannabis. After only 10 months, he was back on his feet and now is a regular cyclist. Together with his brother, Jordan, he owns and runs a removal company.
“For me, everything changed the day I started using medical cannabis,” Paterson said. "It has completely turned my life around. I never would have been able to get my life back without it."
Paterson now consumes around 3 grams or less of medical marijuana (MMJ) every day, spending about £300 a month ($365.83) purchasing it from MMJ clinics.
"My life has improved drastically,” Paterson said. “I've dealt with bipolar, and PTSD and it helps me get on with the day. It doesn't take all the pain away but it's been the best painkiller and has given me my life back.”
Second Chance – ‘"Think About Medical Cannabis"
Thankfully Paterson was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS, which means that the condition can worsen and then improve.
He now lives on his own and takes care of his daughter as a single dad.
"I can move and I can walk, and it's given me the ability to be a better dad. I was devastated to lose out on a dream job at 21 because of my MS diagnosis," he said. "Now I feel like I’ve been given a second chance. For those people who are in pain, have tried other routes to no avail, think about medical cannabis. It has changed my life."
Photo: Courtesy of Holi Concentrates on Usplash, and Marcus Aurelius on Pexels
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