Family Frustrated By Politics Regarding Medical Marijuana

[bobandtorey]

Before much longer, possibly by fall, Chris and Tani Wiltse may have to make a decision they hope will keep their son alive.

It’s not a decision they want to make but it’s one, they’re convinced, is being forced on them by politicians who they say aren’t paying attention to current trends and, worse, don’t care.

“It’s pure political posturing,” Chris Wiltse said. “It’s sheer ignorance.”

At issue is the future and the quality of life of their oldest son, Corey, who was born 23 years ago but has the cognitive ability of a 3-year-old. The family says his brain was damaged by a defective diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus vaccination when he was 8 weeks old.

Since then, he has needed constant care and is wracked with constant seizures, at one time numbering hundreds a month but in recent years reduced to perhaps 50 a month.

“We spent the first four years of his life just keeping him alive,” Wiltse said from the family home on Beadle Lake.

Corey has had numerous surgeries to correct muscle and brain issues and he is afflicted with cerebral palsy. He takes more than 1,300 pills per month that have to be crushed and placed in the gastronomy tube that keeps nourishment flowing.

For a while, that seemed to be enough. It was a struggle, but the family, including 22-year-old son Tyler, had found a level of comfort for Corey.

But in the last couple of years, Tani said, something has changed as they’ve watched Corey, who doctors said wouldn’t live past age 12, deteriorate physically. He has dropped 20 pounds, down to 78 pounds, he’s had his gall bladder removed and often he refuses to eat.

And there are the seizures, which some days are so bad they come in clusters that can last an hour or more.

“He’s been on every anti-convulsive medicine known to man,” said Chris, who commutes to his job at an auto salvage company in Grand Rapids and who said Corey’s care is being paid for out of pocket.

But they see a glimmer on the horizon. They see a chance that the convulsions will subside and that his medication will be cut to almost nothing. They also think, maybe, he might start to improve.

 

http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20140502/NEWS01/305020031/Family-frustrated-by-politics-regarding-medical-marijuana?nclick_check=1

[bobandtorey]

Before much longer, possibly by fall, Chris and Tani Wiltse may have to make a decision they hope will keep their son alive.

It’s not a decision they want to make but it’s one, they’re convinced, is being forced on them by politicians who they say aren’t paying attention to current trends and, worse, don’t care.

“It’s pure political posturing,” Chris Wiltse said. “It’s sheer ignorance.”

At issue is the future and the quality of life of their oldest son, Corey, who was born 23 years ago but has the cognitive ability of a 3-year-old. The family says his brain was damaged by a defective diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus vaccination when he was 8 weeks old.

Since then, he has needed constant care and is wracked with constant seizures, at one time numbering hundreds a month but in recent years reduced to perhaps 50 a month.

“We spent the first four years of his life just keeping him alive,” Wiltse said from the family home on Beadle Lake.

Corey has had numerous surgeries to correct muscle and brain issues and he is afflicted with cerebral palsy. He takes more than 1,300 pills per month that have to be crushed and placed in the gastronomy tube that keeps nourishment flowing.

For a while, that seemed to be enough. It was a struggle, but the family, including 22-year-old son Tyler, had found a level of comfort for Corey.

But in the last couple of years, Tani said, something has changed as they’ve watched Corey, who doctors said wouldn’t live past age 12, deteriorate physically. He has dropped 20 pounds, down to 78 pounds, he’s had his gall bladder removed and often he refuses to eat.

And there are the seizures, which some days are so bad they come in clusters that can last an hour or more.

“He’s been on every anti-convulsive medicine known to man,” said Chris, who commutes to his job at an auto salvage company in Grand Rapids and who said Corey’s care is being paid for out of pocket.

But they see a glimmer on the horizon. They see a chance that the convulsions will subside and that his medication will be cut to almost nothing. They also think, maybe, he might start to improve.

 

http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20140502/NEWS01/305020031/Family-frustrated-by-politics-regarding-medical-marijuana?nclick_check=1

And marijuana could be the answer.

They have found that hope in a group called Charlotte’s Web, based in Colorado Springs, Colo. Developed by five brothers — Joel, Jesse, Jon, Jordan and Jared Stanley — it is growing a special strain of marijuana that has more therapeutic cannabidiol, or CBD, which has been effective in some patients who have dramatic seizure issues.

Yet it produces less THC, the ingredient in pot that causes the “buzz.”

The Stanleys say studies are showing that, taken in oil form, CBD can relieve inflammation, reduce anxiety, reduce pain and shrink tumors.

The anti-seizure benefits have been showcased in a little girl named Charlotte Figi, who has shown remarkable improvement from Dravet Syndrome, a pediatric epilepsy.

After living with seizures, being unable to walk or talk or feed herself, the family in desperation tried the marijuana oil high in CBD produced by the Stanleys.

After eight months of treatment, the family said her seizures had all but stopped, she began eating and drinking on her own and today she’s riding horses, dancing and hiking.

Those results have intrigued families all over the country who have children in similar situations — including the Wiltses.

The issue is that such an oil in not legal in Michigan and two bills that would legalize it have made their way through the Michigan House but have gone nowhere in the Senate.

The bills are HB 4271, which would allow medical marijuana dispensaries (which are legal in the state) to dispense the oil that could benefit Corey, and HB 5105, which would allow plants high in CBD to be grown and processed in the state.

The Wiltses have emailed state senators pleading for the bills to pass but they said they’ve received no response.

The bills are in the committee of Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, who said in February he has no plans to move on either bill because of concerns about marijuana dispensaries and who would use them.

Sen. Mike Nofs, who represents Battle Creek, said he has looked at the bills but doesn’t have the details yet.

 

 (which are legal in the state)

Edited May 4, 2014 by bobandtorey

[t-pain]

The family says his brain was damaged by a defective diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus vaccination when he was 8 weeks old.

 

defective vaccine? so he got diptheria or pertussis ?

or are they saying the vaccine caused it?

 

dang all these people being anti-vaccination. maybe i should get my booster shots so i dont get infected from the anti-science zombie hoard.

Edited May 4, 2014 by t-pain

[knucklehead bob]

I have not had a preventative vaccination for ANYTHING since the Swine Flu scare of , I think it was 1976-77 . I'm still here , fortunate for some , a pain for others I suppose . . .      

[motorcitymeds]

Our MI politicians are INEPT and we will have to go the route of COLROADO and bypass these incompetant bafoons in Lansing.  They are in a nut shell utterly useless.  And all should be fired.  Every last one of them.!!!!

[bobandtorey]

qwertup[]xa