I can laugh about it this morning. As I’m writing comfortably in my fuzzy, cow jumping over the moon, furry sweatpants!
So, this week was huge for me as a Brain Cancer patient. You see… I haven’t been able to travel, I mean really travel, in years.
First off… getting on a plane has been impossible because of my “illegal” medicine… Cannabis.
Second, with all the changes in altitude and pressure… my headaches get severe.
Third, without the cannabis oil… the potential of a seizure mid air… not good.
So I’ve had to turn down a lot of speaking engagements… Until now.
We gave it a try this week. 4 flights… no problems. Well…. no physical ones that is….
For patients who use Cannabis Oil… there are so many medicinal benefits… But the THC does come with the “High” it’s so famous for. As I have been using it for so long… I’m used to it. To tell the truth… I usually take my daily nap through that experience… so I don’t have to be… “On”.
Well… in order to have 4 successful flights last night… I used my Cannabis Oil before each flight. No pain… but mid flight I did forget about that “High” thing.
So… here’s what happened…
As I haven’t flown in years… I just assumed all flights were the same. If you got on the plane at a terminal… you would get off at a terminal.
Last night, our delayed flight arrived into Washington DC . It was late, and the whole plane had to catch their connecting flights. It was mayhem…
The plane parks, and the attendant announces that the local time is 8:10pm. Everyone stands up… very impatient and grabbing their stuff… lining up to charge the door. I stand up… slowly trying to catch my balance… which was a little thrown off from the turbulent flight. I spill Greg’s organizer. All the paperwork, tickets, boarding passes, our id’s… everything spills out… all over the floor of the plane.
OK… remain calm…I can get all of this… “Excuse me.. my driver license is under your rolling bag.” And “Mam.. can you back up… my claim ticket is under your seat.”
Oh… did I make friends! They open the door and everyone starts pushing their way to the front. Greg and I finally grab our stuff and push forward… as part of the herd.
I get to the front of the plane… holding my coat, scarf, People magazines, bottle of water, Greg’s organizer, all the paperwork, my purse… and there’s just wind and openness.
No terminal… no hallway… just steps down onto the frozen tarmac. Which looked like 40 stories down. The wind is blowing snow in… and the ground man is yelling… “Go.. Go… Go!” I make a full stop… and announce, “Oh no… this isn’t gonna happen. Nope.”
So, Greg makes a Fireman’s slide… or for 80’s folk… that move that Kevin Bacon does in Footloose, when he slides down the stairs by just holding onto the rails… like a superhero… drops the luggage on the tarmac and runs up the stairs. “OK, You can do this… he coaxes.”
And all the folks behind me are so soooooo happy!
I get down the stairs, it’s blowing snow, the sound of the plane engines is deafening, there is no terminal… just a tented wheelchair ramp… I’m trying to desperately clutch everything… the groundmean are still yelling… “Go!Go!Go!” I’m running through the tented hallway… snow on the carpet, pushing, shoving…. I get to the end… heat… elevator music.
But wait… there’s more… The attendant gave us the wrong time… It was really 9:10. So, after realizing the FUBAR, we race to our next flight. And there it is. Teeny tiny plane… with stairs. “Shit! I have to do it again!”
Needless to say… I’m thrilled about the endless opportunities that await in 2015. But it’s been a real “Learning Experience”.
I hope all the Cannabis Oil patients who read this… Laugh… and then really consider travelling this year. That’s why we take this medicine… to improve our quality of life… while living with devastating illnesses.
Just consider using a smaller dose… I learned the hard way!
Love,
Tra