Jacqlyn's Story

October 7th, 2009

My name is Jacqlyn and I am very fortunate to have connected with this site and the people who advocate for using marijuana medicinally.

I am 1 of the thousands of federally licensed patients to possess and use marijuana through Health Canada. I am a Category 1 patient, I suffer severe pain and persistent muscle spasms due to a spinal cord disease, a spinal cord injury, and severe forms of Arthritis throughout my spine. I have lived with chronic nerve, back & muscle pain daily for the past 10 years since my spinal cord injury. I have been through many treatments and specialist appointments to deal with the pain, all of which were short term relief. Pharmaceutical narcotics I am toxically allergic to and they harm my physical & emotional health.

I chose to experiment with marijuana at the age of 25 due to back pain. After a SC injury at age 31, I chose to discontinue my marijuana use because of all the other drugs they were giving me at the time. I moved a lot due to financial strains, employment opportunities, and specialist appointments, ...I ended up having a nervous breakdown. It wasn't until I started using marijuana again at the age of 33 that my life got back on track. I ditched the pills and changed my life around for the better..Marijuana has given me a new attitude and outlook on life that I'm able to articulate today. After extensive counseling, I affiliated myself with The Canadian Paraplegic Association, I met other patients with similar health issues. I realized then marijuana was going to help me manage a very chronic disabling disease. I had a rehabilitation counselor with a Psychology degree advocate for me in my darkest moments through the bureaucratic red tape.

I started my research when my husband and I moved to Vancouver Island in 2004, within a couple months I had a regular supplier (unlicensed) for my medical needs. Then 4 months after arriving my husband and I are told we're having twins..WOW! This was definitely a shock as I had been told for many years and from many doctors I could never have kids and if by chance I got pregnant I wouldn't carry full term. A girl and a boy were born January 2005 and they are very healthy, happy and active at 35 weeks. My children were 5lbs 15oz and 6lbs 11oz. I gave birth by C Section. Complications set in after with my health issues regarding my spine and swelling. I spent 3 weeks in the hospital and was exhausted when I got home. I made my husband bring me medicine to the hospital. Our children are bright, intelligent, sociable and very healthy. At the time of my pregnancy, my specialists were aware of my medicinal use and it was allowed and documented "for medicinal purposes." Now having children, I faced the issue of being licensed legally due to safer access, I am a very discreet individual with a disability. After researching and speaking with my Dr. about the medicinal benefits for my personal situation, I was given the proper channels to follow, and to access marijuana for medicinal Purposes. In May 2008, I was officially licensed.

I received Health Canada's supply of marijuana and it was nasty, I wanted to find a grower and I did, through another patient I knew. It was then the nightmare started with this Designated Grower and his compassion growing. After 8 months of designating a grower through a friend who is also licensed, I suspected criminal activity, as well as inconsistent supply of meds for his patients. The quality and the quantity were unsatisfactory. After being told by my DG in July that he had NO Supply but if I needed meds he could get them for me at $825 for my month supply. I had been given no notice of this situation. I felt at this point in time my medicine was being held ransom and that our agreements at the beginning were just for show there was more going on behind the scenes. Unfortunately, I had no recourse but to notify Health Canada and I asked to have my DG license revoked and my name removed from any documentation. According to their policy it's up to the Designated Grower to revoke and submit with a letter to Health Canada. I was in a no win situation. I couldn't get access from Health Canada's supply because I had a DG already producing for me, and my DG was holding my meds for a price that was ridiculously unaffordable to my financial situation. We've had communication breakdown all conversations have failed any type of agreements are now null and void.. As far as I was concerned, one way or another I was going to get my name off the Designated Grower's license and access elsewhere.

After Introducing myself to this site and to Chad Clelland personally, I wrote to Health Canada with my current situation at hand. Chad helped me with direction and guidance, compassion and understanding through a very stressful period, of submitting documentation and dealing with a Designated Grower "Gone Bad" ... Finally Health Canada went ahead and revoked the license without the DG letter. My paperwork was processed as high priority and documentation was received within a week.

I cannot find enough words to say how THANKFUL I am to have pursued my medical marijuana journey to this site and this network of professional, reputable people like Chad Clelland, who advocate for patients like myself.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

As a person with a disability, I have struggled through difficult times and have needed a network of compassionate people who understood the need for good quality medicine at an affordable cost to patients. I have had nothing but positive results since connecting with the network of people involved. I feel comfortable talking about my medical condition and the medicine I need to help manage it. Marijuana is a life saver for me.

Respectfully submitted,

Jacqlyn B

Saskatchewan Licensed User