Our son Jake was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2012. Learning that your son has brain cancer is just about the worst thing you can hear. For years, Jake underwent treatments including surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy. What was so impressive about Jake was how, despite these brutal treatments, he found something to smile about every day.
During Jake’s treatments he was part of New Jersey’s Medicinal Marijuana program for nine months. Throughout that time, while medicated, Jake went to school, excelled in sports and played video games. The medical cannabis allowed for Jake’s personality to shine through his cancer in a way that any pain killer we gave him did not.
Eventually a time came when the cancer became too much and we brought Jake home knowing he was near the end. We were released with what seemed like a gallon of morphine and more painkillers than any household could ever need. These opioids did little to nothing except cause more suffering from the side effects. He would scratch his chest to the point of bleeding; he couldn’t eat or drink. This is when we decided to increase his dosage of medical marijuana.
Without fail, 20 minutes after we administered it, he was himself again.