Patient Success Stories: Patty

Patty has been a loyal patient at High Mountain Health for years. Her sense of humor and knowledge about cannabis make her a pleasure to be around. After sustaining a serious back injury as a child, and becoming addicted to painkillers as a teenager, Patty found medical cannabis. Similar to many of our patients, medical cannabis has offered a safe and effective option to Patty. We are excited to share her story for this month's Patient Success Story.

High Mountain Health: Tell us a little bit about your journey with cannabis?

Patty: I broke my back when I was seven and I reinjured it when I was 14. By the time I was 19 I was addicted to everything the doctors gave me, which was, in my eyes, bad stuff. I went on to worst stuff and then in '96 when I got my life together I realized I was in a lot of pain. I had ADD, I had social anxiety disorder, panic attacks and I didn't know where to turn. When I read in the paper that they are doing medical marijuana cards in Flagstaff I couldn't believe it! I went and got mine and I went to High Mountain Health. It has been about 5 years and back then it was called GrassRoots, and they were on Switzer. Everybody was made to feel like they were very important and that I really mattered.

HMH: How has cannabis improved your life? Why do you choose medicinal cannabis?

Patty: If it hadn't been for High Mountain Health and their medicine I don't know where I would be. I lost my son, my mother, my boss of 10 years, my house, and my dog all in five weeks. If it wasn't for my medicine and my family at High Mountain Health I don't know how I would have gotten through it—it definitely would have been a much different story. As far as it being a gateway drug, I started on the hard stuff and I ended on medical marijuana which is not addictive to me and cures all my ills without seven different pills and their side effects. It wasn't my gateway drug but I'm glad it's my ending medicine.

HMH: What are your favorite strains?

Patty: My favorite strains are Green Crack and Blueberry Cough. I also like the oil cartridges very much.

HMH: What have you learned from cannabis therapy? What would you like to share with others about it?

Patty: The only thing that would make this better is if they would legalize it everywhere. I think it's a great, great, great medicine for people, as I work in the medical field and I see what other medicines do to you. It's not even comparable to the benefits of medical marijuana. My patients aged 25 to 85 have gotten cards and what a difference. If you're new to cannabis all I would suggest is don't give up and keep trying until you find what works for you!

-- Interview by Taylor Haynes.
** Interview gently edited for grammar and readability