Since my accepted application by the friendly folks at Social Security Disability, eleven years ago, I have made the acquaintance of many individuals who live and work in the world of the disabled. You all know— the interesting folks at the agencies and physician networks, and various medical research facilities one encounters in each day’s research. At least, that’s how I typically spend most of my available time. (Although, for a couple of years, I spent a lot of time at the local bar, commiserating with neighbors. Not the best environment to get control of one’s condition, I decided)
Now many of these people, like yourselves, have to bear up under pressure and pain which would otherwise certainly destroy most people. I believe there are lots of us out there.
Well, I received a letter from one such person, a client of mine with Alliance For The Disabled, and I thought (with his permission, of course) I would share most of the text with you. I did delete some, due to expletives. If for no other value, this post represents the point of view of a man who, as a disabled individual, was abused by the Federal Government, as his local legal cannabis dispensary was raided by agents from the DEA., and shuttered, as if the building contained poison, or weapons of mass destruction. Evidently, it was not a pretty site. Like the old time raids of the clubs serving alcohol in the 1920’s.
Bear in mind, this was in California, a State which has a Compassionate Use Law and leads the nation in the recognition of cannabis as a true mitigator of pain—real medicine for real people, with plenty of credible research to back up the claims. Seventy five year old Great Grandmothers who can say, for the first time in twenty years, ” You know, I don’t ache as much when I use marijuana—-my joints don’t flare up, and I can actually walk around. I really feel better.”
So, he writes to me, “Our dispensary has been raided by the DEA! How is this possible? Just a few days ago, the brand new Attorney General, Eric Holder, signaled an end to these raids of legal, State controlled sites for dispensing our medicine. You remember how long of a fight it has been? So, I came by about 4 PM and the door was broken from its frame, and the agents were carrying all the plants, the medical records, and the medicine, and putting it all in vans, and driving away. In their zeal, they knocked down two disabled folks who were on crutches. One has advanced MS. What are we going to do? Now, all 350 patients will have to buy the product from dealers on the street, placing themselves at the mercy of the law once again. There’s a lot of confusion and crying down here, John. Why don’t you give us a call?”
I spent most of the night on the phone, digesting the horror stories—-Evidently, the agents burst in, as if searching for terrorists, and started tearing things apart right away. Must have been scary. I wonder how someone would feel if Federal authorites came bursting into their local pharmacy, seizing all the medications, and their records.
So, my friend signs off with,
“It’s a bit like being caught by a cat, and batted around the floor— the poor mouse, a brutal plaything just prior to its demise. And eaten by the system. I am simply wondering if the pain will ever go away. Instead, the system is consuming me.”
Well, one thing for sure. There needs to be some immediete reconcilliation with the new administration. Just one more issue, I guess. It seems as if Obama believes in States Rights. To my way of thinking, that is a good thing. This needs to be resolved.
As this is my second post here at The Disability Digest, I wished to thank Brian Therrien for the opportunity to bring some of my experiences and areas of expertise to the fore. I wish for nothing more than we all receive fair and just treatment. And I want to work toward that end.
Just like the Vets should be treated, so too, the disabled.
As far as the Vets are concerned, has anybody just come up with a simple agreement of reciprocity, where they could get medical treatment anywhere, and the facility would just bill the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, Health Care Division? Problem solved, no? If it were only that easy. Why isn’t it that easy?
That is why the value of Brian’s program to prepare for the ‘Disability System,’ is so valuable. One must have the right tool for the job, as my grand-father used to say. In this case, the power is in the education—-so you know what to expect, and how to react.
Alright, today I leave you with a free subscription to WolfGang’s Vault, a thoroughly checked out and safe site, where you can listen to (at no charge) concerts performed primarily in the 70’s, although there is a huge music database to search. For those who loved Joplin, Jimi, etc, this is a rare find. You can listen to the original concert!
http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/
Until next time,
Advocate
ocate
