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FROM THE MAGAZINE

The Faces Of Medical Marijuana: An Interview With Breezy

BY LARRY LECHUGA

Breezy is a 30-year-old artist, writer, medical marijuana activist, and business owner. Ever since she was an infant, she has suffered from chronic body pain; unfortunately, doctors couldn’t figure out what was causing her aches for many years. In 2007, she was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a condition she manages through the use of medical marijuana.

Could you tell us your age and occupation?

Breezy: I am a 30 year old female artist, writer, medical marijuana activist, and business owner. I own Kiefair Keepsakes, a business dedicated to selling a variety of gifts to relax the body, calm the mind, and soothe the soul. I am a one-woman business. Before I got on the registry in the state of Colorado in June 2009, I would not have been able to maintain this work.

We sell gifts online through a website as well as on eBay and in our local community. Currently 10% of our profits are dedicated to providing free medication to low-income medical marijuana patients having trouble buying enough medication.

We are brand new and still looking for dispensaries. We encourage dispensaries and caregivers to join with us in this effort. The funds donated will be held in trust and dispensed when/where they are needed, according to the needs and location of the patient in question.

We partner with Reverend Baker of Green Faith ministry. Green Faith Ministry is a church that recognizes cannabis as a religious sacrament. Reverend Baker (also known as the 420 Reverend) is an outspoken and tireless advocate who provides me with medication free of charge at least once a month (driving over 50 miles each way to do so) and also helps me plug in to the people who need my help. Unfortunately, right now there are a lot more people in need of help than herb in the church’s donation jar.

Could you give us a little background about your medical condition (what is it, how did it come about, how does it affect your day-to-day life, etc.)?

Breezy: I have severe and debilitating fibromyalgia. The onset of my symptoms began almost instantly after my birth in Canon City, CO in the late 1970’s. I was allergic to my mother’s milk, and for the first 2 years of my life I lived on a strict diet of goat’s milk (and goat’s milk yogurt), bananas, and whole wheat bread made home-made from whole wheat flour ground by my mother (I was allergic to a preservative used in wheat flour ground in mills), and honey. I was allergic to practically everything, and could not tolerate to be in the same room with many everyday substances. I grew stronger as I got older, and a bit less allergic, but I remained fragile.

When I was about 8 years old, I began having problems with headaches and losing consciousness. When I first began to complain of headaches, my grandmother thought it was brought on by my early menstrual cycle. When I continued to complain at all times during my cycle, I was fitted for glasses. When glasses did nothing to stop my complaining, I was taken back to the allergist’s office for years and years of treatment. I was diagnosed with regional inhalant allergies causing asthma, sinus headaches, and a whole host of other symptoms including chronic fatigue and chronic head pain. I was treated with allergy shots and a barrage of nasal sprays and pills. Years later, when I was still in pain, x rays were ordered and they first discovered a tendency for pre-cancerous growths in my body. Polyps were removed from my sinus cavities once in childhood and once in adolescence along with the correction of a deviated septum, and removal of my wisdom teeth from my sinus cavity. They fixed all of the “physical deformities” they could find, and yet I was still in pain.

Concurrent with all this allergy history, I was taken away from my family, entirely, by the State of Colorado. I was placed in a series of foster homes and finally into a totalitarian girls school. During this same time period, the State decided, as my sole legal guardian to place me on disability. The state of Colorado had “adopted me,” in a sense. My name was changed legally and my parents’ rights to me, as a child, were formally, legally and permanently terminated. None of it was my choice (except the name change after years of foster care). It was not discussed with me—I was a child. Let me clarify, the first time I was put on disability, I was in middle school.

My medical care as a child was much as it is now, only with the exception that kids get a bit more coverage. Children get dental benefits. I have to wait until a tooth can’t be saved or has a massive infection to even be seen. Being on the program at a young age, I did not accumulate much in the way of work money in my SSI account, although I did attempt to work several times. Unfortunately, every time I did try to work, an employer or doctor would get tired of me being sick and put a stop to it one way or another. That is why my monthly amounts from SSI/ SSD are so low, not because I am disabled, but because I couldn’t work to pay into the system, like the people who receive these benefits only when they reach retirement, after a full life of paying in.

During my senior year in 1997, I got a strange illness that nearly prevented me from graduating. I was sore and tired all the time. My head hurt constantly, and all I wanted to do was sleep. I was working as an Au Pair for some nice people with 2 boys. The mother of the family was a nurse and she took me in to be tested for mono. All the docs were sure I had mono, but the test came back negative. No one had any answers. My pain increased over the years and became body-wide. I continued to seek answers, and a diagnosis of what was causing this. On August 21, 2002, I had my last pain free moment. I have not been in “remission” since then. I have not had one moment completely free from pain since this day. I know because I keep detailed records on my condition. In 2007 I was finally given a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. It took me doing my own research and bringing it up to my doctor that I thought fibromyalgia is what I might have to get a diagnosis. The doctor who diagnosed me also suggested I try cannabis. He was unwilling to sign paperwork, but said it could be a good option for me. I did indeed try it, and it did help, but I didn’t want to keep breaking the law. They say naming something gives you power over it. Once I had a name for my condition, I felt less bound by it. I was still on a ton of medication, but my attitude about being sick improved. Two years later I was getting tired of the prescriptions and they weren’t helping. I went and got a medical marijuana card. Within a month I was off all of my prescriptions.

Have you tried medication other than medical marijuana to treat your condition?

Breezy: Oh my yes, I have tried a ton of medications to control it. It’s easier for me to list classes of medications I have tried rather than the individual medication names. Narcotics, anti-seizure medication, muscle relaxants, nausea medications, blood pressure meds (used off label), anti-depressants (even though I wasn’t depressed) migraine drugs, on and on until I was taking 20+ different pharmaceuticals every day.!

Has medical marijuana proved to be a more effective alternative than the medication you have tried?

Breezy: Since I was approved for the medical marijuana registry I haven’t needed near the amount of services from the Medicaid/Medicare program. In fact, I’ve had to see a doctor three times since June 3, 2009 when the doctor signed my forms. Once to have 14 teeth pulled, a little bit of dental work made necessary by a combination of years of no dental. The second doctor visit (and medications that followed) was for a bad cold that I caught at the dentists office. The third was a doctor visit for acute bronchitis this spring. I haven’t seen a doctor at all otherwise, although I do call my family doctor to check in and let her know I am doing well. I have a job now and am living instead of being in bed wishing I was dead. Cannabis gave me my life back.

Are there any particular strains of marijuana that are especially helpful in relieving the symptoms of your condition? Which? Are they indica or sativa strains?

Breezy: As a fibromyalgia patient who struggles with both pain and fatigue, I like to use a combination of indica and sativa strains. I like a sativa dominant strain during the day to help me focus and have energy. Around 4:20 pm, I like to switch over to a indica dominant strain to help me relax, control my pain and get ready to sleep. I find hash a very effective aid in getting ready to sleep at night. Some of my favorite strains to smoke are (in no particular order): Purple Haze, Lavender Haze, Lavender Kush, Sensi Star, Norther Lights, Lambs Breath/Bread, Blueberry x White Widow (aka Barry White), Razzleberry, Durban Poison, any Skunk strain, and many, many, other strains. I find it very useful to change my strains up often. Every 2-3 days I like to change my strains up to prevent a build up of tolerance and increase effectiveness of my medication.

How do you intake your medical marijuana (joints, baked goods, vaporizer, etc.)? Do you find one method of intake more effective than others?

Breezy: I find it most effective to smoke my medication. I smoke joints (in hemp paper whenever possible), I smoke out of glass or wood pipes (I’m not crazy about the taste of metal pipes), glass water bongs (or homemade water bongs from plastic soda bottles), I recently tried vaporizing for the first time and was impressed at the increased effectiveness of the medication even though I was smoking a strain I had some tolerance to. I like to change up my method of smoking, as I also find that this increases the amount of time I am able to stay on one particular strain without building tolerance so fast. Some strains are better in a joint, others are great for piping. It depends on the genetics of the strain and how dry the herb is. I love to experiment with a particular strain and how it affects me in different methods of ingestion/smoking.

Thanks, Breezy!