A Personal Look at the Health Care Crisis

Sunday, May 31, 2009 9:13 PM

SMKrider, Louisville, KY

They cannot afford it. Or actually they probably could, but then everyone’s health would improve and that, of course, would cause their profits to plummet.

We buried another family member yesterday. She was 53 years old and died from complications of lung cancer and its treatment. She had gone through four long and horrid years of treatments and on and off of ventilators.

In Louisville and throughout the state of Kentucky the incidence of cancer can be statistically projected by the zip codes that you live in. And obviously she lived in the wrong one. So do a number of my other family members. As do I, to a lesser degree.

You could argue the point that we all smoke cigarettes and it would be a valid point to make. Jeffrey Wigand proved in XXXX that the Cigarette Companies were intentionally harming us. And in the last ten years or longer the cigarette has become even more dangerous and fatal as the quality in production has declined continuously.

At the same time, my Father smoked until he was 62 and contracted COPD. He lived to be 84. My Mother also smoked until age 62 and lived to be 89.

I have watched this horrid disease killing people all of my life. My first contact with Cancer was in about 1964. My Mothers friend and neighbor who lived a block away had it. I was only four years old and did not understand it except that I knew she did not have any hair and she wore a scarf on her head all of the time. She died at about 49 years of age after having been treated for Cancer

Then there was my Aunt’s Cancer. She died when I was about nine years old with Breast and Lung Cancer after several operations and other failed treatments.

It seems to me that the older generation, born before 1940 are less likely to contract the disease versus those of us born after 1950 and 1960. But if you think about it, the older folks had a chance to build up a greater immunity to the toxins that were increasingly being let into our air and water and food supplies. At least they could until the last 10 years or so anyway.

The next really personal incident of Lung Cancer was with my Father in law in 1992. He suffered for a number of years from COPD and Heart Disease before he succumbs to Lung Cancer. He received NO treatment as he wanted a natural death. He died at 62 years old.

I also had another close friend who died in 1994 from Head and Neck Cancer. He was told that it was caused from the drugs he had done which were probably numerous to say the least. However, since he lived here and worked in uncompromising conditions I would beg to differ with the reasons behind his demise. After all, he had stopped the social scene a long time before being diagnosed.

He had gone to the Doctor numerous times with excruciating earaches which they had treated as ear infections for over a year before the diagnosis. He had a very long and painful death as was my recent family members’ death.

In 2007 another family member succumb to lung cancer – and he never smoked!

In 2000 I had lost an aunt from the same horrible disease. She also never smoked.

And that is just the beginning of the story of Cancer

In approximately 2002, I too, much like Rick Simpson (Run From The Cure) had read an article in Alternet.Org “Marijuana Cures Brain Tumors”. “Government knew in 1974”.

Well, the only thing wrong with that story is that they most likely knew long before 1974 and it just did not leak out until then.

The mainstream media avoided the subject all together until recent years when it has been forced out into the open by a lot of really brave and caring people from all over the world. Yet the Government continues to scorn the use of this god given plant. Why? We all now know the answer to that question. Pharmaceutical and other Healthcare Institutions dominate the corporate agenda now more than ever. They stand right beside the ever increasing “DHS” – Department of Homeland Security, and the agenda to CONTROL us. We have become their “rats” of experimentation via the healthcare system. And WE have to pay to be the “rat”.

We have been trapped in this conspiracy of corporate money flow through the use of sickness since at least the 1960’s.

Where ever there is Cancer there is money to be made at the expense of our families, mentally, physically, and financially. Children endure the loss of their parent’s at very early ages and will never forget the horrors which they lived through while watching them die. Spouses are left without their partners they have been with for a lifetime. Parents are loosing their children to cancer at an alarming rate. With each passing year more and more people are stricken with death via cancer.

And most of the time it is all blamed on the patient themselves, for their lifestyle choices. I will not disagree that lifestyle choices do affect your health. I will not agree that the patient is totally responsible for their own demise.

These are the biggest issues in my mind concerning this corporate health pandemic:

· The blatant disregard for the physical suffering that the patients and their families are enduring.

· The use of pharmaceutical chemicals which are much worse in outcome than in some cases of the disease itself. (I have seen it both ways).

· The children of this conspiracy are the most vulnerable cases. It seems that now the government owns our children and can force parents into this agenda whether they want it or not.

· WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT NOW?

Rick Simpson has now devoted his life to the people of Canada and the U.S. along with the rest of the world in promoting the use of HEMP OIL in the treatment of chronic and deadly diseases. A number of people with cancer have been cured using Hemp Oil.

The U.S. and Canada are refusing to accept this OIL as part of treatment for these illnesses for good reason – their corporate money flow.

It is up to us now, as individuals to learn the art of “treating yourself”, and we will have to do it whether or not we are “allowed” to. We now know the truth of the agenda of the governments and their intent for our well-being.

My next concern is this: What if the corporate agenda, due to pressure upon them from activists and patients decide to take up the medical marijuana issue and transform it into another corporate agenda. If the governments, as they are, consider the legalization of “medical marijuana” what will happen to the industry as a whole? Will they legalize it only through pharmaceutical companies via the FDA and the DEA regulations? If they do, it could be a major loss for the citizens. If we have to depend upon the law to provide this medication to us, where does that leave the rest of us – especially those who cannot afford the “healthcare system”. And then there will be the question of quality of product that we are given. Consider that they will likely adapt it to their uses and their “grades” of potency

Will penalties for personal possession be made much harsher, similar to the tobacco plant, or maybe much worse as with other “street drugs”.

Therefore I would like you to consider the MERP Model for RE-Legalization of the Marijuana/Hemp plants. With this model the plant would belong to the citizens again and not held hostage by the pharmaceutical industry and the government.

As I have stated before, it is up to US to fight this battle for re-legalization of Marijuana/Hemp. We have been given all the education that we need on this subject in the last ten years or so. All that is needed is the strength to fight the battle through education of all people and DO what needs to be done.

At this point in time – unless things drastically change – I do not believe it is in the best interest to fight for legalization through the government anymore. We have been fighting that war for a long time to no avail. The medical marijuana states have been constantly trumped by the Federal government even after it was reported that they would no longer interfere with states rights.

Consider the President Obama when asked questions concerning the legalization of Marijuana/Hemp…

Therefore with the exception of pushing for the MERP Model to be put in place, and the Religious Rights regarding the use of Marijuana/Hemp, I believe it is in our best interest to just educate ourselves on how to use these plants and all other God given plants to our best advantage and concentrate on helping each other through the turmoil that the world has succumb to.

Do not ever think that the Government will be there to protect you. With a few exceptions that is just not the truth. We must fight for our own lives with every fiber of our being.

I cannot begin to tell you here all of the people who have influenced my opinions on this matter. My Father was the greatest influence when he called me at the age of 83 to ask me if I could find him some “pot” because he thought it might make him feel better. He died less than a year later and to this day I regret not knowing that this medicine could have at least made his last days more peaceful had I known how to give it to him.

And in conclusion, it is my opinion that RICK SIMPSON be awarded the NOBEL PRIZE!

SMKrider: In My Opinon

Email to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

http://diversesanctuary.ning.com/profile/Sheree

Websites and Blogs:

http://ky.usmjparty.org/

http://www.myspace.com/smkrider

http://smkriderinmyopinion.blogspot.com/

http://kentuckymedicalmarijuanasociety.blogspot.com/

http://shereekrider.blogspot.com/

http://phoenixtears.ucmetoo.com/index.php?article=3.0 My Blog on Rick Simpsons site.

http://www.city-data.com/blogs/540177-shereekrider.html

http://whengovernmentfailsus.org/

http://www.ning.com/shereekrider

http://smkrider.wordpress.com/

http://www.k4mm.org/?K4MM_Forum_Area

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=761977993&ref=profile#/profile.php?id=761977993&ref=profile

Citations:

CITATION SMK091 \l 1033 (Alternet, 2009)

CITATION SMK094 \l 1033 (Bruce Cain, 2009)

CITATION SMK095 \l 1033 (Fox News, 2009)

CITATION SMK092 \l 1033 (Marco Renda, 2009)

CITATION SMK093 \l 1033 (President Obama, 2009)

CITATION SMK09 \l 1033 (Rick Simpson, 2009)

2009-01-08 17:00:45

Rev. Mary Thomas-Spears was invaded by police on January 5, 2009.

When they surrounded the house, and came to the side door, her son

opened the door.  At that time the police said they smelled Marijuana and

had "probable cause" to enter the premises.

At some time during the ordeal, they told her they were looking for her

"secret grow room", of which none existed.

As it ended up, the police found a spice shaker with "hemp-flour" in it,

a few roaches and paraphenellia for which she was cited.

However, a guest that arrived at her home during the ordeal was seemingly for no reason

subjected to a search of his car where they found a "joint" in the ashtray and they arrested him

for that.  It was really another family member's car, and HE just happened to get "lucky"...

Please, everyone stand behind her, as she is very ill and I don't know how she manages to accomplish

all the things that she does except to say God is standing beside her.

You can visit her website at:

http://www.designingyourworld.com/

Why I was “fired” from my physician in Louisville, Kentucky. Here I am in the “great Commonwealth of Kentucky”, on January 2, 2009, without a physician to attend to my health needs, after fifteen long years of struggle. Why? Because I smoke Cannabis for pain and anxiety among other conditions.Since 1998 I have been through at least eight “pain clinics” and ONE M.D., that had stood beside me since 1995. But as of today I have been “fired” as a patient for having a positive drug screen which only showed positive for Marijuana when he referred me to the last pain clinic.Cut off, after fifteen years, for having used Cannabis for my own health.My medical history is complicated to say the least. I have been diagnosed with many things, and to this day I am not really sure what is wrong with me. In my experience, the doctors in Louisville like to “cut and release”, and if you ask questions you will get the generalized answers that you already knew to begin with. In short, if your heart is still beating when you walk in the office, you must be o.k.The following is a short synopsis of my medical history, (though not all conclusive):1960-1978 Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy due to chronic sickness up to 1970. 1978 – Diagnosed with chronic depression1983 – Diagnosed with chronic depression/anxiety1985 – Tubal Ligation1990- Along with the “depression/anxiety” I began having chronic abdominal pain and bladder pain. I was (and had been all of my life) treated for chronic bladder infections.I was having so much illness that it prompted me to leave my job of five years with a predominant insurance company because I just could not cope with the pain and sickness anymore. 1991 – I was referred to a “women’s clinic” where I was continually seen for chronic cervical infections and bladder infections. Between 1991-1993 I had many trips to the ER because of those infections. Of note, they always attributed my pain to the depression and anxiety and never gave me any pain medication until a month before surgery in 1993.1993 – The Gynecologist decided that I had several cysts on my ovaries after a ultrasound, and said that he would do a partial hysterectomy and a bladder tie and that that should take care of the situation. During the surgery, a needle was broken off in my pelvic bone, which they managed to extract after several additional hours in surgery. After the surgery, I continued to have pelvic pain, and bladder infections.1994 – The Gynecologist decided it was probably adhesions, and that they would do an outpatient surgery to try to resolve the problem. That did not work either.1995 – I was finally put on Medicare after having been given Disability in 2003 for depression. After living through hell the previous ten years, I decided to go to a internist which was down the street from where I lived. At that point I was put on pain medication. However, there had been no real diagnosis of the pain I was having.1995 – A friend encouraged me to see her “surgeon”, at which time I received emergency surgery for Gallbladder Disease. The Surgeons stopped counting after 60 large stones and informed my family that my “insides looked like someone took a hot glue gun to them”. The scar tissue had been so bad that they could not find my appendix or “I would have taken that out too”, he had said. Unfortunately for me, shortly after my surgery he left the country to go back to his home country.1996 – Continuing on pain medication from my internist, and still having many bladder problems and pelvic problems I went to another Gynecologist who offered to do a “total hysterectomy and adhesion removal”. I was sent to outpatient surgery, but ended up in the hospital for a number of days because the surgery was intense.I continued on through 1997 still having abdominal pain, and still on pain medication. In 1998 he referred me to a “pain clinic”.1998 – After coming down with an unknown illness with a high fever, my Internist admitted me to the hospital where the next day I had a CVA/Stroke. The pain clinic I had been seeing had me on oxycontin and hydrocodone, along with Neurontin and was located in the same hospital where I was admitted. However, somehow, when I was released 10 days later and received my medication to go home on which included pain medication, there was a mix up in the doctor’s names on the prescriptions and I was investigated for “doctor shopping” and released from their pain clinic. I was cleared of any wrongdoing but the damage had already been done. My internist continued to prescribe my pain medication until 2003. Of note, I had stopped the oxycontin and Neurontin as they where really hard on my depression. The Neurologist that had taken my case in the hospital “fired” me for being “too ill for him to treat”.2003 – I am forced into a pain clinic again. Incidentally, this clinic turned out to be the largest legal narcotic writer in Kentucky. I was given oxycontin, morphine, large amounts of hydrocodone or oxycodone. The doctor attempted a “plexis block” of my abdomen at which time one or both of my Kidneys were punctured. I bleed for 12 hours, but “I was o.k., and it was nothing to worry about” per the doctor. Then came the methadone. I was frazzled all the time. I was a “legal” drug addict that almost burned down the house more than once. I tried to continue on and eventually quit taking everything except hydrocodone and an occasional soma. But in 2006, I was given a “drug test” which showed that I was smoking Marijuana and guess what...They refused to fill any more narcotics EXCEPT the methadone. At that point I gave it back to them and told them they could keep it. I “fired” them.I then went back to my internist which agreed to prescribe my hydrocodone. But between 2003 and 2008 I was turned down by many other pain clinics. Then in December of 2008 the decision was made that my internist could no longer fill my medication’s because of a PDS at the last pain clinic. He then “fired” me.Of note, during the period of 2001 – 2008 I had lost my first Grandchild to a stillbirth, cared for and lost my father in 2001 and continued to live with my Mother and care for her until she was so ill that I was forced to put her in a Nursing Home in 2007. My Mother died on November 24, 2008. Previous to that I had lost my best friend “Sally” who was my dog that had always been beside me through it all since 1993. My Heart has been irreversibly broken. So with all of this loss on my mind, and then losing my only doctor of fifteen years, I have really been tested. I credit prayer and family and my “Cannabis” for my survival. There were so many times I just wanted to call it quits. But there was always some “need” for me to be here.Back in 2003 I had started researching online “Medical Marijuana”. I knew I used it, and I knew I needed it, but I had just thought I was a “pot smoker”. I had never credited it with saving my life until after my Dad died in 2001. You see, he had called me about three months prior to his death and asked me if I could get him some. Because of my ignorance of the medical benefit of Marijuana, my Father died without the medication that could have reduced his misery. My Mother was diagnosed with HBP and Alzheimer’s which possibly could have been helped with Marijuana although I was too afraid of the “elder abuse” laws to try it. I feel guilty about that too. I might have had a healthier Mother for a few more years.I have never had a police record. I only have a glass of wine a couple of times a year. I have even managed to stay out of the Psychiatric Hospital, although there were a few times I would have probably benefited from it.And now, the doctor that I thought would always be there for me has left me in the cold, without even a personal phone call from him. The letter was signed by office staff.I do not hold any grudges against this doctor. He did what he had to do to save his livelihood. Although I do not know what the “pertinent details” of the situation where, I am assuming the DEA of KY was somehow involved.In Kentucky it is called KASPER. “KASPER” in and of itself has become a syndrome in Kentucky. What I cannot understand is why, when KY is so known for it’s oxycontin abuse and death’s, should it be illegal for me to smoke Cannabis, in my own home, especially since I do have such a medical record. (I have never passed a drug screening test due only to Marijuana).It reminds me of a “genocidal drama”... Give out all the Narcotics that you can, which will downsize the population, and at the same time they can punish the people who are Marijuana users and “force” them into forfeiting their Marijuana, and using the “Pharmaceutical death drugs”.There is no such thing as a Marijuana friendly doctor in Kentucky. They are all scared to death.I must say that if I had not been using Marijuana for the last fifteen years or more, I sincerely believe that I would have died by now. I was told by one doctor that I was “living on borrowed time”.What kind of Government conspiracy would do such a thing as to make a “plant” illegal?THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE, JUST FOLLOW THE MONEY!The state of Kentucky is for all practical purposes bankrupt. Violence and homelessness are continually on the rise. It is NOT Marijuana that has caused this. Statistically, Kentucky, especially certain counties, are not a healthy place to live. And the members of my family who do not use Marijuana have had greater health problems than me in a number of cases.Our Mayor call’s it “possibly city”.For most of us it is nearly impossible to live here. Lack of education and health care are abominable. If you are one of the lucky ones who make more money than you need and/or have the benefits of a major manufacturing company or other entity, then you may survive a little longer and a little better.But most true Kentuckians have been laborers and farmers all of their lives. Their needs are never fully met, and the laws that prohibit Marijuana is just another way to “keep us in our place”.It is a shame that we cannot grow Marijuana and/or Hemp on our own property, legally.So in all reality, we never truly own anything, including our own bodies and minds.Marijuana and Hemp prohibition is just one of many dire problems which our country is facing today. But if we could “free these plants”, that were put on Earth by God, to be used accordingly, then maybe, just maybe, it would be a sign of us being able to take back our country’s freedoms for all people.Sheree KriderI can be reached by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

SMKrider: In My Opinion

In ten days we will all go to the voting booths to elect a new government.

I say a “new government” because that is what it is ultimately going to be.

The question is only “what type of government will we elect?”

This will be the most important election of our lives.

We have the standard choices, either Democrat or Republican, and we have a couple of other choices.

The Democrats have become Socialists and the Republicans are Totalitarians.

There are two choices for “Independent” or “Write in Candidates”.

They are the Ralph Nadar/Gonzalez team, or Bruce Cain who is running as a (UMP) candidate.

When you come upon a mountain, there are two ways to get to the other side.

The easiest being going around the mountain and the hardest is to climb over the mountain.

If you choose to go around the mountain, you will miss out on the view from the TOP!

This country has been run by the Democrats and Republicans since before I was born. What have they accomplished? A capitalistic agenda that has broken the very core of our Democracy. We have been under siege ever since the “Incorporation” was born.