Robert Celt
New Member
A local woman is trying to raise money for her brother who has suffered daily seizures for nearly 20 years. The family was extremely relived when he was approved for medical marijuana oil in NYS, but with the cost for one year being over $24,000 — they had to stop his treatment because they can't afford it.
Ricky has an extremely rare form of Epilepsy. He's gone through numerous invasive medical procedures and a countless number of pharmacological treatments with no relief.
He finally found some relief with the use of medical marijuana.
Unfortunately, his treatment abruptly stopped when the family couldn't pay the high cost of the medication out of pocket any longer.
And just like that — Ricky was back at square one after experiencing relief he's waited almost his entire life for.
Ricky started out as any other normal child. When he was four years old, he had his first seizure. Since then, much of his life has been spent in hospitals, doctors' appointments and medicated to the brink of toxicity. His epilepsy is more severe than most people could ever imagine. It's not uncommon for him to have more than 80 complex seizures within one day.
If that's incomprehensible for most to imagine, think of having to endure that for 20 years. Two decades of not being able to participate in daily activities that many take for granted, such as enjoying a meal with family or attending a birthday party. By the age of seven, he underwent the first of multiple brain surgeries. The goal was to remove the left half of his brain to stop the seizures. These surgeries left him paralyzed on his right side and wheelchair bound.
The worst part? His daily seizures didn't stop.
The surgeries were not the only treatment that Ricky underwent. He also tried the Vegus Nerve Stimulator as well as special diets and every anti-convulsing medication possible. Not a single one of these treatments significantly reduced his seizures.
Ricky is one of few people in our country with this specific type of Epilepsy. He has every type of seizure ranging from grand mal to small stare offs. His case is extremely unique. What's left of his brain fires off seizures from multiple areas, making it hard to pinpoint where exactly it's coming from.
Ricky's constant seizures are the biggest obstacle he faces in his life. He is not able to go out and do what he enjoys without fear of a seizure. They leave him tired, anxious, aggravated, embarrassed, and unfocused. He has to be under 24 hour care and constant monitoring.
After Ricky started medical marijuana oil treatment to manage his seizures, his life changed for the better. He was having significantly less seizures and their intensity decreased. He was finally able to truly immerse and enjoy doing what he likes without the constant fear of a seizure ruining it. He was less anxious to leave the house and to try new things. He was much more focused and able to retain information like never before.
This new found relief reflected in his personality, he was more positive and relaxed.
Ricky was also able to hold conversations without a seizure interrupting his thoughts. The tension in his family's home decreased as well. Family time was spent with more laughs and less worry about the next time a seizure was going to send him to the hospital.
Ricky finally had the relief he so badly wanted, and it was ripped away from him because of money.
The family is now asking for financial support that will provide much needed relief to Ricky. Despite all of his challenges, he has the wonderful ability to touch the lives of everyone he meets. He is the most cheerful and caring person, and he has the ability to bring a smile to the faces of so many.
In 20 years, Ricky has never let his challenges get him down.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Albany family: Medical Marijuana Too Costly For Man Who Needs It Most
Author: Ali Stewart
Photo Credit: None found
Website: News10
Ricky has an extremely rare form of Epilepsy. He's gone through numerous invasive medical procedures and a countless number of pharmacological treatments with no relief.
He finally found some relief with the use of medical marijuana.
Unfortunately, his treatment abruptly stopped when the family couldn't pay the high cost of the medication out of pocket any longer.
And just like that — Ricky was back at square one after experiencing relief he's waited almost his entire life for.
Ricky started out as any other normal child. When he was four years old, he had his first seizure. Since then, much of his life has been spent in hospitals, doctors' appointments and medicated to the brink of toxicity. His epilepsy is more severe than most people could ever imagine. It's not uncommon for him to have more than 80 complex seizures within one day.
If that's incomprehensible for most to imagine, think of having to endure that for 20 years. Two decades of not being able to participate in daily activities that many take for granted, such as enjoying a meal with family or attending a birthday party. By the age of seven, he underwent the first of multiple brain surgeries. The goal was to remove the left half of his brain to stop the seizures. These surgeries left him paralyzed on his right side and wheelchair bound.
The worst part? His daily seizures didn't stop.
The surgeries were not the only treatment that Ricky underwent. He also tried the Vegus Nerve Stimulator as well as special diets and every anti-convulsing medication possible. Not a single one of these treatments significantly reduced his seizures.
Ricky is one of few people in our country with this specific type of Epilepsy. He has every type of seizure ranging from grand mal to small stare offs. His case is extremely unique. What's left of his brain fires off seizures from multiple areas, making it hard to pinpoint where exactly it's coming from.
Ricky's constant seizures are the biggest obstacle he faces in his life. He is not able to go out and do what he enjoys without fear of a seizure. They leave him tired, anxious, aggravated, embarrassed, and unfocused. He has to be under 24 hour care and constant monitoring.
After Ricky started medical marijuana oil treatment to manage his seizures, his life changed for the better. He was having significantly less seizures and their intensity decreased. He was finally able to truly immerse and enjoy doing what he likes without the constant fear of a seizure ruining it. He was less anxious to leave the house and to try new things. He was much more focused and able to retain information like never before.
This new found relief reflected in his personality, he was more positive and relaxed.
Ricky was also able to hold conversations without a seizure interrupting his thoughts. The tension in his family's home decreased as well. Family time was spent with more laughs and less worry about the next time a seizure was going to send him to the hospital.
Ricky finally had the relief he so badly wanted, and it was ripped away from him because of money.
The family is now asking for financial support that will provide much needed relief to Ricky. Despite all of his challenges, he has the wonderful ability to touch the lives of everyone he meets. He is the most cheerful and caring person, and he has the ability to bring a smile to the faces of so many.
In 20 years, Ricky has never let his challenges get him down.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Albany family: Medical Marijuana Too Costly For Man Who Needs It Most
Author: Ali Stewart
Photo Credit: None found
Website: News10
