~ Angela Brown
TBI and Cannabis: A Teenager’s Perspective By: Trey Brown (now 17 years old)
State of Minnesota
Background: Trey Brown was a normal thirteen-year old child that played community sports in the heart of Minnesota with his family. His entire life and health changed on April 25th, 2011 when a line drive baseball struck by an aluminum bat, imbedded into the left side of his head. “I have an inch and half whole in the left side of my brain- the learning center.” He was diagnosed with TBI (Total Brain Injury) which is a sudden injury from an external force that affects the functioning of the brain. It can be caused by a bump or blow to the head (closed head injury) or by an object penetrating the skull (called a penetrating injury). Some TBIs result in mild, temporary problems, but a more severe TBI can lead to serious physical and psychological symptoms, coma, and even death1,2,3,4. As a young teenager fighting for his life for solutions to his many ailments of TBI, Trey began to suffer with secondary conditions such as but not limited to Hypothalamic Storms, Seretonin Syndrome, and Thyroid Storms. Pharmaceuticals were used in a variety of forms and if Trey even missed a dose of levothyroxin it would throw him into a Thyroid Storm. TBI is no joke. He and his mother searched for non-conventional solutions as the current pharmaceuticals hindered his growth and PTSD and depression set in, a common condition of TBI sufferers. Medical cannabis was and is his solution yet due to a lack of program in his state of Minnesota he was forced to move to Colorado and become a Cannabis Refugee. He contributes his medicine - Cannabis - as the reason why he is here today. Now he shares his knowledge in hopes to help future teenagers and their families struggling on whether medical cannabis - as a treatment option - is right for them.
40
July/August 2017
CANNABISNURSESMAGAZINE.COM