About the Tour & the "About Me" for Book?

About the book: (draft, not been proofread yet!!!)

First Book: Pot Farm Friends Tour

Gramma Maggie, coming out of a 21 year marriage, and having found complete solace, escape & a reason to wake up every morning, in the tiny screen on her phone (she could only justify as an expense the additional $15 a month Verizon charged for internet service.   To pay $40 for a standard Internet was far above her budget).

She fell in love. Realized she couldn’t fall in love if she was already in love, jumped out of her marriage and into her boyfriend’s world. Left husband with the clothes on her back four days before her 21^st anniversary.

Being a biker, and leaving her biker husband for a non-biker…another story

BF’s world did not accept her. She doesn’t fit. She has turned more “hippie” than ever. Loves people. Likes to talk to strangers. Most of the people that have hurt her have been family.

Even though her twin grand-daughters and grandson, as well as son and daughter, live in WA state; she is feeling a pull to be far away.

For the past year, she has begun to loose her sight. Upper Left peripheral. They call it a “visual field defect” there are also other neurological symptoms. Tests at the UWMC were inconclusive. Check back in February.

 Good timing. In February are her son’s and daughters birthdays.

She has a good friend in Utah she has promised to spend Christmas with. Other than those landmarks, she has decided to purchase a rail pass and meet strangers, like the ones who kept her, most literally, alive over the past few years.

The only thing she is using to guide her is her intuition. Given from God. She is journaling as she goes.

Except for a business training trip, she has never been east of Spokane. And actually, Spokane was business too, but she was with a friend….

She wants to see the world before she can no longer see. In that vein, she is using the tools of FaceBook and the Facebook game, “Pot Farm” to find people who have an interest in the medical use of cannabis; something she has become absolutely passionate about.

Her boyfriend, now technically, ex-boyfriend (needs to figure out who SHE is!); is a stage four kidney cancer SURVIVER… thanks to medical cannabis. In the experimental treatment study in which he was a participant: he was the only person who used cannabis, and he is now the only survivor.

Her own experiences with the medical use of marijuana; stem from the PTSD and chronic pelvic pain and disorders she was left with after sever sexual trauma at a very young age. She was prescribed fentanyl for over 7 years, not having her doctors be optimistic that she would ever be able to survive the pain without some type of strong opiate (was prescribed Fentanyl which is 100x stronger than morphine due to an allergy to morphine).

In August 2009, she was discharged, without any notice, from the care of her prescribing doctor. She had no family doctor, and couldn’t find one who would take Medicare in the  2 days before withdrawals began. She decided to go off of it. 

Withdrawals were the closest to death and agony that she had ever experienced. Level 10 pain PLUS all of the other bodily effects of opioid withdrawal.

After pulling herself out of bed for the flag line of a young hero (she is a PGR member), deciding that there was something out there more important than herself; she began to look toward getting out of bed (where she had virtually lived for the past 7 years) and living.

The ONLY med she uses for pain control is cannabis.

Some days are better than others. She still has days with level 9 pain, but usually it is when she doesn’t have the ability to use the cannabis. It effectively lowers her pain level to between 5 (on a great day) to around 7.5 (on a not so good day).

Living began the next March. When she met “him”…. He called her “butterfly” and showed her she had wings.  Now she is using them. Attempting to see the world, meet new friends … she their world through THEIR eyes. … see who she can help, and how…. Because THAT is the one thing she has always known: she is here to help others. Now she needs to find those that need her help.

HIM showed her how easy it is to grow, she started her first seeds… and the girls should come into fruit around the first of the year. She has a friend babysitting them while she travels.

Gramma Maggie 420, the hippie stoner medical mj advocate who loves all strangers, people as well as other entities, was born.

Great Lakes Stops....so far

Well, I am set to come in to Chicago in the afternoon of  Wednesday, Nov 10th. Some of the places that I will be visiting in that area (so far)....are:   Greenfield, WI, Milwaukee, WI, Crystal Falls, Michigan, Midland, MI, Valparaiso, IN, Albion, Indiana, Terre Haute, Indiana.... 

And this is just my beginning list.  Let me know if you don't see your city listed and you are into meeting!

Begining again

So, now that I am done here at UWMC (University of Washington Medical Center) for the time being; I am set to re-start my journey to seeing everything I can, before I can't see.

My first leg on the train, will be from Seattle to Chicago: Leaving Seattle Monday afternoon; arriving in Chicago on Wednesday, November 10th at 5 minutes to 4pm. I would LOVE to find a "pot farm" friend in the area around Chicago to spend my first 4:20 only 25 minutes after I am due to arrive.

I am excited. I have never seen Chicago. I have a Great-grandfather who's remains are at the bottom of one of the great lakes, yet I have never seen these bodies of water.

I will be spending a few days in that area; I need to make contact with all my friends in the greater great lakes area, so that I can plan out my day trips.

Then I will be getting my tickets for the East coast, and down to Florida!!!

My Letter to Amtrak

Re: case #2383505

I need to add some information to the complaint that I filed with your customer relations office.

During this trip, I had identifying myself as a disabled passenger who required assistance with my luggage. Unfortunately, due to my situation, my luggage was more awkward than would have been useful, but I acknowledged it, and asked if I could get assistance.

I was informed on the phone when I made the reservation, as well as at the station in Van Nuys, CA, that would not be a problem.

In fact, the customer service at Van Nuys went over and above “the call of service” to assist me. Unfortunately, this caused me to have unreal expectations for the rest of my trip.

When I got onto the thruway bus from Van Nuys to Bakersfield, I heard the customer service lady tell the driver of the coach that I was disabled and required assistance.

When we arrived at Bakersfield, I had heard the driver say to one of the first people off of the bus (I waited until the last since I didn’t want to be in anyone’s way); to watch their step.

As I came off of the bus, I looked down, expecting there to be a stool, since it was a VERY large distance (about 18 inches to the ground), there was none. I looked towards the driver, thinking MAYBE he would put a hand towards me to help me out of the bus. He didn’t.

Unfortunately, my stability isn’t good, and I nearly fell from last step to the ground.

When the driver then took the luggage out of the luggage hold, he looked at me and said; "isn't this YOURS?!"

I answered yes, thinking that since not only had my reservation made a point of saying disabled requiring assistance, but a disabled fare, and the Van Nuys station not only had told him that I required assistance, but had given me MUCH assistance in front of him at that station; why wasn’t he asking me if I needed a “red cap” or other assistance, if he couldn’t help me. I was dumbfounded. 

Leaving my luggage in front of him, I searched the area attempting to catch the attention of a station attendant and informed him of my health situation. He was very kind and helpful

As I walked away, I heard the bus driver grumble and say something nasty under his breath about people faking their disabilities to get a break on their fares. I am VERY insulted by that attitude! I may appear fairly young and healthy on the outside, but this man’s actions and inactions actually compounded my disability by causing my pain level to rise.

I am not supposed to lift anything, but forced myself to lift even more than I usually attempt to. This caused my pain level to progress from about a 7.2 on a scale of 1-10 to an 8.8 by the time I had been on the train for about 2 hours. I was unable to do anything to ease my pain for the next several hours on the trains.  

I have enjoyed my travels on the train, when I was told that my disabilities have progressed to the point that I do require some assistance, and I may require more in the near future; I have been excited about being able to travel around the country on Amtrak. I was planning on purchasing a rail pass next month with part of my disability payments, but I no longer think that Amtrak is a good way for anyone with disabilities to travel.

Just during this particular trip, every time I had to transfer; I was met with awful attitudes by the people who I thought I was supposed to ask for help. When I was informed that, no matter WHAT my reservation said, I needed to ASK for help each and every time I had to change trains; I wondered what disabled people who are non-verbal do. How does Amtrak handle that? Are they required to put a sign on their bodies in large letters and in red print: “PLEASE HELP ME?!”

Please let me know what I am doing wrong. Is there any policy that Amtrak has to assist passengers with disabilities; or is it just the MAJOR inconvenience that most of your employees appear to believe it is?

I enjoy the train as well as the friendly attendants that I have enjoyed being around. This was a VERY isolated experience in my travels with your company, unfortunately, this experience has made me hesitant to think that I can effectively travel at all on Amtrak without having to beg someone to travel with me to assist me. This will make me seeing this country before I loose my eyesight completely, nearly impossible.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and look into your policies regarding disabled passengers.

a VERY rough VERY early Itinerary

SOME of the cities that have been mapped out (since I am traveling by train, and other public transportation, the major cities have been outlined, but it isn't set in stone), if you want me to add YOUR area, just let me know!

Seattle -----> Chicago
Chicago -----> Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan (Great Lakes area)
Wisconsin  -----> Washington DC
Virginia  -----> Florida
Florida  -----> Georgia
Georgia  -----> Texas
Texas  -----> California
California  -----> Oregon Coast
Oregon coast  -----> Eastern Oregon
Eastern Oregon  -----> Eastern Washington
Idaho
Montana
Utah (December, spending Christmas in American Fork)
Utah  ----->??????

Planning... THE trip

So, I am anxious to get back on the road. Now that a wonderful friend (a stranger only yesterday morning) came to my rescue (yes, being out of "green meds" causes me a desperate amount of pain and misery from nausea and massive pain issues, and it is enough to change my attitude about life... temporarily, often leading to dispair, but I digress....)

I am soliciting ideas on areas to visit. No more heading to a city unannounced. That doesn't work. I think it scares people. No, I am planning and announcing, and going ENTIRELY by my gut.

So far (as of Wednesday, 3 November 2010) have these destinations pencilled in: Florida, Wisconsin, Montana, Vegas, Texas & Virginia ... and I am ACTIVELY seeking additions. I am probably going to have the first few weeks mapped out in the next 48 hours.

I am EXCITED!!!!! Time to get this party STARTED!!!

Quick Reflections on Current Issue

Yes, I WILL post more later... but for now...

It really hasn’t been that long since I have written… it just seems as though between my computer, phone, God, and the universe entirely; not much has been allowed to be “saved”… and not much at all made it to “posting”… so here I will try again.

For the past couple of weeks, I have felt like I have been in a “holding pattern.”  When I returned to Washington for my neurology appointment at the UWMC, I wrongly assumed that it was just that appointment. I was wrong. It was the precursor to 2 weeks of tests… a few tests, over a two week period of time. None the less; I was NOT free to go.

This was an issue. Not being free to leave, but yet not having a place to live; I was once again: Homeless.  This time, not feeling the “by choice” part.

A friend and I went “half’s” on the fee for me to be able to stay at the “Hospitality House” by the UWMC, but even though I had MAJOR help, $55 per night plus CRAZY taxes, on disability income wasn’t an easy thing to make happen.

Enough of complaining about fiscal issues. That is something that has NEVER in my life been easy… and ALWAYS has been hard to cope with.

Now the tests have been run; all we have is more questions going into my follow-up appointment with the neurologists… and I, after being informed by the ophthalmologist that the perception that my sight has gotten much worse in the past six months, is in fact true. 

I am scared. I want my ex boyfriend... I want to hide and cry and scream and beg to know why... but for now... I will cry a bit, but continue to plan my journey.