I know that Mr Liz has briefly told my story, but here it is in more detail.
Yes, I am sensitive, but not ashamed, about my condition.
In 2005, I chose to have gastric bypass surgery. I weighed 245. I spent 1 1/2 years researching surgery and other weight loss options, not to mention years of trying all the fad diets and pills. I have a strong family history of diabetes and heart disease. I had injured my ankle 5 years prior to this and lived with constant pain when I walked, which also helped contribute to my weight gain (all those ding dongs didn't help either!)

Now remember this part later.....I chose to have surgery for my
health!!!
Yeah, I'll admit, I also wanted to be thin again! But my health and my children were my first and foremost concern. You see, I couldn't run and play with my kids anymore and I couldn't work, either, due to my ankle injury. I suffered with bouts of major depression too.
So I, we, made the agonizing decision to have surgery. Not an easy thing to do!!!! I was making a lifelong commitment with no way of turning back. I just love to hear people accuse me of taking the "easy" way out. My response is "what part of surgery do you call easy?!!"
Immediately after surgery I had complications. My stomach (what was left of it) swelled up so bad that no liquids, let alone food, would pass. They finally had to put a tube down my throat and dilate my stomach back open. I spent 8 days in the hospital before I got to come home.
Things went well for about a month, and then the vomiting started. I couldn't hold anything down, not even water. My stomach had closed up again. Repeat the dilation thing again, 2 weeks later I land in the emergency room again. Once again, my stomach closed up. Only this time I'm admitted to the hospital due to severe dehydration. They dilated my stomach yet again and then discover my gallbladder isn't functioning and it has stones!! So out that comes. Hey, I only spent 6 days in the hospital this time!!!
Fast forward 4 months....The same symptoms, nausea, vomiting, and now pain when I ate. Oh yeah, remember the part where I decided to have surgery FOR MY HEALTH?!! When does that start? Anyways, back to the hospital I go. Only this time, my stomach is wide open. Yet the pain and vomiting continued. So back to surgery I go for an exploratory!! Yee Haw!!
The doc found some scar tissue build up around my stomach and intestines, but no real obvious reason for my symptoms. I spent 10 days in the hospital that time.
Soon after coming home, I discovered that if I took the vicodin shortly before meals, I could eat. At this point I was thrilled to be able to eat without pain or puking!! This went on for months, and it began to take its toll on me, and my family. Anxiety,depression, anger...I don't think I need to explain the hell me and my family went through. The doc began to hassle me about the pain meds and I kept yelling "then figure out what's wrong with me!!"

He never did.......
Fast forward 8 months later, same thing only now I'm on vicodin, percocet, ativan, phenergan, ambien, prozac.......Oh yeah, remember, I did this for my health.....
I'm finally referred to a specialist, the best in his field. And once again, exploratory surgery. Only this time, I'm 180 miles away from home. Once again, the doc found scar tissue, my stomach was attached to my liver by scar tissue, and I had a section of bowel that was "twisting around too much, huh?" But nothing to explain the pain I felt when I ate.
I was sent home on vicodin and all was well for a few weeks, until I ran out of the pain meds. Then I was right back to where I started from. Only now I'm going through major drug withdrawal in addition to the pain, nausea, vomiting, dehydration, and malnutrition. At this point, I'd been on vicodin consistently for a year.
The only explanation the doc could give me was a physical addiction to the pain meds. My stomach had gotten used to the pain meds and reacted with pain when it wasn't there. He likened it to wearing silk socks your whole life and then when you removed them, your feet hurt when you walk barefoot. In otherwords, the so called professionals have created a drug addict, thank you very much!!!
So the doc put me on methadone, with the hopes of weaning me off. Keep in mind, up until this point, I was an occasional user of cannabis. I had been for several years. I only smoked at the end of the day, it was a nice way to unwind and I found it helped with stress and my depression. It also was the only time I could eat well, but I hadn't put two and two together yet.
So back to the methadone......the doc put me on too low of a dose and I was going through some major withdrawals. To help me with the withdrawals, Mr encouraged me to medicate with cannabis during the day in addition to nightime. Wow, did that ever help!! Thank you, honey!! One of the side effects, I noticed, was that I could eat without pain!! Life was great! I could eat, for the first time in a year and a half, without the need for pain meds!! No longer did I have anxiety, and my depression was under control. Life was worth living again!!!
It was at this point, with my hubbie's support and encouragement, I sought out a doctor who recognizes the medical benefits of cannabis. I found one, thanks to NORML and my hubbie's research. I gathered all my medical records and went to my appt. I had an hour long examination and discussion with the doc about the use of cannbis and walked out with my recommendation. Since July this year,I've been a legal medical user(according to the laws of my state) of cannabis and proud of it!!
As far as I'm concerned the feds can go....well I think you get it!!