Emilee Sharp
In April of 2010 I was involved in an ATV accident. I fell down a cliff in Fish Lake National Park with my ATV and was crushed multiple times. I broke my L3, L5, S1, shattered my sacrum, broke both hips, fractured my right ankle and shattered my right heel.Thus began my chronic pain journey and discovery of the benefit of medical cannabis. For five and a half years I went thru countless surgeries, lost my ability to have children, and was on 13 medications taken multiple times a day.
By August 2015 I was 65lbs heavier than I am now, and heavily addicted to my opioids and alcohol. I decided to detox off of my medications cold turkey, which included: a Fentanyl patch, 100mg of Oxycodone, 4,000mg of Tylenol, 3,000mg of Ibuprofen, 4,000mg of a nerve relaxer, 50mg of a muscle relaxer, a arthritis medication, Xanax, Valium, two antidepressants, and stomach medication to keep my stomach from developing an ulcer. On top of all of this, as of December 2016 I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.
It took me three months to detox cold turkey, at home, alone. I survived three suicide attempts during this time. The only way I was able to get thru this time and continue to function today is Medical Cannabis. I am able to keep my arthritis and pain level in check with cannabis, without worrying that my heart may stop during the night. Something that can easily happen with opioid therapy.
I continue to fight for medical cannabis legalization in Utah because of my past and present experiences. At least seven people in my family are currently on opioid therapy and have been for at least five years. This is common for many families in Utah and something the legislature needs to address now. Let us choose a safer pain management therapy for our family and ourselves.