Written by Battling Chronic Pain, PTSD, and Epilepsy - A father found relief and life again in the plant:
If one wants to find one of the most intense people on the planet with Epilepsy – they may have found him right here! Charlie Urquhart of Boulder Colorado is a dedicated parent, cannabis patient, and also part of the Cannabis Industry – as well as a daredevil on the skateboard. Life hasn’t always been fun for him, that’s for sure – as a child in Texas, he was given drugs for ADD/ADHD like many kids who have trouble concentrating. This started a life of pills and more. Epilepsy would soon follow which created the necessity for even more medications. Eventually, this loving father and husband had to uproot his family and move from their home state so he could gain access to the cannabis plant. He’s not alone in this as many have moved into legal states for access to the plant that’s giving patients intensive relief from health issues through natural plant-based alternative medicine. He came to a point in life where he found himself with no choice in this matter. Pharmaceuticals just made him less functional and unable to take part in daily activities. Like many with seizures, the fight to find the right potion, pill, or product to stop them is a very serious one. With 50,000 per year perishing to epileptic seizures it’s imperative that cannabinoid medicine be accepted instead of continually minimized.
As a patient Charlie is very outspoken and gives heads-up advice to other patients daily – he’s so humble about his own involvement in the industry that he didn’t go into within his interview. Instead, Urquhart sends a message to the world about the plant, about acceptance, and how it literally has saved his life. One would think he would have been injured intensely from his antics as a skater – instead, we share a huge commonality in having chronic pain, PTSD, and Severe Epilepsy. But like all patients, his story is very unique. “I was diagnosed with adult intractable epilepsy 5/2015,” he explained about his seizure disorder, “The doctors have no idea really of how or why it’s developed within me, but they are telling me it’s most likely a combination of all my past head injuries, genetics, and stress. My grandfather had some kind of neurological disease and my dad has Parkinson’s, and I got epilepsy. I’ve had more than a few concussions, stitches, and staples all over the place back and front of my head.” Many with Epilepsy also have PTSD either from seizures themselves or from trauma that caused them – but for Charlie, it’s a heart-wrenching story that he worked through emotion to explain to me, “I developed PTSD in 2014 when I had to rush to an emergency room after a frantic call regarding my daughter – I didn’t even know if she was alive. A father’s worst nightmare came true – I don’t want to go into it but at only one month old my daughter Alice Clementine passed away.” Wiping away tears from his explanation, Charlie explained that his chronic pain started as a youth playing tackle football, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, and more. “I continued to ride BMX and downhill Mountain bike, skateboard, Snowboard, Wakeboard, and Surf – you fall a lot learning these extreme sports. Ultimately it was car wrecks that did the damage that only cannabis has been able to partially undo.”
How did you find out about medicinal cannabis or CBD?
“I found out about medicinal cannabis far before I understood what CBD even was. It was a long time ago – I must have been in 8th grade back in Houston Texas at the time. Friends getting high together hanging out and talking, I remember going out to the movies and there was always a crew ready to have fun in the parking garage and smoke some weed, a friend asked where it came from and the response was ‘it’s my Dad’s medicine from California” but none of us believed it was really medicine although it was true. Back then weed was weed!”
What are you treating, can you tell me how the health issue affects you?
“I’m treating adult intractable epilepsy, some call it severe refractory. I’m also treating PTSD and Pain. If I don’t use plant medicine or cannabis I have seizures, the triggers for PTSD are much more sensitive, and my back and neck start to feel the nerve and disc damage. Luckily I experience what’s known as an aura – a warning before a seizure. For me it feels like every function of my body is slowing down rapidly and my brain get’s fuzzy. There’s almost a tickle within my head – it’s very uncomfortable so of course, I’m doing everything I can to avoid that or what’s next – a spinning feeling out of control that leaves me in a seizure. I’ve woken up in so much pain after these events due to prior injuries to my neck and back – my muscles contract badly. Normally I’m in a pool of sweat too – but that hasn’t happened in quite some time thanks to medicinal cannabis as my medicine.”
How do you use cannabinoid medicine? What types and any dosing information that you’d like to share:
“I use various forms to stop the seizures and control PTSD while at the same time fighting off the pain. I go after everything from the actual flower or buds to concentrates. I prefer wax, shatter, live rosin, hash, and more when it comes to concentrates that are inhaled. As well I use tinctures and transdermal patches, bath bombs, and topical creations. I think all cannabinoids are needed for most, I use THC, CBD, CBN, CBG, CBC and everything else that comes from whole plant medicines and extracts. I try to purchase items that have a nice combination of the most cannabinoids I can find. I dose most days by combustion, vaporization, use of tinctures, and edible forms of cannabis. Because the seizures can be deadly I use micro-dosing which means I take something every few hours, rarely do I go through a day without this regimen because if I want to be able to maintain my life and be a good parent I need to be medicated. The only other choice would be handfuls of pharmaceuticals which isn’t an option.”
What type of reaction do you get from friends, family, coworkers? Have you had any interesting experiences in relation to that?
“Normally it’s a reaction of curiosity or a warm one as they know I’m treating something serious. I’m from Houston Texas so I do get a mixed response from there – some people are worried and for many good reasons – although the laws are becoming more lenient. Back home I have really good friends who I can’t stand being away from – they’ll share a bowl with me anytime. But we’ve got other friends that won’t allow their kids to ride along with me if I’m driving because I use medicinal cannabis – I had to get used to that. I want nothing but good in life for kids but understand that some aren’t as accepting as others in regards to how I medicate – and that would include my parents – especially Dad. People that have issues with it change their minds when they see how my life has changed – and thankfully that includes family. Some may not understand or accept the plant but they like the fact that I’m doing so well.”
“When I was growing up my parents were definitely anti-cannabis as they’d been taught the stigmas instead of the medicine. My father practiced criminal defense for 30 plus years of his life and in Texas, where I’m from, getting caught with such a small amount could cost someone their freedom. My parents believed that cannabis would cause mental health issues but they were against it mostly due to the law. Being a defense attorney gave my dad a certain affinity for freedom – he fights for it. They now accept I’m using the most effective nontoxic homeopathic medicine in the world – because they know it’s given me freedom. Since I moved to Colorado I’ve worked in the Cannabis industry so as far as work goes my medicine is very accepted by all. Most people are amazed that I’m able to do many things that people with Epilepsy can’t do even if they’ve got seizures in control – add cannabis to that and many watch me skate almost in shock once they know I could have a seizure. People accept my medicine because it works!”
Did you take pharmaceutical medications – if so, has cannabis decreased this?
“Yes and yes! Sometimes people ask me if I have a disbelief in western medicine, which I don’t but I do have a problem with all the side effects of pharmaceuticals. About 4 years ago I figured out I could replace seizure medication with plant-based cannabis extracts – and moved my family to Colorado in 2017 to make sure we could live the best of lives which includes me being able to be a functional family member. It took until February of this year, 2019, to feel confident enough to replace all pills with the plant. I told my neurologist I wanted to and he said you can try but I don’t recommend it. Anyway, I told him I understand and then asked him what the best way to go about doing that would be. He’s a good doctor that gave me solid advice on how to wean off those pills – so I listened. But he did warn me I’d be doing this of my own volition and if something went wrong it was not his advice to quit the pills. It’s all about liability even with the best of doctors. I followed the basic advice on weaning he gave me and I’m still feeling the confidence to use cannabis only to this day. I love cannabis!”
What else would you like to share about your journey?
“The first time I tried cannabis was freshman year of high school. My cousin made a bowl out of a sprite can and a different friend had some old weed covered in stems and seeds, we smoked it and played some basketball. I didn’t start using cannabis heavily until college. Dad found a backpack full of bongs and pipes and broke them all once we got home from my parents pulling me out of Louisiana State University my sophomore year. My roommate’s parents called my parents to tell them I was smoking weed because he told them I guess I don’t know. Cannabis gave me relief all along but I hadn’t learned how to use it the way my body needed quite yet. I had multiple accidents related to seizures that could have cost me my life – now that I have cannabis oil and CBD flowing through my veins I don’t have random accidents related to seizures like most people with Epilepsy do. It’s giving me freedom – it’s giving me my life back again so I can be the best Dad possible.”
What advice would you give to those considering trying out plant medicine like this, but waiting to get more information?
“If you’re thinking about using it – try it… try it for sure! Do your research and make sure that you start out slow in your use and go slow to build up a tolerance. Unless you’re a heavy user normally it takes a while to get your doses down pat so you’re not lethargic during the day and remain a contributing member of society and family while also controlling what ails you. Too high of a THC dose for beginners, especially ingested, can scare people away from medicinal cannabis. Someone who is waiting to get more information about the plant should know that it’s a safe alternative that’s good for your body and mind. I go as far as to tell people it’s my favorite multi-vitamin! There are many different ways to use medicinal cannabis but one thing is for sure – this plant is a lifesaver!”
How is your life now after you’ve discovered how to heal/treat yourself differently. Has your activity level increased?
“It’s became normalized compared to the life of continually seizing, it’s actually fun now simply because of this plant. For me it makes me appreciate the tastes of my food to the type of music we listen to. My wife gets really creative with my plant-based diet – I don’t eat dairy or meats – I don’t drink nor smoke cigarettes. Life was always super active for me before seizures took over and pharmaceuticals got in the way. I love sports and have memories as a child of snowboarding so young – regardless of what was going on in life I stayed active. Cannabis now allows me to do that once again – I can go hiking or backpacking and experience nature like I used to but now I do it with nature as my medicine also. When I go rock climbing nowadays I do use rope due to the possibility of seizures – even though the plant has me back in the groove again I still want to make sure I’m around for my kids as they’re growing up quickly!”
What myth about Cannabis do you believe needs to be squashed?
“The very old myth’s that cannabis use makes us stupid and is so bad for us. There’s still a huge population of people who live here in the United States that believe we’re making excuses to get high – it’s time people evolve with the times. As people, our voters, watch as state after state legalizes the plant for medicinal use and as they watch the world accept this plant as medicine I believe this myth is changing as we patients and the industry are teaching people how to be nice, respectful, and calm towards one another as we discuss and learn about it – plant-based diets and medicine were the ways of the past and are the now and future of caring for your health. Cannabis is no exception – it’s a plant!”
If you could send a message, any message, to the world – what would it be?
“Cannabis has caused me to become more mindful and aware of myself and others – not just our presence but our feelings and emotions. I see myself teaching my kids things I never did when I was a kid – it’s hard to put into words. The world needs to look at the lives of the people who have benefited from this plant and not focus on the stoner or hippie aspect way of thinking. We all see the ‘One Love’ stickers, T-shirts, and signs – well that’s really kind of what your mind starts to think after a while when you replace pharmaceuticals with cannabis – the plant is a sign of peace. It’s a shame when something so peaceful is met with anything other than love back towards it. Free the Leaf!”
-Mike Robinson, Cannabis Patient and Founder, Global Cannabinoid Research Center. But, most of all, Genevieve’s Daddy
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