"...and the leaves are for healing." Ezekiel 47:12

Thanks to Medical Cannabis I am off thirteen medications and in remission from Crohn's. I no longer go to the bathroom 30 times per day and I no longer suffer from joint swelling and muscle pain. 

My name is Cathy Rogers. I have Crohn's, Lupus, Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Asthma and a history of multiple blood clots. To treat the Crohn's I was given all of the conventional drugs and when they failed I was given a biologic drug called Entyvio by intravenous infusion. There was no sign of improvement and my health was declining fast. My gastroenterologist made an unprecedented decision to start Remicade (another biologic) with Entyvio still in my system. This combination worked to achieve remission and my gastroenterologist did a formal presentation of my case to his colleagues in the hope of helping other Crohn's patients. 

Unfortunately, I developed drug induced Lupus as a side effect to the Remicade. I had severe swelling throughout my body. Normal protocol would be to stop the Remicade. However, in my case the threat of losing remission to Crohn's was greater than the threat of Lupus. The decision was made to stay on the Remicade and treat the Lupus with Prednisone, until the Plaquenil and Imuran would take effect. If that didn't work the next plan would be Methotrexate. Unfortunately after each course of Prednisone the symptoms would return and the Plaquenil  and Imuran combination failed.

My joints started to seize up if I sat for any length of time or when I lay in bed. I barely made it to the washroom one night. Once there I realized I could not stand up to get off the toilet. I dropped to my knees and crawled back to bed. I was terrified at how debilitating my disease had become.  

The following day I was given a jar of Cannabis Salve. My friend rubbed the salve into all of my joints and I thought nothing more of it. The next morning, I received a phone call from the person who brought me the salve asking if it had worked. Only then did I realize I had slept 7 hours straight and that I had no pain. Since I was used to getting up every hour or so through the night this was a miracle for me!   

I had already made an emergency appointment with my rheumatologist, so I had only two days to do my research on Cannabis. I decided that I did not want to proceed with the plan to go on Methotrexate due to all of the risks involved. I told my rheumatologist that I wanted to try Medical Cannabis instead. To my surprise, she was very supportive of the idea and made the referral to the Cannabis Clinic.

While at Life Labs for my regular blood work, I told the phlebotomist my story about the salve. That same week another patient told her that Cannabis had saved him from bladder Cancer. My phlebotomist shared my story with this patient who then suggested I call him. Upon receiving the message I did call Jack Kungel and we agreed to meet.

Jack spent five hours educating me on the benefits of Cannabis and then suggested I join the Facebook groups “Cannabis Oil Success Stories” and the "Green Oil Machine Users Group" so I could learn more. I spent every evening reading the stories, the questions and every answer trying to absorb all that I could.  I found both groups to be very helpful and extremely patient with all my questions. www.learngreenflower.com is also a great source of information.

I bought the Magic Butter and Green Oil Machines and learned to make infused and fully-extracted oils. After much research, I developed my own salve recipe which resolved the joint seizing, as well as the neuropathy in my right leg and foot. 

When I began to experience severe hip and back pain, I referred back to my medical diary and I noticed that the pain consistently followed my Remicade treatments. Soon after, the Crohn's symptoms returned. I suspected that I had lost remission and immediately started on a dose half the size of a short grain of rice, of fully-extracted Cannabis Oil. The symptoms subsided within two hours. Four days later, my nurse of 20 years called to inform me that my blood work showed that I had lost remission. She told me I had developed antibodies to the Remicade and had to stop. The plan was to put me on Humira (another biologic). I politely refused and reminded her that my plan if the Remicade failed was to start Cannabis Oil. She was fully supportive as long as I agreed that if any symptoms returned to call her and commit to trying Humira. She then said "Cathy, I hope I never see you again." We both laughed.   

I have been symptom free since June 9, 2017 thanks to fully-extracted Cannabis Oil (FECO). 

I have given up 13 pharmaceutical meds to include Prednisone, Remicade, Plaquenil, Imuran, Lomotil, Gabapentin, Demerol, Advil, Advair, Beconase, Beclaforte, Gravol and Neo Visc injections for my knees.  

The Cannabis is working to maintain remission from Crohn’s, control the swelling from Lupus and manage the joint and muscle pain from Arthritis and Fibromyalgia. My Asthma is also under control.  

I no longer have to deal with side effects of all the drugs like loss of vision and loss of hair, or worry about getting cancer. I no longer have to trade my tomorrows in order to get through today without pain. I wake up each morning feeling rested from a sound sleep. My head is clear and the brain fog is gone. My mind is sharp and I am now able to resume my passion of trading the stock market. Of course, my specialty is Cannabis Stocks!

I have achieved my goal of being able to walk my dogs in the morning for one hour with the aid of a walker, for now. I even played volleyball with my friends last summer.  

I take 1/2 grain of rice sized CBD fully-extracted Cannabis oil infused in coconut oil during the day. At night, I take a half grain of rice sized THC fully-extracted Cannabis oil to keep the Crohn's at bay along with CBD to help negate the high of the THC. I use the salve on my joints to prevent the seizing and for immediate pain relief as needed.   

Thanks to medical Cannabis I am getting my life back! Cannabis does not cure Crohn's and it does not cure Cancer; however it can give you the ability to maintain remission. For this I am truly grateful! 

I am also grateful to be a Canadian where it is legal to use my medicine. I am sad for the people I have crossed paths with in other countries who have had to choose to be “Illegally Alive” rather than to be "Legally Dead."

I am sad that I am unable to travel to the United States with my medicine and loathed the idea of having to take pharmaceuticals when I traveled there recently. Out of necessity I did research on every anti-inflammatory ingredient that I could find and developed the Especially Me For Joints Ultimate Botanical  Balm  that I could take with me on my trip. I was able to maintain remission from Crohn's with a synthetic prescription THC called Nabilone and with my Ultimate Botanical Balm  I was able to walk without the aid of a walker for an hour and a half! At home I enjoy the Cannabalm. 

Cannabis should not, in my humble opinion, be a last resort for Cancer, Crohn's, Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Lupus and MS. It should be a first resort. It should also be covered through Trillium and insurance plans, and not be taxed because it is a medicine. No one should be denied their health for lack of funds. If Cannabis were a first resort for pain rather than Opiates, my sister Gail would still be alive today. After coming home from having had a brain tumour removed in hospital, my sister died from an overdose of Oxycontin. No one has ever died from an overdose of Cannabis.

John H. Stewart, former President and CEO of Purdue Pharma Canada, is the man responsible for creating Oxycontin. John H. Stewart is now the co-founder and president of a cannabis company called Emblem Corp. Having invested $1,000,000 of his own money into Medical Cannabis, Mr. Stewart was quoted in the Globe and Mail stating "Medical Cannabis could save us from pain killers." Mr Stewart saw the need for a paradigm shift. I hope you will too.

As a Christian girl I struggled with the question "How do you support those who fight addiction and advocate for medical cannabis at the same time?" I asked my good friend who is an addictions counsellor how she was able to reconcile the two. This was her reply,

"I am supportive of the  medicinal value of cannabis. In regards to working in addictions and being pro cannabis to treat health, when you use it for the treatment of medical conditions and in a way that maximizes the healing benefits of cannabis it is the same to be as using opiates for pain management after surgery or amphetamines for ADHD. It doesn't matter what pharmaceutical or herbal drug you use. The problem isn't the drug. It is your relationship with it. I also believe strongly in harm reduction. I have a client who is addicted to opiates because of chronic pain and their using is putting them at risk of overdose. I would encourage them to talk to their doctor about other options like CBD to increase safety in their life. I just think it is wrong to shut the door on something so healing because of old school thinking."

For so many years I believed the propaganda, that Cannabis was a bad drug. I believed that it caused harm to our brains. The truth is Cannabis has given me back my brain, the essence of who I am. 

Many thanks to Jack Kungel who taught me the benefits of Cannabis and mentored me throughout my journey.  Without his guidance and the grace of God, I have no doubt I would not be here today. He is my hero.

I thank God for all of the above miracles that saved me from the brink of death. For more than twenty long suffering years, I could not remember what it felt like to be pain free. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I am beginning to feel well and I have hope and faith for a full recovery. It is my prayer that each and every one of you will open your minds to Cannabis as a medicine so that you too may have the same opportunity to reclaim your health.

On 4/20, (National Cannabis Day) 2018 I recieved my colonoscopy report (click on the PDF link below) from gastroenterologist Dr. James Gregor of the London Health Sciences Centre. The conclusion: "Ilial Pouch in complete remission!" My story is no longer anecdotal. It is proof that Cannabis works to maintain remission in Crohn's. The very same cannabis oil helps maintain remission from Cancer. To learn more visit www.jackkungel.com.

There are three other people that I would like to honour. Through more than 20 years of this horrendous journey my mother Madeline Pratt,  my friend Denise Simard and my nurse Pauline Walton Mennill stood by my side. There were no pity parties allowed. They helped me to be strong and to learn to work around my limitations. They too are my heroes. Mom and Denise you are my two best friends. Pauline you were my lifeline and you made  me feel safe. I treasure you for that.

If you have questions please feel free to contact me via email at info@especiallymeforjoints.ca or call/text 

519-259-9658 for a quicker reply. I am most happy to share information to help wherever I can.

Please remember this, "Life is about the people you love, the people who love you and the memories you make together." Wishing you all the gift of time so that you may do so.