A Bernie mom says legalization of cannabis oil for medical use is a good start toward legalizing medical marijuana
Brandy Johnson, right, gives her son, Tres, 10, a peck on the cheek as his "Nana", Delia Johnson, hugs him on his other side Thursday at Capaha Park in Cape Girardeau. Tres was diagnosed with diprosopus, which is more commonly called cranial duplication. Tres suffers from more than 100 seizures a day from his condition. (Photo by Laura Simon, SEMO News Service)
"It's a bittersweet victory," she said. "A small victory."
The Bernie, Missouri, mother of three became an advocate for medicinal marijuana after researching its benefits for those who suffer frequent seizures. Her youngest son, Tres, was born with diprosopus, commonly known as cranial duplication. It's been estimated that fewer than 40 such cases have ever been reported.
Much of the time, infants with the diagnosis are stillborn or given just a few days to live. Tres celebrated his 10th birthday in March.
While he's defied the odds, Tres still has a long battle ahead. He suffers more than 100 seizures a day and he's quickly run through available treatment options -- a problem exacerbated by the fact that his condition is unique from the other cases of cranial duplication because such duplication is not present in his brain.
"It makes treatment more difficult because you can't compare him to others," Johnson said.
She said people had asked her a couple of years ago about the possibilities of medicinal marijuana to treat her son's seizures, but Johnson said she ignored the suggestion at the time "because I thought I had options."
Right now, Tres has an implanted nerve stimulator that gives him regular shocks. When he has a seizure, Johnson can shorten its time by holding a magnet over the implant. Doctors recently had to boost the pulse of the implant -- something Johnson said they were unwilling to do initially because it didn't prove effective.
Like the nerve stimulator, Johnson said many of the treatments her son has tried cause him pain and discomfort. Just a few weeks ago, he nearly went into renal failure. The various drugs they have tried come with severe side effects, she said, and even a chance of death.
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A Bernie mom says legalization of cannabis oil for medical use is a good start toward legalizing medical marijuana