@hazelblumberg Hazel, are we twin sisters separated at birth? I, too, am married to an attorney and am an attorney. (Though basically retired due to my multiple health issues. I only work half days and that is when I can!). Our childhoods are similar also, and you like so many of the same things I do. Who would have thought I'd find a kindred spirit on Mayo Connect?

Yes, indeed. We are consumers, and doctors are independent contractors. I refuse to go to one who treats me badly. It's happened in the past, and I have exited. And written him or her a note to let him or her know exactly why I'm leaving. I wonder if I can attach the letter I just sent to my dentist. Let me see if I can. But first I must remove incriminating evidence, such as names. OK, here goes.

In regards to MM, I say do what you can to get relief from the pain. If you can get it from a friend, then do it. It beats taking opiods! Just my humble opinion. Some laws are just plain nonsensical. Such as being able to get highly addictive and dangerous opiods but not being able to get MM.

Hazel @hazelblumberg, your letter doesn't show up that I can see. I'd be interested in reading it.

I'm an only child, but I always wished for a sibling--so that my mother's attention wouldn't be so totally and utterly focused on me! Maybe she secretly DID give birth to twins, though. You never know. There are tons of secrets in my family.

Hazel

@oldkarl First of all, let me say I am sorry to understand you may only have a few months left. I am keeping you in my prayers. I say do whatever you need to do to be comfortable and feel good! I am also so very sorry you had such a bad experience with MM. Most people I have talked with or had contact with have had good relief from their pain. Maybe yours had THC in it? I understand that there is some that has very little or no THC. That is the kind I am hoping to some day try. I have never done any illegal drugs in my entire life, not even smoking marijuana. But my pain has gotten to the point that I am most willing to try MM. I am a pretty stoic person, but sometimes the pain does get to me. I refuse to take those "legal" addictive pain pills. And I can't take aspirin or Advil - have had ulcers.

@peach414144 I am right there with you, sister!

And don't forget all that you can get from the free sources. The NIH.gov, the OpenLibrary.org, CancerNet.org, Amyloidosis.org, the Mayo Grand Round videos, etc. Good stuff, there. A lot of it is very brief, but can be very helpful.

Thanks for the note, blindeyepug. Fortunately, one of the things I deal with is that the fibrils have invaded my sensori-nerve system and taken away a lot of my pain. But that is also the curse, because those nerves transmit the signals from my brain to my heart, lungs, etc. When the signal to my heart quits, so do I.

Thanks for the resources @oldkarl. I had not seen the Mayo Grand Round videos...definitely adding it to my list of links.
http://medprofvideos.mayoclinic.org/
John