There are innumerable thoughts swirling around in my head today. I have put off this post until I could wrap my brain around recent events.
First.. I like to start and end with goodness when I can. The headline... will only make sense to a tiny number of people who may come here. But, it makes more then enormous sense to me.
A few days ago, the same fellow veteran Arthur, that I had gone to Myra Crownover's office last year had gotten an appt so see the staff member at the Veteran's office after our upcoming PACT meeting. I asked if I could come along, and he welcomed me. I worked on getting my folder ready to give him. I had another copy of War Without End, and a paper by the Baker Institute. Arthur had also gotten a copy of the book "Cannabis saved my life' and he would have all the patients present write in it before he presented it to the the Senators office.
My dear friend Dan
Sunday I drove up to Austin to be at the PACT meeting in the morning. It was a difficult and emotional time for me. I did have a new roommate, K, who I had a wonderful time with. We talked for hours and really enjoyed each others company. We walked to a nearby restaurant and I had tortilla soup, which was wonderful. We stayed at my fave BnB. It is only a few minutes from the capitol, and it doesn't take long to get there. I was very anticipatory about the meetings that day.
Arthur and a visitor
Shortly after we arrived at the meeting room, the Vet Committee staffer arrived to talk with Arthur and I. He gave us some quality time, about an hour, and he said he had several questions for us when we came to the appointment in a few hours. I was glad to be able to thank him again for his words after the committee hearing.
Myself, the visitor and Jax
As for our first meeting without it's founder Vincent. It..... was...eyeopening. It was heart wrenching in more ways the one. Above all, it was wonderful to see patients that had come from all over Texas to unite in this cause. There is much I will not say here now. Perhaps in time, perhaps never.
Vincent, we miss your wisdom and compassionate heart.
After the meeting, Arthur and I headed over to the meeting. I do not have words to fully express the gratitude for the time that R dedicated to talking to Arthur and I. He had good, solid questions. He gave us advice on how to move forward. And above all.. he said we were getting closer.. and that providing the Senator with scientific research would help a lot. At the end, he also said to keep doing Operation Trapped. He said the Lt. Gov decides what hearings like this are held. So I think that writing and asking him for a hearing into this would be helpful. There was so much I got to say, and have HEARD.... for what felt like a long time. Not since my meetings with Reps Joe Moody and David Simpson have I felt this much better, and reassured. Patience.. yes.. I have that.. there are patients though, veterans, who do not have the time to be patient.
But I will continue to fight and gather information. One thing we veterans are good at.. it's accomplishing a mission. Make it harder? Damn f'ing right, we'll fight even harder. We have the dead, children and veterans to fight for. We have Moms, Dads, grandparents, siblings, friends.. fellow humans we don't even know that we must fight for. I pray.. I pray.. the time will come when Texas will allow us veterans to finally, finally rest. To lay down our arms of battle and just be. Not have to keep doing as we have. This last battle.. for all of our country men.. and for the world. Not just Texas, which is all of the above.
We have all tried so many things, as a fellow vet just told me, she has tried things she should never have tried. Things that endangered herself and her child at one point. Medical cannabis is generally the last thing that gets tried, not the first. This has led to the death of many who would not try it for they will not break the law. But I did not come here to die this way.. by my own hand, after the horrors those asshats put me through. So I will live.. carefully.. and hypothetically...missing the feeling of safety I once had. To come here.. and now.. to risk my freedom, for my life and more so for the lives of others.
Our time will come. One day I can come here and declare that the war on patients and people has finally ended.
Over and Out,
Myst
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