Young people who have chronic, daily pain often have to prove their disability to others to fight the notion that ‘young = healthy.’ This makes it difficult for young disabled adults to obtain proper healthcare, testing and treatment.

When, (or if) disabled young adults do get answers, or a diagnosis, we are more than likely met with the harsh reality that the illness’s “treatment” is the prescription of pain medications.

These pain medications are dangerous, addictive, lethal, and the leading cause of America’s opioid epidemic.

I was 15 when my doctor referred me to a “pain management specialist” to treat my chronic pain. This pain doctor told me all that she could do for me was prescribe pills. She assured me and my mother these pills were not addictive (usually) and that I would be safe. I didn’t have to take them for even a week to confirm that these pills, indeed could get me high.

Flash forward to obtaining my Cannabis Card, I finally conquered the challenges and was heard by professionals, sober from prescription pain meds, and treated for my illness in a healthy, and safe way.

Cannabis isn’t just a miracle cure for me, but for so many others. I encourage you all to share your experiences surrounding cannabis. Whether that be recreational, or medical usage, or exposure to others’ usage.

My name is Ahni Perez Krueger (they/them) and I am a survivor of a suicide attempt that caused unbearable chronic illnesses. The start of this story begins on my 12th year. When I was 12, I had my first ‘boyfriend’, Dawson. Dawson was someone whom I couldn’t remember not knowing. My mother and his mother had been friends for almost 20 years at this point, and I was in love. Well as much as a 12 year old can be. Dawson died from a tragic accident just before my 13th birthday. Exactly 10 days before, and I had lost my person.

Losing your person at 12 years old is something no child should have to go through, and yet I was expected to. I developed concerning mental health symptoms rapidly after his death and by the 25th of June, I had broken.

I lived in a 2 story house at the time with my mother. My grief was overbearing and I felt I had no reason to continue as I was. I remember climbing to the top of the 2nd story balcony and landing hard on the pavement, losing no consciousness and feeling everything. The hospital found that I had fractured my L1 and T12 vertebrae int0 shards, compressed my spine and whiplashed my 7 neck vertebrae from my fall.

This accident deteriorated my health and wellness rapidly. By the time I was 14 I had quit every sport I was in and succumbed to the fact my body was different and the pain only would get worse. By age 16 I was addicted. I never had a drug of choice, or craved drugs, but rather I craved the feeling of normalcy. The feeling of having a body like all the kids at school. The ability to walk without discomfort, run, jump. I wanted to be fixed. But the addiction to that normalcy came at a cost. The cost of overdose, and on December 21st 2018 I woke up in the hospital.

I came out of treatment clean, desperate to maintain my sobriety but determined to ease my pain. I went to doctors, pain specialists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, physical therapists, and even got nerve and bone steroid injections. Nothing was helping and I needed a miracle.

After searching for options with my mom, we learned that I met qualifications for a Medical Cannabis Prescription in the state of Minnesota. We got to work on obtaining a prescription, and when I finally was certified, I learned about my miracle cure. I had smoked cannabis prior to my prescription, but nothing in the world was like medicinal marijuana.

This blog will continue my cannabis story and how my miracle cure saved my body and mind.