8 minute read
Cannabis Lifestyle: A Man for All Reasons
By Dianne Armitage
Mike Robinson is a man who somehow has managed to turn adversities into not just possibilities, but in many instances, dreams come true. Among his numerous passions and pursuits are Genevieve’s Dream, Genevieve’s Carousel Challenge, ECS Balance Control, NANO TERPS, a Professional Cannabis Guide, as well as CBGa Crumble. His roles run the gamut from participant/user to creator.
For more than a decade, Mike, a multiple cancer survivor, has used cannabis oils and nanotechnology extensively for himself and to help others deal with severe epilepsy, chronic Lyme Disease, PTSD, and pain management. For several years, Mike was what is known as a compassion provider. He led a large group that gave cannabis products to those in need who might otherwise not be able to find or afford treatments.
He feels it is important for everyone to understand a couple of things. The first is that cannabis is not new at all, saying “We have evidence showing the ECS (endocannabinoid system) existing in fossils. Legalization is what’s new, as is marketing and other ways to gain consumers’ confidence in a brand. It’s what consultants are all about in any industry, and it’s part of a good ‘business plan.’ Patients especially need to realize this — they are part of a business plan — unless they’re working in a specific program. Some business models include patient education, but it’s rare to find one that teaches something new. My thoughts are patients need a bridge, someone like me, who’s done dozens of symposiums from keynote to organizational committee member. Someone who also didn’t understand and had to learn as much as they could to break things down. People need digestible information.”
Secondly, Mike believes that the endocannabinoid system, its balance, and its tone are not well understood. He explains, “Patients are unaware of the sheer number of endocannabinoids we have, as marketing is geared towards teaching about Anandamide, which is known as the bliss molecule.” He invites anyone hoping to educate themselves about this topic to visit his website: ECSBalanceControl.com.
Mike’s first encounter with cancer was in 2003 when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. During his initial cancer battle, Mike (like many cancer patients) felt as though the treatment was worse than the disease. Added to that (also like many cancer patients), no one had warned him about the possibility of side effects beyond those normally associated with chemo and radiation.
“I had surgery, where they removed the cancerous lymph nodes from my neck, and then they began the radiation and chemotherapy treatments. Only six weeks into this treatment, because of my epilepsy, I had to be hospitalized for the duration since I kept having really bad seizures,” Mike remembers. Prior to his diagnosis, he had been in awesome physical shape with his normal life filled with running, walking, surfing, and hiking — so not even his doctor expected what happened next.
About a week into that hospitalization, his right side went numb. Chemo-induced paralysis is a real thing and can hit anyone who’s had a head injury before having Western medicine’s cancer treatment. When this happened, he stopped all treatments and demanded to be sent home. “Thankfully, the hospital complied with my demands and released me. I spent the next three years in a wheelchair. During that time, I became addicted to opioids, which took me years to overcome. Smoking weed was one of the things that helped!” he recalls.
When Mike’s cancer returned in 2015, not only did he have non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, but he also had another type of Hodgkin’s lymphoma and prostate cancer — and all were stage 4. As one can imagine, he was reluctant to try chemo and radiation again, so, at a friend’s suggestion, he began looking into whether medical cannabis oil might be a solution.
It took some time to figure out what kind of oil worked best for him. He finally determined which did the best job, and felt it was clearly working miracles. After about two months of using cannabis oils regularly at night before going to bed, he would wake up feeling refreshed and ready to face the day.
Mike’s personal research has shown that CBD (cannabidiol) is an anti-inflammatory that can reduce pain and inflammation in patients with arthritis and other conditions involving chronic pain. It has also been shown to have neuroprotective effects against neurological disorders such as epilepsy.
Additionally, it is thought to reduce withdrawal symptoms from opioid use, as well as inhibiting cancer cell growth in human lab studies. Amazingly, it may help reduce nausea and vomiting caused by cancer treatment drugs. Studies are currently being done to see if it may provide relief for people suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease.
His quest for and love of knowledge led Mike to love in real time in his own life. It was due to his desire to give hope and share information that brought Genevieve and her family into his world. He recognizes how remarkable this encounter was when he mentions “A family was created out of the world of my role as a compassion provider. A man (that would be me) with a lot of cancers traveling around the nation hoping to build a Jacob’s ladder, found a child who responded and gave him the look of the ‘Golden Child’ as she came back to life using the plant. Far before I became a researcher and founder of the Global Cannabinoid Research Center. Without her, I don’t think any of this would have happened!”
Prior to cannabis oil Genevieve was literally a prisoner in her own body. With severe autism, epilepsy, and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). She couldn’t walk through the house without issue, and she was stricken over 25 times a day with grand mal seizures. Her mom, Anne Mari, and sisters’ lives were also greatly affected since round-the-clock care was the norm.
“Gen brought us all together and a family was created,” says Mike. “I am proud of myself for helping raise her to age 20! I also became a dad to Sydney, who’s 13 and has grown so much in maturity, it’s incredible. We all use cannabis extracts to help with health issues and/or to maintain vibrant health. I came to this home to bring her oils as part of a massive legacy-based compassion program, giving oils away. Who knew I would end up giving my heart?”
He acknowledges there have been stumbling blocks along the way, sharing “I’m having a hard time entering the cannabis industry due to the crossover from giving, as well as the corporate angle in which the patient is not put above profit, despite hashtags, claims, and videos to the contrary.
Entities are in biz to profit, so it’s been extremely hard to find someone to work with who can handle the production side of things and who sees the vision that quantity of sales allows a quantity of giving, not just a pile of profit.”
Mike is diligently working on The Carousel Challenge. Genevieve grew up loving to ride the carousel in Santa Barbara. When it was removed in 2017, not only was she devastated, but most of Santa Barbara’s residents were too. You can find out more about what Mike is doing to remedy this by visiting his Facebook page: Genevieve’s Dream, The Carousel Challenge. Or on Instagram @CarouselChallenge. He is also highly involved in CBGa Crumble www.cbgacrumble.com. CBGa, or Cannabigerolic acid, is an acidic cannabinoid. It’s the precursor from which other cannabinoids are synthesized, including THC and CBD. Like other cannabinoids, CBGa is non-intoxicating in its natural state. It is Mike’s hope that both Genevieve’s Dream and his CBGa Crumble will eventually provide financial security for her in the future.
At the moment, he is once again facing the uncertainties cancer brings with it. He has recently been diagnosed with Mesentery Panniculitis, which is often associated with Lymphomas. He will be undergoing a series of tests to determine whether additional treatment is necessary. He is hoping the self-treatment he’s done for the past 12 months, which included using Nano cannabinoids while ingesting over 20 different plant extracts, will do the trick!
Quick to respond when asked what he hopes his legacy will be, “My hope is to bring about a change in the way cannabinoid medicine is approached, as well as the basic cannabis industry. I hope to see Genevieve’s Dream CBGa Brand and Genevieve’s Carousel Challenge come to fruition. But, the biggest legacy I can leave is a message of compassion and love that should last forever with the Cannabis Love Story: Cannabis Love Story - Mike's Medicines (www.mikesmedicines.com). And please remember, compassion is love!” Mike answers.
