Medical Cannabis Update-Week Four

I promised I would give a weekly update on our journey with medical cannabis for our severely autistic son. We are 28 days in!

In Minnesota, medical cannabis was legalized for autism in July 2018. The program is regulated by the state of Minnesota. You can read more HERE about how we got started.

Want to know if medical cannabis is legal for autism in your state?  Click HERE.

After getting a prescription from his doctor and jumping through all the hoops, we started him on the lowest dose possible. Our dispensary offers three blends of medical cannabis. Think of it as three strengths. We started with the lowest. 28 days in, we are still on the lowest blend. I do plan to check in with the pharmacist next week and discuss transitioning to the second blend.

Our goal with medical cannabis has always been to reduce his extreme anxiety, help him be calm, calm his brain and body, and help him to sit and be present in the world around him.

In week one we saw a reduction in anxiety and in week two we saw so much improvement around engagement. Week three was all about our family. For the first time EVER, Jamie and I talked about the future with excitement and hope for our family. You know that feeling of walking on eggshells? We’ve lived it for seven years. It’s disappearing. Week four has been a combination of everything. We are still seeing improvements. He hasn’t plateaud in anyway. He is sleeping, sitting, interacting, noticing kids, ‘singing’ songs, relaxing, etc. I could go on and on. One year ago I would have never believed any of this was possible.

Here is a high level overview of the results we’ve seen over the last week. As always, I encourage you to watch the video. I go into greater detail. Also, to here are links to videos from WEEK ONE, WEEK TWO and WEEK THREE.

• Last weekend we brought Cooper to my in-laws house to watch fireworks. It’s a big, end of the year tradition we do every year. Cooper loves watching fireworks on his Kindle. He also loves asking to watch them in real life. But as his mama, I know he is very scared of them and won’t actually watch them. We would NEVER force him to watch them either. He traditionally sits in the house and watches a movie while the fireworks are set off. This year, I offered him a pair of noise canceling headphones and the option of watching them through the window. Cooper has never worn headphones in the past. He has always refused. Even getting him to wear them for a minute has been a struggle. This year, we talked and prepared for the day. And he wore the headphones for the whole time we were there and watched the fireworks through the window! He self soothed. He was happy and content. He wasn’t anxious at all. It was a wonderful night having him near the family and happy.
• Cooper heard a song on his Kindle and proceeded to sing it to me non-verbally. He danced. He smiled. He laughed. He even mimicked the noises in a song before. FIRST TIME EVER. I melted.
• Cooper is sleeping in until 7 am every day. For many years he woke up at 3 AM. Then 4 AM. For the last four weeks he has been sleeping in until 7 AM. But that isn’t even the most exciting part. Traditionally, when Cooper wakes up, he is immediately like the Energizer Bunny. He is running, rolling, crashing, jumping, etc. I’ve often said, he is either awake or he is sleeping. There is no groggy wake ups. And we have to follow the same routine every morning. Kindle, breakfast, etc. But the last four weeks have been different. He wakes up slowly. He is calm. He sits. He relaxes. He isn’t running. It’s been absolutely amazing.
• We’ve been able to have our windows and doors open! This has been life changing. For the past seven years, Cooper has tried to elope from our house. Every door and window has an alarm and they are double locked. We haven’t even been able to use our patio door. Our patio door has been open multiple times the last four weeks. He isn’t running. He isn’t eloping. He is so much calmer and relaxed.
• Our bedroom door no longer needs to be locked. He is not stripping beds or putting things in the bathtub. Yay!
• He went last weekend to visit his grandparents, his favorite place in the world. Typically when he goes he gets super anxious about attending and returning. He can’t seem to transition smoothly. This time, he had absolutely no problems transitioning.
• You know that feeling of walking on eggshells? Our family has felt it for years. Our world revolves around autism, behaviors, triggers and what our son can and can’t do. It’s a hard way for families to live. That feeling is starting, slowly, to go away. We see hope in the future. And it’s life changing.

I share so much more in the video!

https://www.facebook.com/findingcoopersvoice/videos/2177158712502975/

I plan to update weekly on Cooper’s progress. Check back!

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Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe, humorous, caring and honest place where you can celebrate the unique challenges of parenting a special needs child. Because you’re never alone in the struggles you face. And once you find your people, your allies, your village….all the challenges and struggles will seem just a little bit easier. Welcome to our journey. You can also follow us on Facebook and subscribe to our newsletter.