Jail. Unbelievable. That's how I found out I had Multiple Sclerosis (M.S.). In fucking jail. What an unbelievable nightmare. I had onset symptoms which included optic neuritis and trigeminal neuralgia. It took the vision from my left eye. I suffered disorientation in which I felt as if I was drunk and dizzy. I temporarily lost the use of my left leg which caused horrible pain. The entire nightmare was exacerbated by a law enforcement agency that could not comprehend that while suffering an onset of M.S., a stroke or a heart attack, a person may be disoriented and appear dillusional. Not drunk or on drugs as they seem to suppose with everyone that is acting strange, but needing immediate medical assistance.
On one incident, I didn't understand what was happening. I was so dizzy that I couldn't stand up. My heart was pounding and I felt like a knife was stuck right through the middle. I thought I was having a heart attack and at my age I didn't think that it was possible. I began yelling in pain. Emergency services were called and the police were the first to show up. Their solution was to take me to the hospital. Not the emergency room where I could be treated properly. The mental hospital. In handcuffs. No matter how much I tried to explain to them what was happening, they ignored me. So did the mental hospital. I was handcuffed, medicated forcefully and accused being on drugs and mentally ill. It made no sense to me whatsoever. I had only preliminary possible diagnosis at the time so I needed more tests to confirm what was wrong. I did my best to explain but they seemed to be convinced that I was a heroin junkie. I don't even drink alcohol let alone hard drugs.
On another incident I was charged with domestic violence, resisting arrest and held on a warrant for truancy. My daughter missed school while on chemo for leukemia. (Her cancer story was featured on the network Viceland's show Weediquette, season 1 episode 1 "Stoned Kids".) All of my charges were eventually dismissed as they had no probable cause for the arrest but not before I was brutally assaulted by two corrections officers. I was pounding on the door asking for medical attention as my world began spinning from M.S. onset symptoms. Doubled over in pain I was drug out of my cell and tazed in the spine. I'll never forget the words uttered by the corrections officer: "Fucking junkie, I'll straighten you up." They handcuffed me in a restraint chair for four hours. I was held for over a week and then released. A few months later I went blind in my left eye and my left leg stopped working. I was considered a drug dealer for using alternative methods with my daughter along with with a few more dedicated rebels who inspired the legalization of cannabis in our area. That's us. Me the single dad and her the cancer victim. Just real people trying our best to survive the unthinkable. I will tell the story in another post and why we were harassed by agencies in Washington state that seem to be hell bent on human trafficking using the law to secure their paychecks.
Burglary was the charge this time. A class A felony. I was out for a walk early in the morning. I was feeling good but a little disoriented. I left my phone and keys at home because I didn't think I would need them and my pants had no pockets anyway. The symptoms started about 2 miles into the walk. I was dizzy. I didn't know where I was. My leg began throbbing so I literally laid down in a field. Things only got worse. I eventually looked for a house to make an emergency call and get home. I was very disoriented and wandered onto a back porch of a house hoping to ask the owner for a phone. The owner came out swinging. I couldn't get any words out of my mouth other than "I' don't want to hurt you I need help". He tried to punch me so I ran away. I found a tree to hide behind waiting for the sheriff to arrive. Maybe they would help. I don't remember much of the ride but they handcuffed me and once again took me to jail. I was held for three months. I once again begged for medical attention in jail and was instead handcuffed to a restraint chair. This time for 16 hours. My heart was failing and I could feel it. It feels soft like your going to start crying. I continued to beg for medical attention and the response was "The longer you act up, the longer you are staying in that chair." They took my blood pressure a couple of times and left me there to suffer. I was so furious when they let me out I began screaming at the guards. They decided I was incompetent to stand trial so I was cuffed and taken to a mental health facility for "competency restoration" for 45 days. I finally begged the person in charge to take me to the hospital because I was having symptoms. I explained that I was undergoing testing for M.S. and he finally allowed me to go...in handcuffs and legirons. I received an MRI which confirmed white matter lesions on my corpus callosum and an M.S. diagnosis. Several months had elapsed in the most sensitive time of onset. M.S. damage in non-reversible and non curable. I was released to another mental hospital where I saw a neurologist who confirmed the diagnosis. I explained the dizziness and disorientation to a psychiatrist who told me that my physical diagnosis and mental health diagnosis were two different things and I needed medication for mental health. I argued of course but apparently I'm the idiot and they hold the keys. They treated me with steroid as to reduce inflammation. I was eventually sent back to jail as competent. The prosecutor refused to drop the charges and instead offered me a plea bargain. I was held for a total of 7 months without treatment because according to the standards of the jail they are unable to treat me or take me to the hospital for testing. My trial was approximately 2 months following my return and if found guilty I was going to prison for 2 and a half years. I only had an inadequate public defender who barely had time to review my case before each hearing so I took his deal and pled guilty to residential burglary to save my life. No appeal possible and signed under extreme duress. While on probation I experienced several other alarming incidents by corrections officers. It seems that once you are marked as a criminal, nobody believes a word you say. So I say F the blue in that region. They need a major audit. It was obvious that my appearance on Viceland in support of kids with cancer using cannabis was not accepted by those unbelievably close minded people. All I ever needed was help and someone to listen to the truth. Something they obviously know nothing about.
This all happened in Cowlitz County Washington State. I will continue to share my story and the nightmare that is law enforcement in that state. I suffered irreparable damage do to the ignorance of a few individuals who really don't seem to care about the truth. I hope this reaches the appropriate audience and and is shared as I know there are other victims of police brutality and testosterone filled ignorance that goes along with packing a badge and a gun. You only need to search bad cop videos on YouTube to see the horrific ignorance that some police officers have. I also hope that public defenders are given adequate time to review cases. My case was and absolute nightmare and I can only remain positive while I continue to live with the trauma that never seems to go away.
On the brighter side my M.S. symptoms have subsided and I am living a fairly normal life. I enjoy poker and am lately obsessed with blockchain information and cryptocurrency trading.
More to come!!