"We tried this possibility or I'm going to die," says gardener's father about medicinal cannabis use
Cannabis patient cultivates and produces his treatment and his father's; results are surprising, according to Celso Murilo
Celso Murilo Gava Barreto, a 27-year-old veterinarian from Cândido Mota (SP), began treatment with medicinal cannabis at the age of 21 due to a genetic condition affecting his spine. From an early age, he dealt with chronic pain and muscle tension caused by various changes and protrusions in his spinal cord. Additionally, he was recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a condition that intensifies his daily pain.
"My chest and abdomen contracted so much that I couldn't breathe," recalls Celso, who withdrew from his activities at the Maria Flor Association for two months due to the intensity of the pain.
Before discovering cannabis as a therapeutic alternative, he faced insomnia, anxiety, and depression in addition to pain. The impact was devastating on his quality of life, but traditional medicine could not provide the relief he needed.
The beginning of the journey with cannabis
In 2015, during Celso's first year of college, his father suffered an ischemic stroke, which profoundly marked the family's life. "We live across from the hospital, so we were able to quickly start first aid," he recalls.
Even so, the right side of his father's brain was severely affected, compromising his motor functions on the left side, leading to a loss of almost 50 pounds and, subsequently, constant headaches caused by addiction to painkillers.
Celso spent three years trying to convince his father to try cannabis treatment. The biggest obstacle was his father's resistance, who, being a military man, had a prejudiced view of the plant. However, after a serotonin crisis, he finally accepted the idea. "Either we try this possibility or I'm going to die," his father said at the time.
It was then that Celso began to grow cannabis to produce his father's medicine. The results were surprising; his father regained his appetite, stopped having seizures, resumed driving, and returned to his professional activities. "The improvement in quality of life was remarkable; he regained his autonomy and independence," comments Celso.
Over time, however, the difficulties in maintaining the home cultivation increased. In 2022, Celso's father started using cannabis oil produced by the Maria Flor Association.
"I took the specialization course and fell in love with the association; entering a greenhouse with cannabis was something beautiful, incredible," says Celso, who began working at the association, contributing to the planting. More than two years later, about five months ago, Celso stopped contributing as a gardener and returned to his role as a veterinarian.
The achievement of the HC and self-cultivation
One of the most recent milestones in Celso's life was obtaining the permit for self-cultivation of cannabis after almost two years of waiting. Additionally, he secured a habeas corpus to ensure his father's treatment. Now, it is Celso who produces both his medication and his father's.
"Today, with the experience I've gained about the plant, I know how important individualized treatment is," he emphasizes. Celso has tested oils with different concentrations of CBD and THC and discovered that the best balance for his case is a 1:1 formulation. This personalized approach has provided the results he has been seeking for so long.