iPL: 3 in 4 people living with
cerebral palsy experience pain.
Are there any treatments that help
you control the chronic pain from
cerebral palsy?
JB: I’m trying to avoid opioids.
We’ve come a long way with marijuana,
for a lot of different reasons,
too. I’m partners with a
company that makes an edible
and we put my face on the bags
(laughs). It’s called “Josh Blue’s
Dream”. With edibles, it depends
on what strain and how much you
use. CBD is really what I’ve
learned helps with pain. The other
thing I will say about weed is, it
doesn’t necessarily make pain
feel better, but oftentimes it
makes me forget that there’s anything
wrong. It’s more of like,
I’m in pain but I can forget about
it.
iPL: What do you think needs to
be done to raise cerebral palsy/
chronic pain awareness in the
medical community and the public?
JB: Education alone on what cerebral
palsy is would be a good
start so that it wouldn’t be as often
mistaken with other disabilities.
There's a lot of ignorance
26 — iPain Living Magazine
about disability in general so we
can use education on that front. I
think a lot of people’s pain with
disability is just about being seen
as a viable human being. I think a
lot of people would be in less
pain if they were taken more seriously.
A lot of the stigma is societal.
A person should be treated
like a normal person who happens
to move differently.
iPL: How do family and friends
encourage you when you are going
through a flare or bad pain
day?
JB: (Laughs) They don’t give a
shit. (Laughs)
iPL: Any challenges as a parent
that come from having cerebral
palsy?
JB: Being a parent alone is
enough challenge as it is. Children
bickering at each other is
enough of a challenge without
CP. My girlfriend is very loving
and sweet. She always encourages
weed, massages and selfcare.
And, she helps me take care
of my body. There’s only so
much you can do with this condition,
but I find that massages
help.
iPL: Did you go through any surgeries
for cerebral palsy?
JB: I did not. I had a buddy who
had a leg problem and surgery
was a pretty traumatic experience
for him, though ultimately it
helped him. But I’ve heard some
horror stories about people going
to the hospital for one thing and
then another thing breaks down
and another thing breaks down. I
just don’t want to fall into that
cycle.
iPL: The healthcare system dedicates
most of its efforts to treating
children with cerebral palsy. Day
to day challenges with adults often
go unnoticed in the spotlight
of public understanding.
JB: There is a big disconnect between
pediatric and adult care. I
don’t know why that it is. Maybe
it’s not profitable. There’s a doctor
here that has some experience
in treating cerebral palsy but they
act like they’re so proud of it.
Shouldn’t there be more than one
specialist in a whole city? Sometimes,
I think going to doctors is
dumb! (laughs)
iPL: We see your muscles/ you're
physically fit. What therapies or
exercises help keep you in great
shape?
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