Pubdate: Tue, 30 Oct 2012
Source: Times Record (Fort Smith, AR)
Copyright: 2012 Stephens Media Group
Contact: http://www.swtimes.com/site/forms/?mode=letters
Website: http://www.swtimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/529
Author: Shelly Kirby Spaulding

'YES' VOTE SHOWS COMPASSION

I have had rheumatoid arthritis for 30 of my 40 years of life. As you 
can imagine, my body is ravaged and tortured every moment of every 
day I live. I have been on any pain pill you can think of, at some 
point in time. They are very little to no help with the pain. My 
liver is now showing the symptoms of overuse. My day-to-day life is 
filled with television watching, most of the time. I sleep about 12 
hours a night, because even in sleep, the pain creates problems.

Compassion is a wonderful word for those who vote for medical 
marijuana. Even if I were not qualified to use it, I know pain and I 
would have compassion for others and vote "yes" for them. This isn't 
about partying - I don't even drink. This is about quality of life, 
which, at the moment, my quality of life is very poor. If people 
could live a day of my life, I know you would vote "yes." People who 
do not understand a life of pain, nor compassion as Christ intended, 
will vote "no" and that saddens me. I am trying to hold on to the 
thought that most people do care and will vote "yes." Please don't 
prove me wrong.

Shelly Kirby Spaulding

Fort Smith
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom