Medical Marijuana 411 Patient Story – Autism

Medical Marijuana 411 Patient Story – Autism

The Unconventional Foundation for Autism, founded by Mieko Hester Perez for her son Joey who has autism.

Transcript: (Video Below) The initial diagnosis was pretty hard to take. I was 25 and my first child was okay and I was just coming out of a not so good relationship with their father. The diagnosis actually made me stronger. Looking back, that diagnosis, autism, made me a better parent but it made me who I am today. It made me a very strong woman. You have to have thick skin in order to navigate through this factor.

I moved back home and I said, you know this is the county I know, I am going to move back home and whatever I need to do, I will do it here. I had no idea about the regional center and did my own research and always wanted to place Joey on a bio med protocol and was very interested and I always thought that was the best way to treat autism after doing my research and placing him on the gluton free casion (SP) diet and that wasn’t successful. Joey started displaying a lot of behaviors in school at the age of five.

A teacher had recommended medication or to see a doctor. We did see a doctor and the doctor put him on three medications. Joey would not sleep and would stay up three, four and five days at a time. I also have another daughter and I was also an independent contractor at the time. I wasn’t eating, I wasn’t sleeping, I was working and that was it. I was working and making sure the kids got to school and that was it. That was my life, up until Joey was seven.

I was still in school and still taking my legal courses, I wanted to go to law school, but after Joey’s diagnosis there was nothing I could do. For so many years, I wondered why I was taking all of these legal courses, why am I working in these law firms. When we got the diagnosis for Joey, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Not only will I not be able to have a regular job, but I have already been trained. God forbid I run a successful business on my own and I am still able to go to all of my son’s appointments. It’s a lot of juggling and a lot of pressure on parents. And we are looking for help for organizations to find a doctor, to find resources to help us, schools and to get turned away from an organization…to get a voice mail period, is just a slap in the face. When their marketing person is making money is making money everywhere, every event that you can think of, but I have yet to hear a parent say, that organization has personally helped my son. That is the reason why that I continue to be the mom that I am. Being helpful with these mothers that fall into the same category.

In our homes, with children with autism, we don’t expect a lot and the little things mean a lot. I know Joey will probably not get a job, I know he will probably never get married. All of the things my daughter will experience Joey will not experience. When joey is able to give us a high five and when Joey recently responded to music that was like winning the lotto. That was huge. In eleven years, it has been so hard to get a response.

We have been trying to pull out Joey’s personality for eleven years….to get a response for eleven years. The medications were masking who Joey was. The medications were given to me to help Joey. We know for a fact that (the medications) did the complete opposite. There was so much damage for the toxins that it did the complete opposite. Would do it again?? Yes, obviously this is something that I needed to learn and something that I was meant for me to learn so I give to (the information) to another family. I have no regrets. My son, yes he has suffered, yes my son…but I am a part of a group of parents who are doing whatever they can for their children their child. The little things, a high five or a response to music or Joey paying attention to the TV for more than 5 seconds, those are like miracles for us. Oh my God Joey just did this!! Those are the things that will carry me on through the day.

<Laughing,> Joey responded to a Snoop Dog song. Some may not understand how big that is. I said, Maybe Joey remembers being in my womb. We have never seen anything from him…it has to be…we switched the radio station to another station and he just sat there. Immediately when we switched it back (Snoop Dog) he started going back and forth again. He let me know that my son is somewhere in there. For that small role, the duration of that song…I had a normal kid in the backseat of my car. That’s all I can hope for.

The Mission of The Unconventional Foundation for Autism (UF4A.ORG) An Informational Website: is to (1)raise awareness and support for families afflicted with this mysterious and misunderstood condition known as Autism; (2) to raise funds for medical research and clinical trials (for full disclosure of details on research & trials please contact UF4A Legal Counsel); (3) to provide functional support of the (IDEA) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to parents in need.

UF4A.ORG is leading the way in nontraditional treatments and therapies not covered by healthcare providers or that place a burden on families who cannot afford services such as Aquatic Therapy, additional Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapies, your contributions will directly help support the advancement of our mission.

The Unconventional Foundation for Autism specifically invokes the First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and of the press without prejudice. The products discussed are not intended to diagnose, cure, prevent or treat any disease but are proven useful for the promotion of health and life extension. UF4A.ORG recommends that licensed local healthcare professionals are consulted.