Roby Baird- "Charlotte's Tangled Web"

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Roby Baird at home. Image shows the scar from Roby's brain surgery where he had 17 staples. Saint Augustine, FL.

Roby Baird at home. Image shows the scar from Roby's brain surgery where he had 17 staples. Saint Augustine, FL.

"On March 7, I woke up that day planning to go surfing with some friends, but our plans fell through.  So, I'd decided to head over to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things I needed, and on my way there I swung by my kids' place just to say hi to them."

Roby pulled into the Wal-Mart parking lot, finding a space for his car. He said within seconds alarming events started to spiral. Roby describes a flood of memories began rapidly escaping his mind, as a horrible pounding pain in his head followed.

"The last moments I remember were my fingers and toes going numb, and the numbness going up my legs as if going into paralysis, and continuing up my body through my arms."

He opened the door wanting to get out and stand up, but he started to black out as a seizure ensued. He fell out of the car onto his face, hitting the pavement.

He is unsure how long he was there until he was found.  Coincidentally, it was a couple who attended Roby's cousin's church in Palatka, FL. who had found him.

Paramedics rushed him to Flagler Hospital in Saint Augustine, FL. A CAT scan discovered that he had an abnormality in his brain. An MRI showed a tumor.

Doctors immediately started him on several seizure medications.

On April 16th, Roby had a biopsy done at Flagler Hospital in Saint Augustine. Seven pieces were removed from his brain. Five of those pieces were sent to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and the other two were sent to Shands Hospital in Gainesville, FL.

April 22, Roby went to Shands Hospital in Gainesville and was told of the seriousness of the location of the tumor. Roby's tumor was sitting in a delicate place. Doctors needed to figure out how best to remove the tumor without permanently effecting his memory and speech. Roby's doctors ordered another MRI on May 7th, in order to decide how best to remove the tumor without doing permanent damage.

Deanna Baird, Kylee Baird, and Roby Baird singing at River Oaks Community Church at R.B. Hunt Elementary School. Saint Augustine, FL.

Deanna Baird, Kylee Baird, and Roby Baird singing at River Oaks Community Church at R.B. Hunt Elementary School. Saint Augustine, FL.

On the night of May 8th, Roby was restless lying in bed unable to sleep, partially due to the medication and partially due to his uneasiness and worry of what this new MRI was going to reveal. Emotionally Roby goes on to say that as he lay in bed, it was the first time he had ever heard God's voice. God told him not to worry and that everything would be ok. He was told the tumor had moved, and that He would be there for him.

Roby considers himself a born again Christian. He says his "faith in the Lord" is very strong and is what wills him each day.

On May 9th, his doctor personally called to tell him amazing news which they discovered from his latest MRI. His doctor called to say, "You are not going to believe this, but the tumor has moved."

Roby said that the news was the confirmation he needed; a reassurance to what he had been told the night before. "What happened did happen. I did hear God's voice!"

The MRI showed that the tumor had shifted a bit, making it easier for doctors to remove it.

May 14th was the day of Roby's brain surgery. It was very successful although the tentacles that were attached still remained. This news meant that Roby's memory and speech would not be affected.

 

Kylee Baird and Roby Baird during worship at River Oaks Community Church in R.B> Hunt Elementary Church. Saint Augustine, FL.

Kylee Baird and Roby Baird during worship at River Oaks Community Church in R.B> Hunt Elementary Church. Saint Augustine, FL.

Seeing the Benefits of Cannabis First Hand

Roby disclosed to me how he has seen the benefits of cannabis first hand. The events began in 2002 when they discovered that his former wife had a lump on her neck while pregnant with their son Garrison. It was tested, and no form of cancer was found. After Garrison was born, it went away.

In 2004 his wife became pregnant with their 5th child; the lumps suddenly started popping up all over her neck. She was sent to Shands in Gainesville and was diagnosed with stage IV Hopkins Lymphoma.

She began chemo and radiation right away. The pain was so sever that doctor's prescribed her Oxycodone, but Roby said that when she would take the medication, it would knock her out for 6 or 7 hours. "She couldn't eat a thing; she was just wasting away. She couldn't even swallow her own spit." Roby said.

A friend then suggested marijuana. "At first I was so against the idea. I just thought like many, that it was just a drug that people abused, but my friend suggested I speak to a girl with whom we had gone to high school that was living and working for a doctor in California. I gave her a call, and we spoke for a couple of hours."

"Next thing I did was purchase a vaporizer and illegally bought marijuana. At that point, I didn't care. I was just trying to save my wife's life."

"Within 20 minutes of in-taking, she asked for a glass of water and drank the whole thing. Right then I was amazed."

Doctors had previously told them if she wasn't able to consume food soon, they would have to feed her through a tube because she was losing weight so fast and unable to eat.

"Thanks to the marijuana, she was able to eat and gain weight."  Roby says that he never mentioned the marijuana to the doctors because he didn't know how they would react. But, he knew what was saving his wife.

Roby went on to say that when her life got back to normal she stopped using the drug. She only used it during that most difficult time, and used it only for what it was intended to be used for.

Roby wishes, that he too, had done the same after his surgery. His surgery left him with horrible head pain. He felt his mind was void for weeks after.

With the Astrocytoma that is left in his brain doctors are just going to continue to keep watch. If those tentacles were to be removed it would affect his memory and speech for life.

"I think that marijuana is one of the most amazing tools against cancer on the planet. With the right CBD and THC combination, it will cause the apoptosis, the cellular death."

"If all they allow in Florida is the oil, then I am cool with that because that is all I want to use. It kills cancer better; it's more effective. I've done so much research and reading on this subject that I know what I need."

"It's a plant. The medical industry hates it- the pharmaceuticals companies despise it, because it's all about the money. They've done just the pill form of THC, but you need the CBD. The two have to work together in symmetry.  You have to let it work together the way God created it."

Roby says that he does not look at this experience in a negative way, but that it has only drawn him closer to his faith and people. He believes God has a purpose for him."It's been a great tool", he goes on to say, "I've been able share my experiences with all the people that I have met since this has happened to me. I've been able to meet people who have been through the same thing or going through it now. It has been a gift from God. "

Roby Baird seen here photographed outside with four of his five children: Garrison Baird, Deanna Baird, Kylee Baird, and Jasmine Baird. River Oaks Community Church at R.B. Hunt Elementary School, Saint Augustine, FL.

Roby Baird seen here photographed outside with four of his five children: Garrison Baird, Deanna Baird, Kylee Baird, and Jasmine Baird. River Oaks Community Church at R.B. Hunt Elementary School, Saint Augustine, FL.