Most substances abusers, particularly those who are into the 'psychedelics,' would have been really jealous of my experience on May 22, 2021 at about 11:30 a.m. on a kayaking excursion down Cherokee, Co. Alabama's Terrapin Creek. In the movie, The Wolf Of Wall Street, we get to see Leo's personification of Jordan's Belfort's freak out at the country club. When he takes methaqualone tablets which are 15 years old. Thinking they are not working he takes more and overdoses. And within 10 seconds from the first onset of symptoms can barely move his body and experiences visual hallucinations with the stairs he had to fall down to get to his car. In reality he's got six steps to navigate. In his baked reality, he has about 12. That 70's Show portrayed a scene where the boys were finally caught smoking dope in their parent's basement by Red Foreman. When they were called up into the kitchen some of them where having hallucinations of vision. I experienced both of those things on Saturday. It's NOT FUN! It's positively mortifying.
I started intermittent fasting in June of 2019. I realized the health benefits and love the fact I don't eat breakfast which I've never liked. That makes sense, due to the fact I hate mornings. Another thing I hate is drinking water that takes me to the point where I have to go use the restroom out of inconvenience. I'm use to the heat and frankly, under hydrate a good bit of the time, as unhealthy as that is. Cortisol, is a stress hormone that increases estrogen, while decreasing testosterone in men. It is bad for health. Physicians and fitness trainers I trust recommended, Ashwaganda to block Cortisol absorption into the blood stream. Ashwaganda is an Indian herb used a lot in Yoga circles as well. It is used for relaxation generally and while Yoga practitioners are going through exercise. I took .07 ml the morning before I left for our kayaking excursion on an empty stomach. I also take CBD intermittently throughout the year. I have smoked pot before with almost no side effects. So, when a coworker gave me her Delta - 8 chocolate bar I did not think much of it. She had been arrested for a DUI and court required her to pee clean. I was the happy recipient of her lose. Besides, it was legal. I assumed it was regulated. When we were put into the water I took about 140 milligrams, giving 10 of the bar to my friend . She made the comment that was all she wanted when I offered more. I should have read that as a sign. So, I had an empty stomach and was not properly hydrated. I chose to lead the pack as a women in our group was assigned the tail. I started out ahead to captain the course for any rocks or shoals. For the first hour things were normal as I saw a water snake and chased it up the bank to get a closer look. About 20 minutes later I started becoming paranoid that every leaf or petal moving on the surface of the water was the tail of a snake. But, I felt mellow and peaceful.
Sometime between 11:30 and 12:00 I hit a wall. Just like it did Leo in Wolf Of Wall Street it hit in about 5 seconds. My hearing became blunted and I became slightly light headed. A paddler behind me would whistle on occasion. I could hear his whistle but it sounded like it was coming in a dream, it was muted and sounded distant. I even started to hear it even when he was not whistling. I knew I was getting into trouble. I lead us to a sand bar and told everyone to stop and rest. I started drinking some tea I got from the friend I gave Delta - 8 to. I walked around and even got into the water to wake myself up. I would hear people talking for a second but their conversations would be blunted and I'd have to pick up on someone else's only to lose track of it. I was hearing things muted and in a dream state. It was just like when you where a child and you where with your parents in the living room watching t.v. It is late at night and you are in the twilight part of pre sleep where your senses go in and out. I went to the other side of the sand bar and used the restroom hoping that would help. It did not. I motioned us back into the water to get moving. I thought I'd eventually get better, but I got more dehydrated and loopy. For the next two hours I was in this dream state of auditory and visual hallucinations. Because of the cannabis, my mouth became extremely dry. I was still hearing the whistling on occasion. Time was distorted as well as what felt like an hour was probably no more than 10 minutes. I was still in the lead and because of this dynamic not many people realized I was in trouble. I remember thinking I'm stoned and I'm probably going to be brain damaged for a lifetime. I remembered praying to God to get me out of this.
My next fear was losing my surroundings to the point where I float down the creek past the point where we are supposed to disembark. I kept turning my kayak around to see where everyone was. This is when I started realizing my visual hallucinations. As a paddler only 30 yards away looked like they were 100 yards away. It was like I was viewing them from a triangled hallway. I'd pass others not in our group and would ask for water. My voice must have sounded much weaker than I assumed as they give it out but with a smirk. I thought to myself, not only am I suffering, but I'm humiliated at the same time. I finally got enough fluid to start the retching process. I'd dry heave making this 'ick' sound not being able to throw up. I sounded like a demented sand crane. Of course the girls who gave me the drink looked at each other and smirked again. I remember thinking how loud was I? Or was it all in my head? My inner dialogue was If I drink this creek water I'll definitely vomit and humiliate myself. But, my mouth was so dry and I knew the water, having bacteria, would absolutely cause me to retch and get some of the toxins out. I started scooping it with my hands. A desperate plan I told myself I would not do thirty minutes prior. I remember a woman from our party trying to have simple conversation with me. I remember only answering yes and nodding my head. I was too out of it to have a conversation beyond a sentence. I remember thinking I bet she thinks I'm rude. I just couldn't respond. It was at this time I started telling people I was in trouble or asking where the take out point was. We stopped at a second sand bar to rest and take pictures. By now I could not even lift my arms and could barely crawl out of my boat. Surprisingly, some in our group still were not aware. When I was asked to be in some photos but could not maneuver my kayak into the frame people started to know something. I kept saying I'm in trouble, I stated I may need to go to the hospital. We got back into the water and this time everyone followed close behind. We stopped at a third sand bar and I could hear people talking about calling the paramedics and coming up with a way to get me out of the water even before our 'pick up' point.
It was safe to say I was no longer the captain of the journey. Heck, I was not even the captain of mine any more. I remember a guy in our group tying my kayak to his and him rapidly taking the lead and pulling my kayak down creek. I remember us getting to a forth sand bar as they were trying to get me into a canoe to lie down. I crawled into the canoe. Moving made me nauseous enough to throw up violently about three times. As humiliating as it was it was God's answer to the prayer I'd prayed earlier. I remember being mad I'd broken my 'puke streak.' I'd not puked since 2004 and was very proud of the fact. I sort of passed out afterwards until we got to a take out point, close to the outfitter we'd used but just up river. I remember barely being able to crawl out of the canoe. But, I did it as observers on the bank watched me struggle. I did not care about the public humiliation. I just wanted to feel whole, sane and coherent again. I remember sitting up on the bank as some good ole country boy held me up. I remember him saying I've been in your shoes a time or two before. It made me feel slightly better to hear that. I was coming to quicker now and I could hear the ambulance rumbling up behind me. They placed a lift under me and put me into the vehicle. We first rode back to the outfitter's parking lot for me to give my friend my parent's number to call. She called and asked what I needed to take with me. I told her only my phone and my wallet. My keys where left at the facility. The ride to the hospital felt like a dream. In reality it lasted 30-40 minutes. In my reality it felt like about 5. Funny, how this time time felt faster and not slower as it had on the water. I remember pulling into the ER parking lot and seeing my parents step out of their car to follow me in. I wondered whether or not I was imagining it or it was them. I realized I'm pretty sure it was them. After being hydrated and having test run it was determined I suffered from dehydration and a potent cock tail that had psychedelic effects. The attending physician told me that since Delta - 8 is a synthetic as it is not highly researched. He said doctors don't know what it's effects are since it is so new on the market. I was not able to tell him I'd taken Aswhaganda extract that morning as well thinking it was not germane to the issue. I told a cousin of mine, a frequent user of Delta - 8, about my episode. He seemed surprised and had never heard of anyone experiencing what I had. I then realized with the Ashwaganda I must have inadvertently produced a high never done by anyone before. Some people in the 'stoner' community would call me a pioneer. Someone to look up to. If any one does, I'll call them a moron. What I did was toxic, dangerous and could have cost me my mind permanently. I GIVE THIS TESTIMONY AS A WARNING. IF SOMETHING IS LEGAL IT DOES NOT MEAN IT IS WELL RESEARCHED. IF YOU TAKE ANY TYPE OF HEALTH SUPPLEMENT MAKE SURE THEY NEVER MIX WITH OTHERS.
j.c.b.
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