When your doctor gives you (legal) magic mushrooms: Canada's first patient explains - EP36

Description

In loving memory of Thomas Hartle, who left us one year ago today, on August 13th.When I first spoke with Dr. Valorie Masuda in 2022, I had this conversation with Thomas not long after. After releasing our recent podcasts from the (first) doctor's perspective of psilocybin assisted therapy for end of life distress, it's only right we share the first patient's experience.Thomas was so open and vulnerable that it's hard to not feel emotions listening to him share his story.His legacy lives on as more and more patients receive access to psilocybin therapy who desperately need it. ❤️❤️❤️More details:Thomas Hartle became the first Canadian to receive psilocybin assisted therapy legally through Health Canada's Section 56 exemption program. Diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in 2016, Thomas underwent 78 rounds of chemotherapy throughout his journey, experienced remission, then faced another tumor recurrence that sparked severe end-of-life anxiety.After finding the Johns Hopkins psilocybin study showing 80% success rates for existential distress, Thomas applied for legal access through TheraPsil organization. His anxiety score dropped dramatically from 36 to 6 after his first heroic dose treatment with Dr Bruce Tobin. He's now completed six legal psilocybin therapy sessions using both Section 56 exemption and Special Access Program pathways.Our conversation goes into Thomas's cancer journey starting with an initial Crohn's disease misdiagnosis, multiple surgeries including ileostomy, HIPEC heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy, and his ongoing palliative care. Thomas talks about dealing with chemotherapy side effects, how he recovered from neuropathy using lion's mane mushrooms, and various adjuvant treatments like turkey tail mushrooms he discovered through PubMed research.He walks us through his actual psychedelic experience - the ego dissolution, consciousness expansion, preparatory sessions, integration therapy, and set and setting protocols. His treatments had him blindfolded with headphones on listening to the Johns Hopki