Adam Scher’s life was mostly a music-forward experience of singing and playing the guitar until the summer after he turned 30, when seemingly out of nowhere pain and blurred vision caused enough concern to take him to the doctor. After a brain tumor growing on his optic nerve and pituitary gland was discovered, it would take a 14-hour surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center to remove a portion of it, leaving Adam with ongoing pain and sensitivity to light – not to mention four titanium plates in his head. But none of the aforementioned keeps Adam from shining bright as both a marketing coordinator and occasional budtender at Trilogy Wellness, where he’s constantly working on ways to connect and give back to people who’ve had similar experiences to his.
What were some of the biggest differences in your life after surgery?
It really changes your thinking and makes you appreciate life a lot more – makes you consider all the things you didn’t do and should have done. I constantly experience pain, and bright lights make it worse. My vision is very blurry in my left eye and I couldn’t even see out of it for a while after the surgery. It was scary trying to drive somewhere and it has taken me a long time to get used to it. My vision came back and while it’s still blurry, it’s better than it was before the surgery. I like to sing and play guitar, and I can’t really sing anymore without experiencing pain from the pressure. I used to love scuba diving, but I’m afraid to even try because of the pressure and plates in my head.
Have there been any follow-up surgeries since the tumor removal?
Not on that portion of my body – there is nothing else they can do on it and I don’t have any new growths – but I do still have a portion of the tumor in my head. This was my first-ever surgery and (laughs) it was a brain surgery. I had a few hip surgeries following a fall I had during an ice storm. I fell about five feet and landed on my hip, which resulted in a labrum tear. Then I had to have two follow-up surgeries on my hip.
How did Cannabis assist with your recovery?
It definitely helped to reduce the pain I was experiencing. It was also very mentally stimulating, making me happy and giving me a little bit of hope. I think for my mind, Cannabis has been really good and without it I wouldn’t even be able to smile. Thanks to Cannabis I have relied less heavily on pharmaceuticals and have been able to get myself out of the house.
How has working in a dispensary brought you closer to the plant?
It’s so much fun seeing the buds and the evolution of products in my six years working here. Even edibles are coming in the form of live resin and live rosin gummies, and I love learning about the evolution of the products. I have picked up photography and macro photography of buds – I like to buy a bunch of buds and find the most picturesque flower to be photographed. I am not chasing terpenes or cannabinoid levels as much as I chase beautiful looking flower.
What advice would you give to people who receive a diagnosis like yours?
Be open-minded, it’s a really scary adventure. When I was in the hospital, I was in a small group and one of the guys I was with knew he wasn’t going to make it – which scared me. I have been surprised about the acceptance of Cannabis from many of the doctors I’ve seen. When you’re miserable it’s nice to have something that can make you feel good, and being honest with your doctors is really important to breaking the stigma.
Tell me about some of the ways you have given back…
Trilogy donates a portion of proceeds during our charitable drives, and we work with other producers/processors to increase the donation. Last year we worked with Culta, and this year we would like to team up with them again and even more companies. Last year we raised $2,500 and the year before we did $1,500. Seeing the kids at the center, seeing kids with bald hair who are scared out of their minds, is what really made me want to get this going. As a part of the Magic Castle Fund, kids make three wishes at the start of their treatment. We donated to that group in year one, and year two we donated to the Virtual Pantry which helps with general expenses involved in treatment – getting to and from, and more. It’s a wonderful thing and as crazy as it sounds, some charities don’t want the money because of the roots being in Cannabis.
