SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A woman who goes by the name Summer Waltman is being kept from a heart transplant by medical marijuana.
“We’re fighting to keep her alive,” said Andrew Babcock. He added that, “It seems to me like they’re just sending her just to die.”
According to family members, the bright and fun loving 23-year-old woman was born with fetal alcohol syndrome and has suffered heart complications for years.
Waltman had heart surgery when she was 6. Ten years later, she had a pacemaker put in.
Her heart condition worsened after she went against a doctor’s recommendations to have a baby last year. This is according to her cousin, Andrew Babcock.
“She didn’t ask for all of that,” said Babcock, “she just wanted to be a normal person.”
Waltman is in need of a transplant but was denied. Another option, a medical pump which could extend her life from days, to years was also denied.
“Just watching her go through all this is hard,” said Babcock.
According to her family, Waltman was denied because she uses medical marijuana for pain management and comfort. Her denial might have also been as a result of other potential factors.
A 2015 state law forbids discrimination against patients who use medical marijuana in the organ transplant process. The doctor makes the final decision to establish if a patient’s marijuana use as well as other factors could impact a transplant.
Sensing her time is up and with limited options, Waltman has taken to social media to pour her heart out, writing on Facebook, “I hope I made an impact in some people’s lives I’m sorry I did everything I could,” and ” I put up one hell of a fight.”
Her Family has revealed that Waltman had been seeking medical help in San Francisco but was transferred to Mercy General late Thursday night where she’ll be kept comfortable.
