How do you quantify pain?

KK Forss with his many pain medications. KK suffers from chronic pain related to back and spine problems. He takes an insane amount of medication for it. Some of the drugs are for the pain, and some of the drugs are for the drastic side effect of those drugs - which altogether prevent him from sleeping, makes him vomit, gives him spasms, and just generally has made it difficult for him to have a normal life.

KK will be appearing in an ad urging the Minnesota House to pass a medical marijuana bill. KK urges Minnesotans to take action. Help get the medical marijuana bill passed.

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Comments

Steve Woolf says:

wow. just, wow.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

Zadi Diaz says:

Amazing how putting all of that craziness into the human body is completely legal and okay. Wow.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

minute44 says:

There is no freakin way that many meds will do you any good. he could litterally fill up a cereal bowl and have his medication as a meal!
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

stevegarfield says:

Nice shot. Of course medical marijuana should be legal in the whole US at the Federal level. In fact, marijuana should be legal. Let's concentrate on fighting real crime and not recreational drug users.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

jdavey says:

I take it that KK drinks more than the recommended 8 glasses of water per day!
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

swede201 says:

maybe there's another answer..
www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/236
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

missbhavens says:

There's no way anyone would have a shot at a normal life taking all those meds. Just no way. Once you start having to take pills to alleviate the symptoms of other pills you've ventured into scary territory.

Someone please get this man some legal weed ASAP.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

thehoneybunny says:

that's out of control.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

sheldonschwartz says:

swede201- that TED link is cool. I'd rather sit with my own personal MRI and watch my brain connections than take this table of pills.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

Daily Piglet says:

@ zadi, as you know as long as someone's pockets are getting fat with cash, and gov't has a piece, it's legal right?

i feel very sorry for this man.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

Chuckumentary says:

Thanks for the comments y'all. KK took this photo himself. He is (well, is/was) a professional photographer.

It was really eye-opening to interview him. He would often lose his train of thought mid-sentence and say "sorry man, my head is like swiss cheese on all these meds."

Medical marijuana alleviated a bunch of side effects from these meds and actually allowed him to stop taking a couple of them, so he could sleep more than an hour at a time and not get sick.

Also, he didn't talk much about this on camera, but when he had access to MJ his relationship with his wife was more functional and he was more himself. Without it... well, they are separated now and he has a lonely life.

That's why he's speaking out strongly in favor of medical marijuana, which is coming before the Minnesota House and Gov. Pawlenty has threatened to veto.

KK is a registered Republican and a born-again Christian who voted for Gov Pawlenty, but says "this is not a political issue. It's a pain issue."
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

juliaschrenkler says:

Chuck, this is a powerful image. Combined with Forss' quote, well, wow.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

act10ng1rl [deleted] says:

oh man. this is so sad. my best wishes are with him.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

lindamccraven says:

iam so sorry. i have a lot of pain also and can't really take anything.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

S.E.D. says:

Legalize it!!! (period)
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

bkkk1962 says:

My son tells me that I have every ailment and disease known to man just because I'm on 16 different meds. Can't wait til I can tell him KK's story! Normally I'm not for legalizing street drugs but if this man really takes all those meds every day then something does need to be done!
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

lolife says:

can i get his #?
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

act10ng1rl [deleted] says:

how can we help him? is there a way that people around the country can help/petition on his behalf? this image is so powerful that I believe people around the country would surely lend a helping hand.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

urbanshutterbug says:

wow!!!! i FEEL for him and pray that there is some other option quick!
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

Chuckumentary says:

act10ng1rl - that's a stellar thought! I'm sure he could use $$ if nothing else, he would also like people to help get this bill passed. He also has a photography book... I'm going to see if it's available online.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

zimmuh says:

I have been going through hell on three meds, totally hooked on BZD's and anti-depressants, prior to getting sucked into this I had been clean and sober since 1984...I have great empathy for KK
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

photohappi says:

Seen on Explore -congratulations -very powerful image!
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

thelifearoundme says:

Before I finished reading the information on this photo, my first thought was... he should smoke weed. All those pills will and could kill him but marijuana would just make him pain free, hungry and happy. Help get this bill past and end the stigma associated with marijuana. Taking too many vitamins can kill you, too much alcohol will kill you, too much aspirin will kill you... and marijuana???
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

caffeineandpixels says:

He should get off the meds so he can get to the real root of the problem. Masking it with meds is only dealing with the symptoms, not the cause.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

Chuckumentary says:

caffeineandpixels - he can't get off his meds or he would be in unbearable pain! he's had a couple of operations and he has to have a couple more. he also gets some sort of spine treatment every 90 days.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

bakelitebrite says:

First emotion: I want to help this man.
This image is shocking, but (sadly) probably isn't the only human being in the US that has to take this much medication. How many more are out there that have to live their lives like KK? I mean, what does his stomach do with all that crap in it?
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

edowney9 says:

legalize medicinal marijuana. plain and simple.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

Angelo Gutierr says:

I think this photo is a

Please add your photo to www.flickr.com/groups/supershot/
After you add it to the group pool, please tag this photo as a SuperShot
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

Photoshopisoverrated says:

If tobacco that gives no real effects but only harms people, is legal, why not weed.
I really do believe people should have the benefit of doubt in their choices of life.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

RachelPortele says:

Wow this is unbelievable, that poor man
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

spiritmind says:

He should try a holistic approach, I am sure the Med. Marijuana will hellp with nausea, but has he tried any NON drug therapies??? it is amazing how many americans either do not know that there are other options besides medications! shocking how many people take drugs because the dr tells them, rather than getting to the root of the problem, they treat symptoms which turns into treating symptoms of symptoms....instead of PREVENTION! but there is no money in prevention :-) Drugs are a business no matter which way you look at it! :-)
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

my 808 world says:

this is just nauseating,
but a great pic can tell a story
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

Udris.lv says:

Dr. House
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

<christian/> says:

I don't believe this.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

toriamosrocksout2007 says:

Damn! I thought I took a lot of pills!
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

teethremoval says:

man .. pain... could always move to another country/state
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

Dakota Dave says:

And everyone here thinks a joints gonna cure his problem?

lol
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

Photoshopisoverrated says:

If he says it works for him, why not?
Joints are pretty harmless anyway.. Can't hurt to try.
Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

a;dfkls says:

he probably gets full from taking so many damn pills
Posted 5 months ago. ( permalink )

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How do you quantify pain?

Comments

Steve Woolf says:

Zadi Diaz says:

minute44 says:

stevegarfield says:

jdavey says:

swede201 says:

missbhavens says:

thehoneybunny says:

sheldonschwartz says:

Daily Piglet says:

Chuckumentary says:

juliaschrenkler says:

act10ng1rl [deleted] says:

lindamccraven says:

S.E.D. says:

bkkk1962 says:

lolife says:

act10ng1rl [deleted] says:

urbanshutterbug says:

Chuckumentary says:

zimmuh says:

photohappi says:

thelifearoundme says:

caffeineandpixels says:

Chuckumentary says:

bakelitebrite says:

edowney9 says:

Angelo Gutierr says:

Photoshopisoverrated says:

RachelPortele says:

spiritmind says:

my 808 world says:

Udris.lv says:

<christian/> says:

toriamosrocksout2007 says:

teethremoval says:

Dakota Dave says:

Photoshopisoverrated says:

a;dfkls says:

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