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Probable Medical Journey to Seattle; Need Info

M

moose eater

In short, I may be headed to Seattle for an evaluation/2nd opinion re. some procedures.

Spent a fair bit of time near Pike Place off & on, over the years, but not in a long time.

If/when I go for the 1st trip (possibility of a 2nd trip if things take that course), I'll be having appointments near/at Harborview Medical Center; just up the road from a well-known cannabis store in Belltown (??), and from Pike Place Market.

I'm seeking references for cannabis-friendly (or even cannabis-neutral) places to stay that won't break the bank. Some of Seattle's lodging, I noticed, damned near requires a co-signer these days.

Anyway, I found 1 B&B that advertises as such, but little else.

Willing to stay in cheap (but safe and clean) motel/hotel, B&B (especially if there's privacy, such as a separate unit from the main home/apt.), etc.

I'd be staying at least a couple nights on a first trip, and if the more involved procedure(s) were to take place down there, then on a return trip, I'd be there at least a couple or three nights, and my wife would likely be there during a good deal of that time.

Thanks in advance if anyone has a line on such places. The more info. the better.

By the way, last time I flew out of a larger airport up here, cannabis was safe to carry in a carry-on through TSA. Is that still the circumstance, and how do they feel about a decent portable vaporizer in carry-ons these days?

Thanks again.:tiphat:
 
M

moose eater

Also, if a second trip for actual procedures were to occur, then the second trip might involve a wheel chair, so the second stay would be best with either ground-level access, or elevators.
 
M

moose eater

Thus far I have Seattle B&B (if I got the name of the place correct) that offers a cannabis friendly atmosphere, up on the Hill, more or less in the same area.

The cheapest hotel I've found (the page we looked at the other night advertised at $115/night), but isn't cannabis friendly, per se (likely no smoking in the rooms or in the open, though functional opening windows work wonders, when combined with a breathable cap on a brass bowl) is Hotel Seattle. And they're only just over 3/4 of a mile from Harborview Medical Center, just up the road from the cannabis dispensary, and slightly further from Pike Place Market.

At this time, if a second stay for procedures was involved, counting pre-op, related tests, and post-op follow-up, sufficient to rule out infection after release, my total stay (with and without my wife) would be likely in the 8-day range (+/-).
 

therevverend

Well-known member
Veteran
That part of town has gotten really expensive can't imagine anywhere half way decent that doesn't cost $$$. I doubt you'll find anywhere that openly encourages cannabis use. The government doesn't allow cannabis 'lounges' you're on your own looking for a safe place you won't be bothered. Hotels won't advertise because of insurance liability unless there's somewhere that charges big money as part of a scheme to make money off cannabis tourism.
That said it isn't a big deal most people are fine with it as long as you aren't blowing smoke in their face. Open a window and you're okay they'll look the other way and staff won't care unless you draw the asshole.
Usually Harborview isn't a hassle but one time I wen their for blood work and they had metal detectors and a cop set up. Gave my jacket to the cop and it happened to be the one I used for trimming. You could almost roll a joint out of all the green matter in the pocket. I got the speech about how that stuff isn't allowed in the hospital and asked if I had more.
I think they were trying to run the homeless people out of their or a gangster full of holes was in the ER. Worried about a hit on him. Either way I'd leave the stash behind when you visit the hospital.
 
M

moose eater

Thanks for the heads-up, rev.

Yeah, I'd gotten the impression that the technical line in the sand was similar to Alaska, but the areas that used to be looser before legalization, were stated to me to be much the same post-legalization; water-front, parks in that area, etc.

I can blend in with the best of them, and try not to go places smelling like Humboldt or Trinity County in Fall time. ;^>)

Not sure of the technicality of the vaporizer on the aircraft (not smoking; just having it in the carry-on luggage; batteries being the issue over the last bunch of years now, and my vape not permitting removal of them, that I'm aware of; an older Pinnacle Pro that gets used VERY rarely).

I flew out of Alaska a couple years ago, to S.E. Alaska, to escort my adult daughter back from her schooling there that she'd completed. TSA was nonchalant re. cannabis and much of its paraphernalia then, but that was under a different Admin. in Washington, D.C. too; none the less, I still stashed it in ways that a good Border Patrol Agent would have had difficulty detecting it, let alone TSA, figuring that what they don't know, can't haunt me later. ;^>)

Somehow living in the paranoia of the past has left a cautious tendency about me when it comes to not drawing flags that don't need drawn. "Discretion being the better part of valor," and all of that stuff. ;^>)

So I've probably got most of the info I need, with the exception of the technicality on vapes, pipes, and cannabis on the plane, versus scoring weed in Belltown and yet another pipe at Pike Place (I seem to buy one there for travel every 15-20 years or so, so I'm probably due). ;^>)

That, and maybe racing stripe decals in the event I occupy a wheel-chair and want something unique. ;^>)

I have a vague recollection of trying to score before a Bruce Cockburn concert at the Paramount circa 1987, and I -think- we went by Hotel Seattle in the darkness of early night; I recall a fellow of sketchy appearance (sketchier than us, anyway) trying to run a rouse of "Give me the $ and I'll be back in ('x' minutes)." Can't recall if that was in front of/right near Hotel Seattle or not, though.

That bit of nostalgia outa' the way, is Hotel Seattle likely a place where we want/need to keep one hand on our wallets and another on a blunt instrument, or still representative of the quaint Seattle decorum I recall fondly?

Thanks much for the reply and info.!!!
 

therevverend

Well-known member
Veteran
Downtown Seattle is really safe this days, it always has been compared to other major cities but I think even more so now. Of course use common sense and be aware of your surroundings but I think you'd need to be looking for trouble to find trouble.
Personally I don't go to dispensaries, don't need to but a friend of mine was saying good things about Have a Heart. They're located on Blanchard near Pike Place in Belltown. He said they had good customer service. I've found the budtenders are usually full of shit but they smoke the product so they know what's good in these places.
I've also heard good things about Uncle Ikes' there's one on Capital Hill. Heard they have good prices. Here in the Washington state section there's a thread about sativas I mentioned a bit about the company Kiona Tropicals. They grow rare sativas I'm very impressed by them. If you go to their web site you can see their strains and where to find them. I'm not a fan of the dispensary system but they're one place that seems to be doing things right.
Don't let my story about the hospital make you paranoid ganja is everywhere around here. Once again use common sense and such but you can take a vape hit literally anywhere and walk into most places smelling like a run over skunk. My hospital story was the exception, if the cop had given me any more guff I would have taken offense. Seattle goes out of it's way to be politically correct and not offend which includes sick people who use cannabis as medication. Stick to your guns and you'll be fine.
 
M

moose eater

Thanks again, revverend.

Yes, Seattle, Minneapolis, Vancouver, B.C., Amsterdam, and a few other places, have always been viewed by me as more People oriented places...

Even back in the 70s, Seattle (in general)/Waterfront/Pike Place was/were 'unofficially' weed friendly, especially before Pike Place Market became so regimented with the renovations.. Still have a nice brass calabash pipe made by a fellow in the Islands there, who used to run an outdoor booth at Pike Place; Primo Pipe Co. Nice guy. And nice pipes. That was LONG ago.

I'm usually fairly subtle in my activities no matter where I am..

The folks at Have a Heart were very helpful on the phone. They had some tempting sounding sativa/haze varieties in the 22-23% range that, if I don't take my own stash on the aircraft, will hopefully cross my palate. I neglected to ask what they're charging for such items, but with money flying about the way it does in any medical venture, I'm guessing it'll likely be the least of my concerns. ;^>)

Uncle Ike's came up in the reading on Seattle B&B. There seemed to be an affinity between the two places, if not an over-lap of sorts.

I wish the old, classic 100+-year-old places on the hill didn't have such steep approaches, but they do look pretty cool, and the view benefits by it.. Such climbs would probably require having someone haul any wheel chair up the steps, if one becomes necessary, and likely have me groaning at each step. My wife's helped pack moose quarters before, so I guess I can burden her with assisting in packing me. ;^>)

Thanks again....
 

therevverend

Well-known member
Veteran
Ah that sucks lots of hills in Seattle. I was going to warn you to wear comfortable walking shoes even inside the hospital it can be a trek from one clinic to the next. It's easy to get completely lost in there. You could walk for an hour and have no idea if you're seeing the same places over and over or if you're actually going somewhere.
 
M

moose eater

Well, Murphy struck again, but in every gray day there's some sun hiding some place.

The folks who sent a fax to obtain records never called to confirm the receipt of it, and the intended recipient didn't apparently get a fax, so had no reason to ask at that time.

That was 2 weeks ago. So the records that should have been sent, are hopefully getting sent tomorrow.

And now the person I need to see in Seattle is gone for a week, so I've pushed back any previously scheduled stuff up north, and am looking at the first week in June.

One of few times I held my tongue and didn't more directly speak the thoughts running through my mind. Probably a good thing.

The good news is that I have extra time to correct the maladies with my cuttings, arising from having taken too much time in the first place.

As it stands, it'll be a marathon trip; down on the red-eye, and back later that evening, probably still chewing on Ivar's clam strips, swilling some sort of beverage to accelerate the time and decrease the stress, and trying to figure out how to get my 'vacation's' trinket(s) of haze-sativa cross(es) home.

Do they still do the awesome Dungeness Chowder at Pike Place Brewery?? That and the haze sativas might serve as a good carrot of sorts to hold up at the end of this 'jaunt.'
 
M

moose eater

Less than a week until the visit to the surgeon's in Seattle.

Asked the Doc's minion about getting pre-authorization for any tests the Doc thinks he may want/need to run, as I'll be there for ONE day.

She replied, in a somewhat disconnected, who-cares sort of way, that they won't ask for any pre-authorization before he sees me.. Never mind that he has images, records, etc., so could well have a good idea what tests might be next, if any.

It's a good thing that there's limited service oriented jobs where folks can keep their nose in the air, and still collect a paycheck.

When I become King, such folks will lose their heads!! ;^>)

Meanwhile, I've received no recent info or updates re. flying into, or out of SeaTac with reefer.

While TSA had determined it was not a threat to in-flight safety a couple years back, apparently Alaska Airlines, with folks flying on their aircraft routinely carrying weed back then, had taken the alter-boy stand, no doubt protecting their licensing re. FAA compliance as a commercial operator, and at some point published the dotted 'i's and crossed 't's public statement that "(cannabis) is still illegal under Federal law, and therefore not welcome on their (Federally licensed) aircraft." (*Close to a quote, but factually, likely a paraphrase).

It reminded me of a discussion I had with an Alaska Air flight attendant 25-30 years ago, re. that Psalms tract they used to leave on your meal tray back then (remember meal trays??). I told him that it was presumptuous and somewhat insulting (admitting that I can get a fair bit of religious/spiritual at 30,000 ft. in harsh turbulence) to leave a religious script on others meal trays, even if the intention was positive regard.

When I confronted the presumptuousness, good will intended aside, he replied, in somewhat of a less than fully knowledgeable manner, that "That's why we use a non-denominational tract."

I pointed out some of the denominations/religions that didn't necessarily subscribe to that group of Christian faiths propaganda, whether Old Testament or New Testament, reminding him that for many, religion is a personal or private matter.

I then asked the poor guy what might occur if I were Rastafarian, Coptic, or other groups that were alleged to use cannabis as a sacrament, and left a doobie or bud on his plate? In kind regard, of course!!

Not sure he ever understood.. Maybe? But they stopped putting the tract on meal boxes, trays, etc. anyway, a number of years after. Maybe for the cost of the thing. Seems nearly everything else that was once gratis comes with a portable credit card reader now.

Now I get religious without the tract when it gets bumpy... and smoke a bit before I get on the plane.

Wonder what would happen to their 'bottom line' in their financial books, if they banned everyone with cannabis IN their system?
 

trichrider

Kiss My Ring
Veteran
sea-tac is pretty busy, so tsa has no time to evaluate every traveler...meaning they push you through quickly unless there be some other 'flag' you've raised previously.
i have taken stash every time i've flown out of there without regard or sweating profusely.
you'll be good imo.
sorry to hear of your troubles.
cannot comment on the rec/mad outlets as i'm still boycotting them all.
good luck moose.
 
M

moose eater

Thanks trich..

I think as time approaches, I'm becoming more snarly as the clock ticks; less patience for BS from nearly any direction. I guess in that regard, it's getting down to what matters, and things that go beyond that become a nuisance, and not much more. Poor time for me to find broken (anything) around the homestead. ;^>)

I suspect my remaining family at home sense that. ;^>)

I flew a couple years back with weed on Ak Air, to SE Ak, but even then, with pre-Trump FAA, I still stashed it where they'd have needed a microscope and gas chromatography in baggage handling to locate it.

What got me wondering, other than for the seemingly benign changes in Administration in D.C. ('business as usual' for many things, including airport traffic), was reading that there'd been folks pushing the envelope and using commercial air transport out of SeaTac to send large volume (one case reportedly involving folks paying an under-age kid money to check large bags filled with ganja), and that Airport Security, Seattle Police, the Feds, and others had lost their sense of humor or patience.

In that environment, it was hard to tell what level of leniency was still held there.

If I can ask, when did you last fly out of SeaTac with stash? How much? How visible?

This trip is down and back, pretty much medical only, with the exception of the 'reward visit' to Pike Place Market for landjaeger, clam strips, maybe a head shop, and maybe the stop at Have a Heart Belltown, where I've spoken with staff via telephone, and found them very helpful, with an impressive menu; potent and interesting hazes on-board.

My gear will likely be ONE carry on day pack, or 3-day pack, with one change of clothes, meds, toiletries, etc. I can do what others have reported, and lay the store containers/packets in between folded clothing, making a point to leave the sausages in their retail plastic bag at the scanners, separate from the back pack, as I found flying to Manhattan 6-7 years ago, when I took a bunch of moose jerky and some smoked salmon, that organics looked a bit weird under the x-ray, and they pulled me aside to inspect the 7 lbs. of jerky and fish.


Thanks again!!
 

trichrider

Kiss My Ring
Veteran
February this year...seatac to denver & return,

year ago or so seatac to hawaii & back,

both with under an ounce rolled and in my toiletries bag with meds.
several times prior to colorado and back without incident.
...nothing they could call a commercial amount.


hope it works out for ya
 
M

moose eater

Thanks!!

I'm just thinking maybe several grams of choice Haze/Sativa varieties. An 1/8th each at most. Small, and hopefully they'll have them in sealed scent-free envelopes/slips.

If I happen to bump into some truly choice seeds representing such items, then I wouldn't be opposed to a packet or 3 of seeds as an investment, as well.

No telling how my clones will do in my absence. Always a trust issue, more so for the elongated absence for any surgery, than for the day trip.

In the past I've left specific instructions, but instructions with living things also mean that the person can't just look at the writing; they need to look at what the critter in front of them is telling them in its actions/inaction. Therein lay the rub a time or 3. :^/.

Thanks again!!
 

therevverend

Well-known member
Veteran
Pretty sure they don't sell seeds at the dispensaries, the state doesn't want anyone growing except for their licensed taxed suppliers. Don't know if I've mentioned Kiona Tropical's stuff but if you're looking for sativas they have great stuff. I avoid the Rec stores so I don't know much but the Kiona flowers I smoked were the real thing.
I'm the wrong person to talk to about airports, haven't flown since 9/11. I think things are a bit more relaxed compared to a few years ago. Maybe packing it up and sticking it in a mailbox might be safer? Or a mail man might end up getting stoned...
 
M

moose eater

Thanks, rev..

As long as I run the sausages through the scanner in their own retail bag, other than for the new-fangled combination roller suitcase/pack/duffle having so damned may straps as to attract curiosity (potentially), it's quite likely that I'll receive more attention than my luggage; I wear suspenders, and taking them off is a pain in the ass, so they take me aside and use the wand on my suspender clips/buckles, to make sure that's the reason I'm setting stuff off. ;^>)

I hear you on not flying since 9/11. I've taken maybe 2 trips or so, possibly 3, on larger commercial aircraft since then; Manhattan, L.A., and maybe one other, largely due to the dishonest means by which they initially targeted folks for searches early on.

I saw a lot more hippies and bikers being searched after the scrutiny picked up a bit, following the Towers going down. The bastages used it as a green light to scrutinize the same folks they'd always scrutinized, and it had nothing to do with potential terrorism, as far as I could tell.

I fly on smaller personally-owned or chartered aircraft each year, often into the bush.

Anyway, I got your PM, rev. Thanks. Maybe we'll see each other.

I'll look up Kiona tropical and see what they're about. if they're downtown in my acceptable radius of travel, and I don't get too waylaid by the Doc or his minions, I may have time.

As far as mailing stuff, don't know if I'd have time to hit a post office, though there's a private mail box place (Mail Boxes R Us?) near Bavarian Meats at Pike Place Market (they used to send me sausages from there), but I won't have a food sealer with me. And I'd want to pick up a small metallic box, like a smaller cookie tin, or the type of metal container with metal lid that wallets & such things often come in. They make great containers to put double-sealed pouches in, and defy gas chromatography swabs or scans by voyeurs.

Thanks again.
 
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