My Bad Habits!
"Tobacco, Marijuana & Cocaine"
My story of cigarettes, marijuana, and cocaine.
...but no heroin!
Start Cigarettes, summer, seventeen...
I smoked Marijuana, spring, 1972 in attic...
Cocaine - Bad Influence!
"Patent Name: Garrett Toffey"
Started smoking at seventeen to stroke!
My best friend John, 36 years, 2003, north NJ, 1967, down town, music, and started smoking when he was 15 years old. I joined him when I was 17, in the summertime, just hanging out. In the beginning I smoked only Marlboro Lights and only one or two cigarettes a day. My older brother Kyle smoked as a teenager, too, but he left the family when he was 22 on May 19, 1974.
I tried to quit smoking three times. The first time, I went two months without a cigarette. Two more times, I managed to quit, but I always went back to cigarettes, until I had the stroke.
Learn more about the link between smoking and stroke at the Mayo Clinic site.
learn more about John and me, Tenafly, NJ
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Story of marijuana, eighteen to stroke!
In 1972, at age 18, I smoked marijuana for the first time with my brother Kyle. It was summer in Tenafly, NJ, and up in the attic, Kyle offered me my first joint. I smoked with him but didn't no-high.
However, next day in a attic, Kyle gave me more pot and this time I got high and I liked it! My friends and I joined Kyle in smoking pot most weekends to stroke, 34 years!
A few years later, 1976, I moved to west Philadelphia and smoked more pot with my new friend.
W. Preston, Stop Pot and New Church
In 1977 to 1978, 1 1/2 years, my home, me and friend, W. Preston, Baltimore Avenue and 42 Street, (south east PA), but stop pot and new church in 1984.
Preston's old brother, Ocean City, NJ After, W. Preston and me, Sunday church, Ocean City, 3 or 4 time.
And 1984, W. Preston and I, West Philadelphia and South PA (W. Preston -- William Preston), Sunday church.
Learn more about South East PA, my two apartments and first home.
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Cocaine, 2000 to stroke!
In fall of 1999, I started hanging out with my old friend after my brother Bill met him by coincidence on a SEPTA, 15th Street Station, Market Street, Market-Frankford Line. Friend gave Bill his business card and I got back in touch with him. Friends was a bad influence and I started smoking pot again and even doing cocaine with him.
In college at East North Carolina University, I had tried coke 4 or 5 times. After that I didn't touch coke. But about spring, 2000, new home, Pennsauken, NJ and when I started hanging out with my old friends, south east PA But, I started doing coke regularly, many weekends.
The last time I did cocaine was 1 pm on July 3rd, 2006, 1:30 pm, backyard, black back bag in motorcycle, but stroke. Half an hour later I almost died.
(Lisa, marriage, 2000 to 2006, April, but Lisa, no Smoke, no Pot and no Cocaine!)
On the afternoon of July 3rd, 2006, I was smoking pot and did a line of cocaine around 1pm. At 1:30, I collapsed from a massive stroke.
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"Patent Name: Garrett Toffey Date of Discharge: 9/9/06"
Attending Physician: B. B., MD.
"Diagnosis: Left middle cerebral artery infarction right hemispherical, aphasia, dysphasia, anemia, internal hemorrhoids, possible celiac spur."
History of Present Illness
"Garrett Toffey returns for his second admission to Magee. He was previously at Cindexooper Hospital for diagnosis of a right CVA with left middle cerebral artery infarction with right hemiplegia, aphasia and dysphasia. ..including cocaine, barbiturates, opiates and THC. Both the patient and his family deny a substance history other that possible cannabis use. The circumstances of the stroke ware reportedly that Mr. Toffey was found on the ground under a motorcycle on July 3, 2006. Reason he was place on anti-coagulation and then admitted to Magee for the first time on July 13. He was transferred out to Heinemann Hospital with hemoglobin of 8 and a hems positive stool. While at Heinemann he underwent upper and lover endoscopies and found to have internal hemorrhoids. He was cleared to resume anticoagulation and was returned to Magee on August 8, 2006."
Social History: Tobacco
"Independent prior to admission. Habits: History of tobacco use."
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