My Journey Back To Cannabis

 

Like many people of my generation I was a recreational cannabis consumer "back in the day". And, as is not unusual, my recreational use tapered off to not using over the years. Then life happened. Over the course of the last year or so, I started to develop a good deal of painful maladies. Arthritis, knee issues (likely arthritis, as well, but still not diagnosed fully), neck and shoulder pains, nausea and other debilitating and painful issues. Sleeping also became an issue as nighttime pain interrupted things all night long.  My doctors took the usual route with prescription NSAID's and we found out quickly that OTC meds did nothing, and prescription NSAID's just made me ill and also offered no relief. Opioids were just not even on my radar, and I let my doctors know it. That was a road I just was not going to go down. 

Like many folks out there, I had watched an aging parent with diabetic myopathy and other pain, suffer through that pain and getting enough medication to make life manageable. It was not something I was, or am, willing to endure. After doing my due diligence and research I decided that I would ignore my doctors "advice", (their advice has been to just live with the pain), and go with an old tried and true friend, cannabis. 

Now, I am not fortunate enough to live in state that is run by sane or compassionate politicians where cannabis is concerned. It is still not legal in my current state, despite overwhelming support from the citizenry. Fortunately, I do live within a decent drive of two states who have decided to go the route of sanity. While I am not eligible to participate in their medical cannabis schemes, they both offer "recreational" programs that out of staters can participate in. The products I can obtain are more expensive, but that's the way this rolls, unfortunately. I will take what I can get if it means not dealing with pain or the likelihood of becoming addicted to opiates. 

The good news is that cannabis products are working (when I use them). Flower of various strains, vape cartridges and edibles have all proven very effective at controlling my pain and allowing me to get some sleep. There is no doubt that my "quality of life" improves when I am able to medicate (usually only in the evenings, as I do have things to do in the mornings and afternoons that require me to drive) and I am feeling better now that I have a non-addictive and effective method of pain control. 

So, this is where I am now. I keep researching various strains and consumption methods, listening to reviewers and advisors about cannabis strains and then making up my own mind by using different strains, etc. Now, I'll share what I have run across with y'all. The one thing I have found is that information is all over out there and searching for it is time consuming. So, stick around if you like and jump in, too. Suggestions are always welcome.  -*M*