It’s hard watching loved ones struggle with constant, agonizing pain.
My dad’s parents both had rough battles with cancer during the last few years of their lives.
For my grandmother, it was leukemia, whereas my grandfather had bone cancer. They both inevitably went through chemotherapy but it only staved off the infections for a few years at most. I fear the same could happen with my parents, but they both already have their own individual health problems to begin with. My dad has chronic kidney stones and is always in debilitating pain. My mom has Crohn’s disease and is also paralyzed physically by abdominal pain many days of the month depending on the time of her previous flare up. My mom is limited on options, but my dad has been creative. He is a big proponent of using kratom supplements for pain, as well as medical marijuana. The THC in the cannabis products packs a heavy punch for his kidney pain, especially if he uses super potent cannabis flower products with a high THC content. When I started experiencing daily issues with anxiety and insomnia, he told me that I should visit a cannabis dispensary and give it a shot. I had only ever used marijuana sparingly in college and couldn’t really remember how it affected me. I was pleasantly surprised at the amazing effects that I got from the cannabis plant. It eased my stress and finally helped me get to sleep at night. However, I learned that I needed to stick with indica strains for my medical needs. Sativa strains might be great for midday depression and fatigue, but they’re volatile with anxiety and insomnia, often making both of those issues worse.