Happy 3rd Cannaversary to me!!
As of September, 2019 I have been using only cannabis oil, along with diet, and lifestyle changes to manage my Crohn’s disease. A LOT has happened in the past 3 years; lots of good things, lots of lessons learned too. And these days, my life is really moving (mostly forward)!
Moving forward with my health (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual). Moving forward, regaining my self worth and self esteem; I am gaining confidence in my self which is assisting me to clean up many areas of my life. Moving forward with taking a personal and fearless moral inventory of my life, looking at my past traumas, my habits, my patterns of behavior, and I am moving forward with the lessons I am learning along this journey.
My ongoing analysis is eye opening, seeing the trouble I’ve caused for myself thinking I was being kind, trusting and generous…but really enabling poor choices and bad behavior. Most of all I am moving forward with my hopes and dreams.
Physically-
I am feeling good and (in short bursts) energetic.
I have been moving my daughter into her own apartment. I have been helping my daughter set up her first classroom. She’s teaching kindergarten so there was a little toilet in her classroom, which made helping her much easier and less stressful for me.
On the Road Again
I have been driving more. I have gained enough confidence with my planning skills and in my body to drive the inside lanes on the roads! No more right lane only driving lol! And on really good days I’ll even brave the freeway! Again, I still have anxiety when it comes to driving myself and I require pre-planning before I drive to reduce my chances of needing a bathroom while enroute and maximizing my chances of arriving successfully without an accident…but hey I am driving, I am moving!
I went out for a friend’s birthday…actually getting dressed up and wearing makeup. I was even spontaneous-ish and went to watch an acoustic performance by members of Black Bottom Lighters on a whim! I was only able to stay for about an hour-ish but it was the closest to anything spontaneous I have had in ages, and when you live with Crohn’s Disease you soak up those moments.
And, of course, for both outings I had my dab pen handy to help make my evenings out more comfortable.
My health continues to move…mostly forward towards better, but there are still setbacks due to stress or exposure to something my body doesn’t like or an illness. Recently people around me had a stomach bug which inevitably, I succumb to. Thanks to my magnificent immune system, it took me longer than those around me to recover, but eventually I got back on track and moving forward with my health. I am still at 0.6 g or 600mg of RSO per day; 3 pills a day @0.2g each. I tried to decrease, but got that stomach bug and realize I do best at this dose so I am staying here for a while.
Mentally, Emotionally and Spiritually-
My emotions and my thoughts are moving and racing; processing old shit to clear the way for new healthier thoughts, behaviors and patterns. This time of year is a big trigger for me and right now my consumption of Cannabis is up a bit to help manage the increased issues due to the movement and rollercoaster of emotions around this time of year. While I was teaching there were many years the holiday season would roll around and I’d find myself in the hospital instead of enjoying the fall or Halloween fun. In fact, 4 years ago Labor Day weekend I was in the hospital. The colonoscopy done during that hospital stay revealed that the 50+ ulcers found in my large intestine in May, had not improved in 4 months. All the traditional meds used in the past were not working. I was told I was dying. Biologics were my only option.
The biologics healed my ulcers, failed to get me into remission and turned out I am allergic to an ingredient in the biologics (polysorbate 80)…so 3 years ago, I started using only cannabis oil.
(You can read about that in my first cannaversary)
Aside from the obvious trauma of being told you are dying, there was a real lack of care and compassion that took place for me behind closed doors, out of the public eye. This only added to my fear and my confusion about what was going on with me, with my health, my job, my life. Up until recently I have not really had the opportunity to properly process all that had and was happening, I needed to keep up appearances…thank God I had cannabis! This process is tough and painful at times, however I have my cannabis to help me manage. I want to be clear headed and not move through life in a stoned foggy state, so I stick to using mainly 1:1’s.
I am so grateful for the time I am taking to heal. I am grateful for my counselor, for my al-anon groups and my al-anon sponsor, for my family and friends, their support and patience with me as I am moving through my pain and healing because sometimes…
“The only way out is through”
The most exciting part for me right now is… I am dreaming again! Not dreaming while sleeping but dreaming about my future, what I am going to do next? What can I do to get off of disability and be independent again? (my LTD company keeps screwing with my benefits causing many cluster f..for me) I am discovering and playing with lots of ideas, possibilities. I am daring to dream about the things that I want to pursue for myself but have been too sick and stuck. So, right now, during my healing, I am in R & D mode. Reading, researching, and experimenting with these ideas and dreams. But all my next steps start with me getting healthy-physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
Future Movement-
With all this new movement and the new changes, I will be posting every couple of months for a while. And, while I take a break from the daily grind and to really get things moving in my life, I am planning a trip, with my cousin to Colorado! An old friend has recently relocated there so I will have a kitchen, a bathroom AND Colorado is a legal state so I can travel and still have my meds!!! legally! We are hoping to go this fall, but may have to wait until spring…either way, that trip will be a lot of movement and I can’t wait!
Stoners on the Move
So first things first, you are not allowed to take it over state lines, DO NOT TRY.
There, we said it.
Now, road trip anyone? You and your best buds are ready to hit the road but you want to make sure everyone has a great time, no one gets in trouble and most importantly you’re all playing safely. Here are our collection of tips to make the road trip EXCELLENT. (Yes, I said that in the Bill and Ted voice).
5 Great Tips for Traveling with Weed and Crohn’s:
- Pick a DD. No really. No one likes tickets, jail or being the prison wife (even if you DO, let’s pretend ya don’t)… so pick a DD. You’ll want at least one person to stay completely sober for every day you’re on the road, so the more buds you bring, the more people in the car will have the opportunity to be high for the ride. And with Crohn’s there’s always a chance digestive issues will start. Focusing on the road and driving safely is a real challenge while clenching your butt cheeks and praying you don’t have an accident. Make sure you’ve got backup!
- Hey baby, you got a nice trunk! Let’s keep our weed in it! No one should be smoking in the car while it’s moving: if you want to re-up on the go, pack some edibles for passengers to munch on. But when it’s time for a sesh on the road, find a cool spot to stop, chill and really enjoy the break before the next DD is behind the wheel. In addition to my bag-o-weed and my suitcase, I also keep a bag-o-stuff in case I have an accident. This bag can be easily/ quickly accessed and contains extra underwear and clothes, wet wipes, extra toilet paper and plastic bags, etc….it’s really an adult diaper bag, minus the cool toys.
- Let’s Trip on our Road Trip! Try to plan a route with cool stuff to see, and if you can work your sesh spots into the scenic tour, even better! But try to find a route with lots of great visuals and points of interest….and a bathroom or two (rest stops, gas stations, convenience stores, out house at campgrounds, etc.) especially if there’s any kind of eating involved during the trip. I also keep my “Gotta Go” card handy to use at restaurants or other stores that limit restroom use.
- Dry Mouth and Munchies can be dangerous! You know what’s great when you’re on a road trip? Music and snacks. They’re even more important when you’ve got the stoner munchies and desire to groove to some great tunes. Pack some healthy snacks and treats to satisfy those cravings and keep the good times rolling. Because of my Crohn’s, when I travel I make my snacks ahead of time to avoid being grungry (grumpy & angry), hangry (hungry & angry) or tempted to eat food that’s not good for me. I pack my snacks in a small cooler as needed and store in the back seat (not the trunk).
- Are we there yet? Half the fun is getting there, but where are you going? If you’re here in Arizona, you know there are numerous amazing spots to enjoy along with your Cannabis. Just remember to partake without breaking any rules. Nothing is more of a buzzkill than being asked to leave the perfect spot over weed consumption. On that note, there are many canna-friendly bed and breakfasts popping up all over in legal states, and if you’re driving a camper van or plan to pitch your own tent, even better for enjoying your herb in the comfort of a home away from home. If you do decide to go off the beaten path and have a camper or motor home, awesome! You’ve got a built in toilet! If you pitch a tent, try to find a campground that has maintained facilities. But if all else fails, these guys are clever toilet ideas! You can even bring a sheet and make a privacy curtain.
We hope these tips help you and your buds have a fun and safe road trip!
If you need some help learning about traveling with your cannabis, products that can help and some great spots to visit, let us know!