It is a rare day off and I find myself sitting and thinking about patients that stand out over the past three months. I began this journey because I strongly believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to have the right medication and experience minimum side effects from their medicine.
Cannabis IS an option for folks now and we have had some amazing results. Probably the most impactful are the ~ 15 patients we have been able to assist in reducing and/or replacing their opioids with cannabis products with high CBD in them. It is so important to people that they remain focused, productive, and able to do their jobs. This ability to focus without being distracted by pain is beneficial to folks. Often I will get patients that are afraid to have any THC in their medication but in fact we know that a bit (small %) of THC will potentiate the work of the CBD and relieve pain very well. Figure out how much CBD you need and add THC to taste.
Perhaps most memorable is a patient who really hadn’t had a good nights sleep in over two years. She was traumatized by an event in her past. Each time she would close her eyes she would see a replay of this difficult event. We were able to find an Indica that worked well for her and the next day she returned in tears…..She had slept all night! She was so grateful!!
Another who quickly comes to mind is a woman who has become a friend and now a spokeswoman for the benefits of cannabis. After years of struggling with gastrointestinal problems and surgeries no one wants , she has a little bit of an appetite and that keeps her from more invasive treatments.
When a patient, like these, come in to the dispensary, I often look at our Patient Care staff and exchange a knowing glance. After the patient has finished and left one of us would say: “That’s why we do what we do” and every time, they are right.
That is why I am at Salvera. Our philosophy and the way we run our dispensary is a little bit different than most. Each new patient visits with a clinician. I have been a nurse for over 45 years and am at Salvera because it is a medical model. This isn’t cannabis the way it used to be where you got whatever your “friend” happened to have, crossed your fingers and hoped for the best. We have cannabinoid percentages and terpene profiles now. If someone seeks pain relief we can point them this direction, a good nights sleep that, seizure relief, this way. For the less experienced I like to help them understand which cannabinoids and terpenes are most likely to relieve what is ailing them and which types of products are most likely to fit their lifestyle and needs. Our most experienced patients are some of our favorites, they can help us learn something like what they like and why. We don’t “prescribe” anything, we point people in the right direct. Don’t forget, I always recommend, when trying something new, start with a small amount, see how that works before you buy a bunch of anything. After all, we’d love to see you back and here how it worked.
Sincerely,
–Barbara
