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Tag Archives: health and wellness

Don’t travel this holiday season if……

christmas, Chronic Life, Health issues, mental-health, travel December 11, 2018 Leave a comment

 

 

 

 

 

Just because everyone you know is traveling home for the holidays, it doesn’t mean you have to.  Too often I see people do things they really don’t want to do or have the emotional or physical strength to do in order to please family members or to keep up appearances.  Today I want to tell you that it is okay to not be okay with traveling during the holiday season!  And here are a few reasons why!

Don’t travel this holiday season if the pain you will experience afterwards will disrupt your life.

If traveling triggers a flare from your chronic illnesses, you should rethink packing your bags.  Pleasing family shouldn’t come at the expense of not being able to function when you return home.  Traveling during the holiday season exposes you to more people and germs than if you traveled in a less busier time of year.  Winter weather also increases your chance of becoming ill.  Having a chronic illness doesn’t mean that you can’t travel at all, but rather you should travel during seasons when you experience less pain and will be exposed to fewer germs.

Disclosure: I am NOT a medical professional and I am not issuing medical advice. This post contains some affiliate links. Meaning that, at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission from sales. The proceeds offset the expense of operating this site and fund the giveaways for my Facebook groups.

Don’t travel this holiday season if family drama makes you anxious.

Those of you who suffer from anxiety, know how debilitating it can be.  In fact if not managed well, it can literally paralyze us.  If spending time with family during the holidays increases your level of anxiety or triggers attacks, do yourself a favor and stay home! Don’t look at it as letting your obnoxious or manipulative family members win, think of it as winning by valuing your mental health.  However, I do suggest that you find a therapist to help you work through your emotions and possibly prepare you for dealing with those family members in the future should you decide to visit.  Online-Therapy.com is therapy that available when you need it and there is no need to drive across town.  My readers save 20% when they register through my link.  Click here to check them out.  Instead of putting yourself through an emotional battlefield, make plans to visit the relatives that you really want to spend time with during a time that wouldn’t warrant the whole family getting together.

 

 

Don’t travel this holiday season if you don’t want to…

Seriously, do NOT travel if you do not want to.  If the cost of travel, the wear and tear on your body, and mental exhaustion have your stomach in knots and you haven’t even booked your ticket, stop!! Again, seek therapy to find out if your fears are rational or not! Do not make a bad situation worse by forcing yourself to do something that will have a negative impact on your finances, or mental/physical health.

 

On the other hand, if traveling home for the holidays is really important to you, do it! But don’t act surprised or get upset about any additional pain you may experience or the time your body will need to recover after you return home.  Unless you are newly diagnosed, you know by now that living with a chronic illness changes everything.  You also know who a disrupted emotional state can increase and trigger flares as well.  What you decide to put your body through during the holiday season is up to you and only you are can decide what it is best.  With that said, will you be traveling this holiday season?  What steps will you be taking to reduce your odds of returning home in more pain?  Not sure?  Then check out my chronic travel trips!

Whether you choose to travel or not, I wish you a happy holiday season and a pain-free new year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Cannabis for chronic pain: Let’s talk dosage

CBD, Medical Marijuana, pain relief December 10, 2018 Leave a comment

 

 

 

 

 

 

This article is part of an ongoing series. Click here to read entire series.

So far we have dispelled some myths like the only way to medicate with cannabis is to smoke it.  I have shared a legal way to try cannabis.  Last week we discussed 4 popular ways to medicate with marijuana and today and we are going to talk about one of the most confusing aspects to someone who is knew to medicating with cannabis, how to figure out dosages.

Disclosure: I am NOT a medical professional and I am not issuing medical advice. This post contains some affiliate links. Meaning that, at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission from sales. The proceeds offset the expense of operating this site and fund the giveaways for my Facebook groups.

Finding an ideal dosage is difficult, even for those who aren’t new to medical marijuana. There are several reasons for this like; there are many different strains, one method may hit your system harder than another, and other personal factors like if you ate before medicating, how sleepy you are, etc. While I have learned to expect a similar experience when using one strain night after night in the same manner, there will be a night where my experience is totally different even though I did everything the same. With that said, the different isn’t bad, just not what I was expecting. Some nights the high takes longer to hit, sometimes the high lasts longer than others, and then there are times when the exact same dosage of another product is nothing like what I have had with others.


I have two examples of products having a different effect. For some time I needed 25-50mgs of the edibles that I had been purchasing to fall asleep and relieve chronic pain from fibromyalgia and psoriatic arthritis. Then I tried 10mgs of another brand and holy moly!! That 10mgs hit me harder and faster than 50mgs of the brands I had been taking. Needless to say that became my new medication as I needed less and was able to save money. Most recently I purchased an 200mg chocolate bar that could be broken down into 12 squares at approximately 16.6666mgs per square. That is too much for me, unless I plan on sleeping in the following morning. So I break mine down into half squares at approximately 8.3333mgs per serving. This is still an extremely strong dose for me. Funny thing is I have had other chocolates that were much stronger in dosages and they never hit me like this brand does. To micro dose with this chocolate bar I would have to break each square into eighths. Fourths would be more like a typical dosage for me.


Finding your dosage will  be harder depending on whether or not you want to feel high. If you don’t want to feel high, you will need to micro dose which is to take very small amounts. This is easier to do with edibles and tinctures versus vaping or smoking. With that said, most people advise others to begin with 2mgs. If you are wanting to micro dose, I would try 1mg and increase as needed. Personally I find it easier and most effective to take a larger dose of 5-10mgs at bedtime. This allows me to reach a restorative level of sleep and rarely do I feel the need to medicate during the day and can wait for my nighttime dose. If I do need daytime relief, I have a little CBD and run PEMF treatments before digging into my cannabis stash.

Combined with cannabis, this inflammation fighting device has taken my pain management plan to a new level of awesomeness! Check it our for yourself and if you should decide to give it a try, remember that my discount code DIVA will save you $55.00

Micro dosing with flower isn’t impossible, it just isn’t as easy or convenient to do so. To do so, use a pipe and only put enough to take a hit or two in it. Then wait and see how that effects you before taking more.

One thing to keep in mind is that if you happen to get higher than you are comfortable with, you will not overdose. I will discuss what to do if you get too high in a future post. With that said make sure that you are not consuming a synthetic weed or street weed. Know where your weed was grown! Do not use pharmaceutical pain medication along with it.

 

 

 

 

Remember, start slow and low, no more than 2mgs! Wait, then add more later if necessary.

Now that you know where you can try it, have options on how to consume it, and have an idea how to begin dosing, next week I will explain what to do if you get too high and want to bring it down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diagnosed with a case of the no nos!

Chronic Life, Health issues December 9, 2018 Leave a comment

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been diagnosed with a case of the no nos!!  And I don’t like it one bit!!!

Over the Thanksgiving holiday I came down with what I had hoped to be a simple chest cold.  Well, that simple chest cold quickly turned into bronchitis.  It has been over two years since bronchitis disrupted my life.  It has been two years since saying no was a part of my self care plan.  The improvements I have experienced in regards to my chronic pain has made saying yes to everything I want to do possible.  In a way I figured I’d never have to say no again, guess I forgot that chronic pain isn’t the only thing that can knock one down……

Hanging out with Walt the day after Thanksgiving

 

 

 

Disclosure: I am NOT a medical professional and I am not issuing medical advice. This post contains some affiliate links. Meaning that, at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission from sales. The proceeds offset the expense of operating this site and fund the giveaways for my Facebook groups.

The hardest part

Saying no really isn’t that hard for me.  As someone who has been living with chronic pain for over 20 years, I had make saying no part of my life or I wouldn’t have had the energy to do anything.  There were times when I could only commit to doing one activity a month.  Instead of being excited over choosing an activity, I would get depressed thinking about who I would have to let down.  But through the years I got better at juggling people and expressing why I had to space getting together farther out than if I wasn’t chronically ill.  Since the age of saying yes arrived, I forgot what it was like to let someone else down, what it is like to miss out on something, and how much having to rest impacts my daily life.  But that still isn’t the hardest part of saying no and having to rest, the hardest part is not allowing my dark friend depression con me into thinking that this period of recovery is where I will remain for the rest of my life.

 

Game of association

I associate time spent in bed and resting with all the years that I was in too much pain to leave my bed. In the past two years of feeling almost as good as I did before any diagnosis, I have struggled to give my body the time it needs to rest while recovering from a cold or injury.  I become anxious if I have to sit still for more than one day.

Fighting fear

I am at war.  Not only am I doing everything possible to get through this bout of bronchitis, I am fighting to remember that I have come a long way in the past few years and one case of the crud isn’t going to ruin that.  Sure I may have adjust my physical expectations until I am fully back to normal, but I don’t have to give up.  I have had to cancel a lot of plans since Thanksgiving weekend, this has been easier than I thought it would be.  But I remembered that pushing myself will only make things worse.  As I begin to improve, my biggest battle is to utilize my chronic pain tool kit in order to get out and live before I am 100%.  This means that not feeling ashamed or disappointed for having to use a wheelchair.  As I write this, (a few days before being published) walking for an extended amount of time or at a normal pace triggers coughing fits and pain in my chest and sets me back in my recovery.  My family and I have plans to do something that we have never done together this coming weekend and I am not going to let my pride stop it from happening.  If walking is still a problem, I will use my wheelchair and accept that I am doing what is best for my body that day.  And that by doing that I am not giving up.  I also have to remember that this is only an illness.  Yes, it may last for a month or two, but it hasn’t and won’t change the progress I have made in the past two years in regards to my chronic illnesses.  I can still walk without pain in my feet or back.  I can still spend my day out bed and work from my desk.

Not the same game

This bout of bronchitis is much different than any I have had in the past.  In the past, my ribcage and chest would hurt terribly from all the coughing.  This time I am experiencing no pain in either area thanks to my drug-free pain-relief device Oska Pulse (see picture below for more information).  It is also helping me sleep at night and it is breaking up my phlegm.  Another difference is that I am not experiencing a fibromyalgia or psoriatic arthritis flare.  Typically I have always experienced an increase of chronic pain when I am battling another illness.  I have hope that I will be able to cure my case of the no nos sooner than my case of bronchitis, but it will never happen if I don’t give my body the rest and care that it requires today.

Do you struggle with needing more downtime when you become ill?  Why or why not?

PEMF therapy has been a game changer in all aspects of my health, not just my chronic pain. Click here to learn about all the different ways it has improved my health. Want to learn more about this fantastic device? Click here to visit Oska Wellness and should you decide to give it a try, remember that my promo code DIVA will save you $55.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cannabis for chronic pain: Choosing how to take it

CBD, Chronic Life, Health issues, Medical Marijuana December 4, 2018 Leave a comment

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cannabis for chronic pain: Choosing how to take it

This article is part of an ongoing series. Click here to read entire series.

Now that you have found a legal way to find out if cannabis will help relieve your chronic pain, it is time to figure out which way to consume it. The perk of visiting a state that has legalized recreational marijuana is that you will have access to some amazing products.  Today I am going to cover several different methods of medicating with cannabis and how you decide which form fits your lifestyle, needs, and budget.

Edibles

 

Disclosure: I am NOT a medical professional and I am not issuing medical advice. This post contains some affiliate links. Meaning that, at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission from sales. The proceeds offset the expense of operating this site and fund the giveaways for my Facebook groups.

 

Edibles were my first choice when I began combatting chronic pain with cannabis six years ago and there were several reasons for this.  The first being that I didn’t want to smoke around my family.  My daughter was young, I couldn’t risk my husband failing a drug test at work, and my neighbors at the time were not ones who needed to know what I was doing.  Thankfully edibles turned out to be the best thing to start out with.  Unlike the high from vaping or smoking, the high from edibles lasts much longer.  If I smoked a joint before bed, pain would wake up halfway through the night.  The high from an edible can last anywhere from 6-10 hours which provided me the best sleep of my life!  Edibles are also easier to micro-dose with.  It was easy to breakdown an edible and know a close approximation of how much cannabis was in each piece.  Another reason I liked edibles is that they are discreet.  My favorite reason for loving edibles is the cost! When I first began medicating with cannabis, I didn’t have a large budget.  In fact I often only spent $50 a month.  I did this by purchasing edibles that could be broken down easily and that wouldn’t go stale before I finished them.  Cheeba Chews and FlavrX candies are two of my favorite brands. I currently purchased a 200mg candy bar from LaFamilia that is so strong that I only need half of one square at night.  There are 12 squares.  That one bar that I purchased for $15 is going to yield me 24 nights of rest!

My average dose for evening is 5-10mgs. This dosage gifts me with the restorative sleep that I had been without for 13 years.  When I needed to micro-dose during the day I would only take 1-2mgs.  After awhile I rarely needed any to get through the day and was only medicating at night.  The thing to remember with edibles is that while the effect lasts longer than other forms, it also can take longer to take effect.  You may not feel the effect from an edible for up to three hours after consuming it.  This can make it a little tricky to time your nighttime meds.  Even if you take the same amount of the same product every night at the same time, when it hits will never be the same.  Because of this you will want to make sure that you won’t need to drive or do anything of major importance after taking your meds.  They could hit you within 30 minutes or not for several hours.  Generally, if I don’t feel something after an hour, I will have a little more.  If you have never consumed cannabis, I recommend starting at 2-3mgs and work up from there.  While you don’t have to worry about overdosing on cannabis, a lot of first timers are either put off of or become afraid of the high when they consume more than they were ready for.  Take it slow, do it on a regular basis, and overtime you will notice your overall pain level reduced.  The only real con, besides how long it can take to take effect, I can think of with edibles is that outside of sometimes having the choice between a hybrid, sativa, or indica, most edibles don’t share what strain was used.

Flower

One of the perks of smoking is that the high and the relief it brings hits quickly.  If I find myself in need of instant relief, but also want a solid night’s sleep, I take a few hits from my pipe after eating an edible.  Because I stopped needing the all night relief that edibles bring two years ago, I have been trying other forms of consumption.  Some nights I just want to medicate and be done, while other nights I want to savor the smell and flavor of it.  Smoking cannabis is something to be enjoyed and not rushed.  To be honest, I wasn’t able to appreciate the wonder of flower when I first began medicating with it because I was only focused on relieving my pain and falling asleep.

Pros of medicating with flower is that you can pick strains that have qualities that address your needs.  For example you can choose strains that work better for sleep, creativity, nausea, pain, anxiety, etc… Don’t just pick a strain at random and then say that cannabis doesn’t help you.  You may have picked a strain that would NOT help you.  To get the best results you will have to do some research.  My go to sites for strain reviews are Leafly and Weedmaps.  Another pro is that the high hits fast.

Getting and renewing your medical marijuana recommendation in California and New York has never been easier! Californians click here and New Yorkers click here!

There are few cons to medicating with flower.  The smell, everyone will know what you are doing.  The cost, flower, especially quality flower can get quite pricey.  Shop around and find a dispensary that gives the best deals.  Shopping during sales helps to keep my flower budget from growing out of control.  Figuring out your dosage is not as easy with flower, which makes it harder to micro-dose with. Last but not least, you cannot smoke it anywhere you want.  Most places that have legalized it for medicinal and recreational use have made it illegal to smoke in vehicles or in public places.

 

 

 

Vape

Each combo pack includes case, CBD cartridge, batter, and charger.
Click here to order yours today!

 

Vaping has quickly become one of my preferred ways to medicate with cannabis.  As for as anyone watching all they will assume is that I am vaping nicotine.  Vaping does produce vapor when exhaling, most do not have the odor that flower does.  Most cartridges come with a 510 thread that will fit most battery pens.  Pictured to the left is my combo pack from Bio CBD+.  The battery pen also works with the THC cartridges that I purchase from my dispensary.

Just like with smoking flower, the high and relief hits quickly, often within 5-15 minutes.  While there are nights when I take anywhere from 6-8 hits from my pen, there are some where I only need two or three.  Start slow.  Try two hits, then wait a good 20-30 minutes before taking another hit.  I love vaping and will be ordering an herb vaporizer later this month.  With that I will be able to vape flower and then later use the dried herb to make my own cannabutter.  Talk about pulling double duty and saving money!!!  The only cons I have found with vaping is that not all brands share what strain was used.  That is one of the reasons that I love FlavrX.  Knowing which strain I am purchasing helps me find the ones that best address my symptoms.  BTW Tropical Trainwreck is fantastic from muscle relaxation!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tinctures

So you want something discreet, like edibles, but you want something that takes effect quickly like flower…. Tinctures may be for you.  With a tincture you just place a few drops of the liquid under your tongue and voila, you should be feeling better within 15 minutes.

Personally, I haven’t really noticed how long the effect of tinctures lasts when compared to flower or edibles, mainly because I don’t use them often.  While discreet, it creates a mess in my bag if the cap comes loose, not to mention expensive over the contents that spills out.  Most tinctures also taste terrible! I prefer using tinctures for toothaches or to quickly medicate in bed if I wake up to pain that won’t let me fall back to sleep.  Tinctures are fairly easy to micro-dose with and unless you are holding a billboard, no one will know that you are medicating.

While there are other ways to medicate with cannabis, these are the top 4 that you should consider for your test run.  Just remember that if you are traveling to try cannabis, don’t go crazy purchasing a bunch of products.  It is federally illegal to possess cannabis and cross any of the United State’s borders, this includes state borders.  You can not visit, purchase, and try cannabis in California and return to Arizona with the remainder of your stash.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I feel like dancing!

Chronic Life, Cynthia, pain relief December 2, 2018 Leave a comment

 

 

 

 

 

 

I feel like dancing!!!

I never thought I would want to dance. To be honest I am a terrible dancer.  In fact I rarely danced at parties, weddings, etc. because I worried about how foolish I would appear.  When my chronic illnesses first stole my ability to hit the dance floor, I didn’t really think much about what I had lost…. Then last year a burning desire to move my feet ignited……..

Achy feet

Long before being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and fibromyalgia, my feet began to hurt.  At first I thought it was from the shoes I was wearing.  Little by little I rid my closet of high heels.  By 1999 I found myself able to wear nothing but wide slip on types of shoes, sneakers (but only for a few hours as my feet would swell and feel strangled by the laces), and flip flops.  Living in flip flops wasn’t a problem when I lived in Arizona, but it was a problem when I lived in colder climates and when I traveled.  By 2005, I could only wear crocs, flip flops, and wide boots without heels.  As time went by the amount of time that I was able to spend on my feet dwindled. By 2012 I couldn’t stand or walk for more than 5 minutes at a time.

Disclosure: I am NOT a medical professional and I am not issuing medical advice. This post contains some affiliate links. Meaning that, at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission from sales. The proceeds offset the expense of operating this site and fund the giveaways for my Facebook groups.

A toe tapping surprise!

I didn’t notice a difference in the pain that was felt deep in the bones of my feet until my fifth year of treating my chronic pain with natural and alternative treatments.  I will never forget the day that I realized the pain was gone.  I returned home from grocery shopping.  But instead of making a beeline for the recliner while I waited for my husband and daughter to unload the car and put the groceries away, I did it. It wasn’t until my daughter asked why I hadn’t called her out of her room to help that I realized what I had done.  I wasn’t tired, I didn’t need to rest, and to my delight, my feet didn’t hurt!!!!  At first I thought this was just a fluke, that it couldn’t be real, or that it wouldn’t last.  But guess what it did!!!

Happy feet

Wondering what happened? I did too! Because I also treat my illnesses in the same manner I combat chronic pain, it was pretty easy to figure out which item to credit.  Eight months prior to feeling footloose and fancy free, I added PEMF therapy to my pain management plan.  But at that time I was only using it a few times a week.  Then four months later and four months before noticing the pain was gone, I began using my PEMF device all day, every day! Even though I hadn’t been specifically treating my feet, the device was close enough to treat them without my realizing it.  It was also at this time that the non-stop pain that I had been experiencing in my lower back from degenerative disc disease had disappeared.

Continued therapy

PEMF therapy with Oska Pulse is still part of my daily treatments.  I have been using it now for two years and the relief it provides still blows my mind. After a day at Disneyland, my feet are beat.  They ache like the average person’s would, but the even more because of my chronic illnesses.  While in the park I treat my lower back and abdomen with my device, but I move it to my ankles (if I am driving home) or place it directly on both feet (if someone else is driving).  When I reach my home, 45 minutes later, my feet no longer hurt and I am able to go to bed without pain.  Somedays my feet require a few extra treatments, but even when they hurt, I am able to walk without the pain I used to experience in the past. A few months ago I added another thing to my daily treatment plan.  Each night before bed and first thing in the morning I apply a topical CBD oil to my feet.  I rub it into the arch, heel, ball, and around ankles.  I truly never thought I would know what it was like to walk again without feeling like I was dragging my bones across the cement. And to think that I can now walk 4-12 miles a day and without worrying about whether or not I will be able to walk tomorrow.

The drug free pain relief device on my back keeps me moving!

The gift of relief

Last year I danced for the first time since becoming chronically ill.  My husband and I were attending a Christmas party and the host was hoping to get some people out on the dance floor.  Being that I only see these people once a year, I let go of my inhibitions and let loose on the dance floor.  I have no rhythm, I can’t keep a beat, but I made sure to enjoy every move knowing that my feet would be okay!  A few months later I had a blast dancing with friends at my God-daughter’s wedding and I am looking forward to more opportunities to show off my horrendous dance moves.  If you are a glutton for punishment, you can check out my terrible dancing via the link I provided in my post How traveling with a chronic illness went from good to bad to what the heck just happened!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A good pain management plan shouldn’t just mask pain, it should decrease it, relieve it, and make living with your diseases better.  If your plan isn’t doing that you probably should look into making some changes.  You are welcome to take a peek at mine.  Click here to read about my pain management plan. And I also invite you to learn more about PEMF therapy.  Click here to discover all the different ways it has helped to improve my chronic symptoms and pain along with some tips on how to get the best results.  But don’t take my word, click here to read third party reports and click here to visit Oska Wellness.  And as always, if you should decide to give PEMF therapy with Oska Pulse a try, my discount code DIVA will save you $55.00.

 

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Where to legally try cannabis for chronic pain

Medical Marijuana, pain relief, travel November 29, 2018 Leave a comment

Where to legally try cannabis for chronic pain

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have received many inquiries lately from people who want to see if cannabis could help relieve their chronic pain, but they either don’t live where medical marijuana is legal or it is legal for medicinal use where they live, but they don’t want to sink a fortune into entering their state’s program only to discover it doesn’t help them.  Today I am going to share a legal and safe way to find out if adding cannabis to your pain management plan is for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The best and most legal option is to plan an extended visit (at least a week) to a state or country that has legalized cannabis for recreational purposes.  I say most legal, because in the United States, it is illegal to be in possession of or to consume marijuana on a Federal level.  Before you say, hey I can’t afford a vacation, think about this…. A. It is not a vacation, it is a mission to find out if cannabis will improve your chronic pain.  B. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune.  Save money by reaching out to friends and relatives that live in those areas and ask to stay with them.  C. Think of it as an investment. You either find out that it doesn’t work and you are out that money or it does help and you recoup that money with a better life once you begin at home.  We’ll talk more later about how to make the trip more cost effective, but for now let’s figure out where to go!

Here is a list of the states and countries that have legalized cannabis for recreational purposes as of the publication of this post:

Alaska

California

Colorado

Maine

Massachusetts

Michigan

Nevada

Oregon

Washington

Northern Mariana Islands

Canada (Click here to learn more about Canada’s cannabis laws)

While recreational use is legal in the District of Columbia and Vermont, neither allows it to be sold so I would not consider either as options.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When considering where to go, keep a couple of things in mind.  If you don’t do well in cold climates, don’t visit Alaska or Michigan in the winter.  If extreme summer heat, we’re talking triple digits, increases your pain, don’t book a trip to Vegas during the summer.  Another thing to consider is, who do you know there? Do you have friends or family that are cannabis connoisseurs? Going into a dispensary for the first time can be an intimidating experience when you are new it.  Not only can they accompany you, they can also help you choose products.

Disclosure: I am NOT a medical professional and I am not issuing medical advice. This post contains some affiliate links. Meaning that, at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission from sales. The proceeds offset the expense of operating this site and fund the giveaways for my Facebook groups.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once you have chosen your destination, you need to figure out where you are going to stay. The most affordable would be to stay with friends or family.  Just make sure that they know why you are visiting and what you are planning on doing while there.  Not everyone wants cannabis in their homes. Don’t be a douche, respect your hosts and if they are cannabis connoisseurs be sure to share!  Another perk of staying with someone who partakes regularly, they can help you not freak out when the high hits and help you decrease the high if you try too much.

My second suggestion is to book an Airbnb that allows smoking, if you are choosing to try it in that manner, or book through a cannabis tour service. Note that Airbnb does not have a policy against the possession or consumption of cannabis.

Here are a few cannabis lodging services/tours to help you on your mission.

Bud & Breakfast

My 420 Tours

TravelTHC

Have a cannabis travel business and would like to be listed in this post? Email The Disabled Diva to ask how at admin@thedisableddiva.net

Your last and least favorable option if you are planning on smoking would be a hotel/motel.  Most have no smoking rules and most state recreational cannabis laws prohibit smoking cannabis in public places such as a smoking area.  I know, I am shaking my head too…  Anyways, there are other ways to try cannabis that doesn’t include smoking…. and I will cover that next week along with how to find the products you want to try.

One last thing to think about….. If you are traveling to try cannabis, do not purchase more than you think you will consume while there.  It is federally illegal to transport cannabis over state/country borders.  This includes all modes of transportation, including air.

California medical marijuana patients!! Although any resident can purchase cannabis for recreational use, having your medical recommendation allows for you to have access to stronger meds, to possess more, and o spend less than those who are purchasing for recreational use. Click here to get your California rec online today! New and renewals! New Yorkers, renewals and new certifications, click here to get yours online today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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How to Keep Bedrest From Ruining Your Life

Chronic Life, Cynthia, Home Life November 26, 2018 Comments: 4

How to Keep Bedrest From Ruining Your Life

 

If you have a chronic illness, it is safe to presume that you have had your share of bedrest. Having your doctor prescribe bedrest can feel like the end of the world, even for those who experience it often if you don’t plan for it or adjust your attitude. I am currently on doctor ordered bedrest due to severely sprained and torn abdominal/back muscles. The following five tips are why my world is not ending, how I will get by without losing my mind, and what you should keep in mind the next time you are ordered to stay in bed by your doctor or chronic illness.

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I was put on bedrest in Sept. 2017 after ripping an abdominal muscle. My drug-free pain-relief device decreased the time I needed to remain in bed. Click here to check it out and if you choose to try it yourself, don’t forget that my discount code DIVA will save you $55.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Disclosure: I am NOT a medical professional and I am not issuing medical advice. This post contains affiliate links. Meaning that, at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission from sales. The proceeds offset the expense of operating this site and fund the giveaways in my Fitness Buddy and Disneyability groups on Facebook.

Tip Number 1: Be prepared

Even you if never injure yourself, your chronic illness will demand that you spend extended periods of time in bed.  Neither can be predicted, so the best thing you can do is prepare ahead of time.  I view bedrest as a natural disaster and the extent of the fallout depends on how well I prepared for it.  Ways to prepare for your downtime is to have at least a week worth of meals in the freezer that can be easily prepared.  Stock up on gift cards from your favorite restaurants and fast food places or tuck away a slush fund to order takeout.  Prepare financially by building a savings account that will cover your expenses during your downtime should you not be able to work while on bed rest.  Stock your medicine cabinet with items that bring you comfort, such as heating pads, icepacks, essential oils, etc.

Tip Number 2: Take charge

This may sound silly as the thought of being stuck in bed is anything but one of authority.  However, you are still in control of your life and household no matter what has landed you in bed.  Delegate the tasks or chores that you normally handle to other family members.  If bedrest is something that becomes a reoccurring event for you, plan ahead by having set assignments for every family member so there won’t be any surprises.  If you live alone, consider asking friends or family to pitch in or if you have the means hire a housekeeper.

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Tip Number 3: Do what you can from bed, but get real!

I had to make changes to my life so that my world wouldn’t fall apart each time my chronic illnesses, surgeries, or injuries.  Ninety percent of what I commit to or take on workwise can be done from my bed.  For my other commitments and for those of you who aren’t able to perform your job from bed it’s time to get real. Give yourself the time your body needs to heal.  The moment you know that you are going to be down and have an approximate idea for how long, start making different arrangements.  Cancel, reschedule, or find someone else to take your place.  Don’t lose the respect of a client/charity/group by cancelling last minute if you don’t have to, give them ample time to replace you.

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Tip Number 4: Indulge a little.

As I shared in my vlog “Why you should treat yourself” , it’s okay to indulge and reward yourself sometimes! I no longer view bedrest as a prison sentence. Bedrest is prescribed because that is what our bodies need at that time. To make my time down in Sept. 2017 a little more enjoyable, I purchased new pajama bottoms and leggings. You may want to purchase a new pillow or bedding, lotion, sleep mask, basically anything that will make you more comfortable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip Number 5: Allow yourself to have fun!

That’s right, have fun!!! Play board games, online games like Words with Friends, marathon through TV series that you haven’t had time to watch before on Netflix or Hulu, crochet or knit, color or draw, the ideas are endless…. Another way to use this time is to catch up with friends and family with phone calls or Skype.  Our attitude plays a huge role in our recovery, will you let yours make your recovery time miserable or will you find ways to enjoy this moment in your life?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip Number 6: Don’t isolate yourself

There were times when I viewed my bedrest time as doing a prison stint…. I had an unhealthy attitude of feeling like I didn’t deserve to be happy if I couldn’t function like I did before.  I get that you won’t look your best and you probably don’t want everyone you know to see you in your pajamas, but don’t close out those closest to you.  Also don’t wait for others to invite themselves over.  Most people assume we don’t want visitors, so do yourself a favor and ask a friend over for a pizza party or to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee. Same goes for your family.  To solve my problem of feeling disconnected from my family, we would all watch TV, play games, or do what we would normally do together in other areas of the house in my room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip Number 7: Make your room a place you want spend time in

Make your bedroom a place that won’t drive you mad if you have to stay in it for a prolonged period of time.  Don’t skimp on the quality of you bedding, make sure it provides comfort no matter how you feel.  Keep your room clean.  If you are like me, your master bedroom isn’t the room you focus your cleaning or decorating energy on.  Let’s face, other than us, who really sees it?  Having a room that is organized, comfortable, and welcoming will make you less anxious when someone does stop by.  It also makes it easier for others to keep up with when you aren’t able to clean.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip Number 8: Have an alternative option for the person who needs to sleep

One of the downsides of being on bedrest is that our days and nights often get turned around.  While not really a problem for those of us stuck in bed, it is for the person who needs to go to work the next morning.  Whether it be a sleeper sofa, rollaway bed, guest room, or the sofa itself, have a plan for either you or your spouse to sleep somewhere else when they really need a good night’s sleep.  This also helps when recovering from surgery.  I sleep better knowing that my husband can’t accidently bump into me and trigger pain from my incisions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wondering what that glowing blue device is in the picture at the top of this post?  It is my portable PEMF therapy device Oska Pulse.  It is keeping my chronic pain from my other conditions down while reducing the amount of swelling I am experiencing from my sprained/torn muscles.  Learn more by reading My Oska Pulse Journey and visit my friends at Oska Wellness.  Looking for drug-free pain relief? Save $55 by using promo code DIVA.

 

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