Mary M.

CFO

My love affair with opiates began in 2006. My Mom had arthritis in both of her knees, which I would develop later in my life. Mom believed a Vicodin would cure all ills 🥰. I’d ask for one from anything from a menstrual cramp to a bad day at work. Later in my career, I would take one of these magic pills with me to work, in case I needed an escape hatch. This went on for years until my high functioning alcoholism began. Instead of one pill at 2 in the afternoon, I’d have to take one to manage the crippling hangover. This allowed me to drink at night, knowing it would all be better in the morning, because of my magic little besties. I was now drinking and smoking heavily at night, taking Vicodin in the mornings, zanex for every emotion and ambien to pass out, every night. If I didn’t have the Vicodin, my friend would hook me up with methadone. One night in 2014, my combination of alcohol, methadone, zanex, and ambien combined with severe undiagnosed sleep apnea, almost killed me. The man I was dating at the time revived me when he saw that I wasn’t breathing. That day I made the decision that I could no longer go on like this. I quit my 30 year career, took a year off to start my own company. During this time, I quit the zanex, Vicodin, heavy drinking and resolved my sleep apnea with a cpap machine and got very fit. Fast forward to my now career, it was extremely physical and quickly wore the cartilage down in both of my knees. I was having to take Vicodin again to control the pain until I could have my knees replaced. 1/13/23, I had my first knee replaced and had been prescribed Oxy. The oxy caused severe constipation and all the issues that go with it. All of a sudden I see a golf ball size lump on the side of my new knee.. it was a soft tissue sarcoma. CANCER! Had it removed, went through radiation, now I’m taking oxy to manage the pain from my leg being cooked by the radiation. As I was recovering, I was scrolling tik tok and found Misteaz! (Misty Brown) she talked about her history and how she’d found relief. I went to a smoke shop and purchased Kratom capsules. My dr.s had now officially cut me off from opiates. I was in the throws of withdrawal and felt I had nothing to loose. I popped about five. Twenty min later, I felt immediate relief. My withdrawals were completely gone. It was truly a miricle. At first, I was still behaving like the addict I had become. I thought, if five makes me feel better.. what would ten do? 😆 well.. your eyes wobble and you spew your guts out. Then I read everything I could and found that less is more with this plant. 🌱 I started with a rounded teaspoon, thanks to Misteaz, I had ordered safe tested powered Kratom instead of smoke shop Kratom. I also learned how to take a mouth of water, throw the teaspoon back then more water! I never taste the bitterness. During this time, I quit drinking (15 months alcohol free now) time for knee 2! I told my surgeon about my Kratom use. He was impressed with the relief it gave me but was also concerned that it would interfere with the anesthesia. He asked me to stop the day prior to surgery. Had my knee replaced 5/23. Shortly after, my sarcoma returned, this time, it was in my leg and lung 😳. Leg surgery was 6/24, port for chemo was 7/1. 7/11/24, The strongest chemo out there, AIM, began. 7/22/24, I lost all my hair. My dr wouldn’t let me use Kratom while I was undergoing chemo, as the drug interaction isn’t known. Was prescribed 100 oxy a week ( that’s a shit ton) the funny thing is, THC 100 mil gave me much more relief. I would not have survived that horrible chemo without marijuana. No way. It gave me such emotional relief and allowed me to eat and rest. Turns out, the chemo had no effect on my tumors. September of 24. They cut a wedge out of my lung to take the tumors. October 29,2024, I was declared cancer free!! I immediately stopped the oxy and ambien and resumed my beloved plant.🌱 I take 1/2 a teaspoon at 6am if needed. If I don’t take it, it’s mildly annoying, like not having coffee. NOTHING like opiate withdraws, where your bones feel like they’re coming through your skin. I no longer crave opiates at all. My digestion’s issues are perfect. You must drink a lot of water with this plant, it’s actually significantly improved my digestive functioning. This plant has allowed me to press pause on addictions, “why”. I’m now alcohol free, opiate free,benzo free, ambien free, and tobacco free. I do use marijuana, because I like it.