Health and wellness touch everyone’s full life differently. This is certainly one person’s story.

During the chronilogical age of 23, my world had been entirely flipped upside down. Just 36 times before I happened to be about to walk down that aisle, I happened to be clinically determined to have stage 4 ovarian cancer.

Before getting my diagnosis, I became an exercise social networking influencer, having a YouTube channel and Instagram account that chronicled my fitness routine and my journey to my first nationwide Physique Committee competition. Exactly How could a really healthier and active 23-year-old woman’s world flip upside down in just a matter of moments such as this?

I was told horror stories about people’s experiences with chemo when I first started chemo in August 2016. Therefore to express I became terrified could be a little bit of an understatement.

During the period of my treatment — countless rounds of chemo, much time of surgery, a temporary ileostomy case, and an innovative new sensitivity to dairy — my fat dropped from 130 to 97 pounds, from muscle mass to skin and bones. Often, I’d look in the mirror rather than even have the ability to recognize myself. Physically, we appeared to be a different individual. Mentally, I experienced instances when i obtained unfortunate.

Fortunately, I’d an incredible help group by my side. They certainly were constantly here to champion me personally, reminding us to appear in and keep in mind me, still beautiful, no matter what my shape or size that I was still. Also it had been that help group whom first advised attempting cannabis that are medical.

exactly How cannabis changed my cancer journey

1 day, my father and stepmom stumbled on me personally and wished to talk. They desired us to start taking THC and cannabidiol (CBD) to greatly help fight the relative unwanted effects I happened to be experiencing with chemo.

In the beginning, I happened to be pretty resistant towards the concept, and didn’t wish to hear whatever they needed to state. I’d been an athlete in high college and college, therefore cannabis had been constantly a little taboo. I happened to be concerned that folks would see me personally being a “druggy.”

But my mind ended up being changed whenever my father — who’s completely against cannabis — told me personally about his friend who was simply taking it throughout their battle that is own with cancer tumors. These people were reaping outstanding benefits. I was sold when I found that out.

I happened to be extremely lucky whenever it found the relative unwanted effects of chemo. I never once got sick though I experienced weight loss, hair loss, exhaustion, and sometimes blisters. We also discovered myself already straight straight back during the gymnasium one or two hours times after my final treatment.

Element of I began in December — 1 gram each of CBD oil and RSO oil (THC) per day, distributed in three pills that I credit to taking medical cannabis, which. It had been instrumental in aiding me personally maybe maybe not feel sick and nauseous.

In reality, even though I happened to be on one of this more intense kinds of chemo, called Doxil, for approximately seven rounds, the actual only real complication i acquired were sores to my tongue from citrus. My medical practioners and nurses had been surprised that we hadn’t gotten ill as soon as with this chemo.

Another huge advantageous asset of taking medical cannabis had been that it contributed to my appetite. After my surgeries, my belly became really painful and sensitive and little. I’d have full rapidly. I’d also have so frustrated I wanted to eat full meals, but my body just couldn’t handle it with myself. I became currently for a diet that is strict of surgery, along with an abrupt brand new sensitivity to dairy along side an ileostomy case set up, I became losing body weight quickly.

It surely got to the stage where my better half had to nearly force us to eat just so I wouldn’t lose any longer fat.

Once I began cannabis that are taking my appetite begun to keep coming back. We started initially to crave food — and yes, the “munchies” are a thing that is real. I’d snack on every thing i could on get my hands! I became finally in a position to complete my dinner that is entire and manage to consume a bit (or two) of dessert.

I really do continue to have days once I have trouble with my stomach. Often, I’ll get mini-blocks that really work their way through and, if they do, make me feel nauseous and very complete. But I’ve found that once I simply just take cannabis, those emotions soon disappear completely, and my appetite has returned.

A break that is mental along with a real one

One more thing we struggled with during chemo ended up being feeling both exhausted and wide awake during the same time. During chemo treatments that are most, you’ll get a steroid upfront to simply help with negative effects. But one side effects associated with steroid had been that i’d final end up staying awake for very long durations — sometimes for up to 72 hours.

My body ended up being therefore exhausted (plus the bags under my eyes would scare children that are small, but my mind had been wide awake. In spite of how much we forced myself to try to rest, i possibly couldn’t.

We needed a mental and break that is physical. That it could help with insomnia — and indeed it did as I did more research on THC, I found. Using THC helped me personally fall asleep without any issues and awaken the next early morning feeling well-rested — also on chemo days.

A very important factor they don’t let you know about chemo is the fact that over-exhaustion that will come along with it may cause you to definitely begin shutting down mentally. And that is when I’d often have my breakdowns. The whole world usually felt like an excessive amount of, and my anxiety would start working. But once we took my THC and CBD pills, both the fatigue (by way of anxiety and sleep) would disappear.

An available brain

I’m a company believer that cannabis that are me personallydical me win my combat cancer tumors. THC and CBD assisted not just what is cbd oil with sickness, however with the unwanted effects I happened to be experiencing from chemo as well as the sleeplessness that we handled regarding the evenings after my remedies.

Lots of people are closed-minded when it comes to THC and, at one point, I became among those individuals. But you might find if you keep an open mind and do just a little research, you’ll be surprised at what.

Though there are still times once I have a problem with the medial side impacts from surgery, i understand that I’m blessed to have that bad time. My struggle with cancer taught me that regardless of how dark or scary the storm may seem, there’s absolutely absolutely nothing that a grin and good mindset can’t fulfill.

Situated in Seattle, Washington, Cheyann is a social media marketing influencer additionally the creator behind the popular Instagram account @cheymarie_fit and YouTube channel Cheyann Shaw. During the chronilogical age of 23, she had been identified as having phase 4 low-grade serous ovarian cancer, and switched her social media marketing outlets into channels of energy, empowerment, and self-love. Cheyann has become 25, and there’s no proof of disease. She’ll start traveling across the global globe to tell her tale which help people who feel just like there’s no hope left. She’s inspired thousands along with her faith and positivity within the time that is darkest of life. Cheyann and her spouse intend on going back again to Florida and starting a family group. Cheyann shows the world that it doesn’t matter what storm you’re facing, you’ll and you’ll cope with it.