Andrea Brooks is the founder and CEO ofSava, an online educational cannabis marketplace based in California.
Before my chronic pain I didnt even likecannabis(marijuana) that much.
I thought it was for people who wanted to zone out on their sofas, and that wasnt me.
Getty Images/ belterz
I was 34 years old and had an active social life and a blossoming career.
I spent my spare time advocating for animal welfare and I was in a band.
Then came my injury.
In 2010 I experienced a workplace injury that left me with debilitating nerve damage in my spine and arms.
As a young, healthy person, I figured Id recover in a matter of weeks.
But weeks turned into months, and instead of improving, I got worse.
Its hard to explain to other people what nerve damage pain feels like, but its all-consuming.
Even the sheets on my bed brushing against my skin sent excruciating waves of pain throughout my entire body.
I withdrew from the world and settled into a new normal that I never anticipated would be my life.
Several told me that I would probably never work again and should pursue permanent disability.
At first, I did accept it.
After all, these were medical professionals who treated pain and debilitating diseases every day.
They were the experts.
I attempted to wrap my head around this new life.
If the pain meds made me depressed, maybe I needed antidepressants.
If I couldnt sleep or didnt have the energy to function, there was also a pill for that.
That thought alone was depressing.
While I was homebound, I had a group of friends who would visit me regularly.
The pills were not making my life better, and I was ready to try anything.
The results, for me, were immediate.
Medical cannabis has been legal in California for over a decade nowsince 1996.
And, it turns out, there is research to suggest cannabis can help treat chronic pain like mine.
They would ask what I was doing that led to this sudden improvement, and Id shrug.
I worried I could get into trouble.
I worried I could get Fred into trouble.
It felt easier to keep it to myself.
So I stayed silent and continued to treat myself.
At least, at first.
I experienced life-altering effects from this plant, and I needed to share that with the world.
A source that also provided information, transparency, and support in figuring out how to use them.
Cannabis helped me immensely, and I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to experiment with it.
But to be clear, I am not cured.
I still manage pain from my injury on a daily basis, and I probably always will.
