Cannabis Shopping With Nikki Lawley: “Everyone Is Unique”

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In a recent article about industry professional Nikki Lawley and her cannabis journey, she shared a bit more than just what happened to her and how she started using cannabis. “I’m still learning to this day and will continue to gain knowledge by the day, many others still don’t know how to use it like I didn’t,” she told me in a recent conversation. As a pediatric nurse, her life came to a sudden halt due to a traumatic brain injury that occurred on the job. Since we both work within professional communities and live with the result of a brain injury, there are so many similarities between Nikki and me. We had such a long talk about the difficulties of integrating ourselves into the industry, professional settings, how we manage at public events, and so much more.

It’s very interesting to see how cannabis plays its role in allowing us to not only overcome the pain and other neurological deficits we have but to also use the plant’s healing compounds to allow us to be both seen and heard in venues that would normally be off-limits to someone who’s endured a brutal injury such as that. So many will discount people who have had a TBI to their own demise – recently she shared a bit more about what she’s learned and is teaching others about choosing plant-based alternative medicine in the world of Cannabis.

Let's hear from Nikki:

“When I discovered cannabis in Las Vegas that day in January of 2017, I had zero clue what I was looking at or for. The budtender recommended some indica strains for my chronic headache pain. I found these to be not effective they just made me tired. Once I returned to NY I didn’t have access to medical cannabis so I had some friends who lived In Ontario where you order your medical cannabis online when you have a medical script in Canada. This was even more confusing for me because I had no idea the differences. With cognitive challenges, I was really overwhelmed and lost. So my friends ordered a variety of strains with a licensed producer Canntrust.”

Nikki’s head injury forever changed her life, but cannabis stepped into the picture and changed it again!

“I remember getting three different strains and the first two I tried were ok, one was an indica and the other was a hybrid. Neither of these made much of a difference. However, the third one I tried was a game-changer – it was called original cheese with a terpene profile similar to UK cheese. Canntrust is now unable to sell in Canada and it is a challenge to find effective medicine closer to me geographically. One of the things I found out quickly is just because it has the name of White Widow doesn’t mean every producer’s white widow is the same! It is all about the terpene and cannabinoid profile.

Finding out what is effective for my chronic headache pain has been the biggest challenge. And, the balance of being able to function with my cognitive challenges so finding a balance has been also a huge challenge. I visited Nevada in the summer of 2018 and my entire cannabis world changed! By accident, as I was experimenting with the various strains I somehow ended up with this amazing strain by Shango who has cultivation in Nevada, Washington, and Oregon. I could not believe the difference in my pain, cognitive function and just having my anxiety under control.”

Nikki found the strain that changed the game for her – many will give up too soon. “Keep Trying” she says

“Without cannabis as medicine, I would probably be dead either from opiate/opioid overdose or suicide as the pain was so bad that even air hitting my foot felt like a saw was being taken to it. CRPS is a neurological disorder that causes the brain to interpret signals as pain even when nothing that would cause pain is present. Sort of an autoimmune disease the body sort of attacks itself. CRPS causes joint degeneration, muscle wasting, and local bone loss in the affected limb. It spreads as well; mine started in my right foot. I now have pain all the way up past my right knee, my left foot to to mid shin, and both wrists and sometimes hands. There’s no cure, nor do they know what causes it.” (In the video below, Vincent Carlesi, MD, of Pain Management Associates of Connecticut in Stamford, an anesthesiologist who discusses his use of medical cannabis to treat CRPS)

“I have a unique digestive system that I don’t absorb anything fat-soluble. Including THC and CBD oils. I found the Kyle Turley products called Neuro XPF were very effective for me when I am using it I definitely feel more calm and balanced. Kyle has suffered many concussions as I have and I found his story very similar to mine with his symptoms. I must smoke my medicine to feel the full entourage effect of the cannabis for my symptom relief. It has taken 1.5 years to really begin to understand what works for me. I find strains low in myrcene and high in limonene and alpha-pinene are by far what works best for me.”

A happy customer in a dispensary is not the one that pays the most, it’s the one that finds the right strain

“I am just recently learning about lab testing and the importance of quality cannabis and understanding what works for what symptoms. My advice to all is to keep on trying various strains. Buy smaller quantities to find what works for you as each person will have a different response to cannabis strains or oils within their endocannabinoid system. Never give up. Cannabis has had so many positive effects on my life. I try and never ever run out of product. I ration my supply. When it gets low I almost panic. It’s not because I am addicted. It is a matter of functioning and having hope or just being in so much pain one feels no positive.”

Rachelle Lynn Gordon, well known Cannabis Activist, YouTube Sensation, and Author with Nikki Lawley

“I am still very much in my early stages of learning but I want people to understand there is so much benefit from this plant. Get help and support from others who are versed in medical cannabis. Recreational is great for medical and consumers alike but the importance of having experience and helping those who are new to cannabis is critical. Start low and slow and share your experience to educate others. I have recently begun to write down all the strains I have tried and product information on what terps and components the plant have and evaluate each one to find a consistent terpene profile that works. Personalized medicine would be so helpful for the future.”

It’s so intense to see someone like Nikki Lawley step out of her comfort zone to teach others what she’s learned and continues to learn. Those of us with Traumatic Brain Injuries step into the professional world knowing we’ll be judged. We know that some will write us off due to the outcome of that head injury. It’s so easy to forget what you know for a moment and then have someone think you just don’t know the answer to a simple question. Nikki has overcome and continues to do so by utilizing plant-based alternative medicine such as Cannabis.

It’s allowed her to step into the world of professionals and be capable of handling the nonstop movement that engulfs the industries surrounding the efficacious cannabis and hemp plants. It’s a pleasure to write about Nikki and an even greater one to be her friend. I love how she’s learned basic information and has expanded on it. So many of us that gain knowledge tends to forget that the vast majority, likely over 99% of the population, is not aware of what we know and needs guidance to gain the best type of cannabis products for our individual needs.

Thank you, Nikki!