Patient & WholesomeCo Staff Testimonial: Lucy J’Aime

WholesomeCo is proud to highlight one of our own pharmacy agents and a Utah medical cannabis patient, Lucy J’Aime. Cannabis has helped Lucy overcome chronic pain and break free from prescription medications. We are excited to share Lucy’s story and how she was able to reintroduce quality, health, and comfort back into her everyday life.

Lucy’s History

In 2009, Lucy J'Aime experienced a foot injury that would cost her mental and physical health. Lucy was later diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, also known as CRPS. This is a chronic pain condition consisting of intense nerve pain and inflammation that develops after an injury. In many cases, pain caused by CRPS far exceeds the discomfort of the initial injury. In Lucy’s case, CRPS was triggered by torn ligaments in her foot. The severity of her pain forced her to quit working, stop going to school, and stop participating in hobbies and activities she loved. This is an extremely hard concept to grasp at the age of 23. 

The Challenge

As her CRPS condition escalated, Lucy was prescribed strong medications that alleviated pain but deprived her of a normal functioning life. A few of these medications were gabapentin, muscle relaxers, morphine, and fentanyl. Lucy described this time in her life as dark, internally and externally. Her mind felt numb, she lost motivation, and simply stopped caring. Taking multiple different prescription pills every few hours made her feel as though she was on autopilot, having no control over her thoughts and feelings. Overall, this was not a sustainable way to live the rest of her life. 

Lucy wished for a more natural, homeopathic treatment method. Opioids were an easy bandaid to alleviate pain, but not a long-term solution. The medications Lucy was prescribed negatively affected her well-being, and it was a struggle to consistently get them filled. As if the pain she was experiencing was not mentally degrading enough, she was also viewed as a drug seeker for pills she did not even want. It got to a point where Lucy contemplated having her leg removed. She would have rathered a life without her leg than to deal with the pain and pharmaceutical drugs she was facing. After being told her condition would be with her forever, Lucy realized she could not continue a treatment that left her feeling hopeless. 

The Light 

As a California resident and medical cannabis being legal statewide, Lucy began to experiment with cannabis in medicinal ways in conjunction with prescription drugs. Lucy and her doctors quickly noticed the pros when she incorporated cannabis into her routine. While still being treated with opioids, Lucy found that using cannabis helped balance her sleep and appetite. In lucid moments when prescribed medicine was wearing off, Lucy began to find motivation. 

The Solution 

Medical cannabis helped Lucy out of a situation she never thought she would escape. Lucy confidently advocates for medical cannabis to treat pain conditions like her own and now lives a full life without prescription drugs, except for occasionally Tylenol. Although the pain will never fully dissipate, Lucy has found the solution to a life worth living, with all limbs attached. In addition to minimal pain, cannabis has allowed Lucy to find mind and body relaxation while still participating in previous hobbies, being active, and even starting her own business.

With all of her first-hand knowledge, Lucy created her own podcast, The Pain Pals. The platform serves as a space for sharing her chronic pain experiences from the past 13 years while raising awareness for those diagnosed with CRPS. Using medical cannabis has given Lucy the mental clarity to reevaluate where she is at, reflect on how far she has come, and realize what she has the power to accomplish! 

Methods of Cannabis Consumption 

Lucy expresses that each different form of cannabis has a different time and place in her treatment. Because she consistently uses cannabis products, she needs a very high dose to affect her cognitively, otherwise, cannabis just alleviates pain. Different methods of consumption affect the body in different ways, which is why Lucy uses a mixture of flower, edibles, patches, topicals, concentrates, and tinctures. Some of her favorite pain-relieving products include Standard Wellness Lipitor Syringe, Hygge gummies, True North extended-release gummies, Zion White Chocolate Concentrate, and the Boojum 1:1 CBG:THC tincture. 

Cannabis Treatment Results 

Today, Lucy is able to reflect on what she is feeling and how she can help herself and others without the use of prescription medications or opioids. Reflection is a huge part of the healing process, and something she was not able to accomplish using hard drugs. Today, Lucy feels like herself, is back to working a normal life, and she is able to share what she has learned with others. 

Lucy has been working at WholesomeCo, a dispensary in Utah since July of 2021, educating those who struggle with pain and guiding patients on their own journey towards healing. She strives to make experiences personal for each patient and encourages all those who are interested to focus on their well-being before worrying about the opinions of others.

References: 

Stanford Medicine Division of Pain Medicine. (2021, November). Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). https://med.stanford.edu/pain/about/chronic-pain/crps.html