PATIENT AWARENESS ►
Cancer and Alternative Pain Management
Managing my stage four colon cancer .
by Lana Sterling , contributing writer
I always thought I was a lucky girl . I had my life all planned out and wrapped neatly in a pretty little bow . I had a loving husband , wonderful , if not challenging , children , and a good career that provided for my needs . So , when I first experienced pain , it caught me off guard , and I brushed it off , because it was not included in my neatly wrapped up picture-perfect life .
Early in 2021 , at 48 years old , I was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer . Three years previously , I survived stage two colon cancer . All the follow-up tests showed negative results , so I thought I was “ all clear ” and relaxed my guard a little . Oh , it didn ’ t take long for cancer to come back — this time , meaner and stronger .
The pain started at night . It was just a little pin prick that would wake me up . In a matter of weeks , it developed into an ugly monster of heavy night sweats and gripping pain and was affecting my daily activities . I knew I had to see a doctor . Deep down , I had a hunch that cancer had come back .
After nearly two years of various treatments , including chemo , surgeries , western medications , and eastern supplements , I finally had a somewhat normal life — a new normal . The pain was always there — 24 / 7 , more or less — just relocated to different body parts , depending on which treatment I was under at the time .
Luckily for me , I had a connection to Kansas City Cannabis Company . After discussing my symptoms with its knowledgeable budtenders , I bought a few products to try . Everyone responds differently , so the following products worked for me :
1 . Vivid is a manufacturer that makes “ Dreams ,” an easy-to-take pill to help me fall asleep . It takes about 30 to 60 minutes for the effects to begin .
2 . Smokies Edibles makes “ Marijuana Infused Fruit Chews ” that come in
several different flavors . The ones I bought are 25 mg per serving size , which is too much for me , so I bite off ( or cut ) a ½ piece when I need it .
3 . Heartland Holistics ( Heartland Labs ) makes a “ FECO patch ” that I place on my back , over my liver area , on my chest , and pretty much anywhere I experience pain . If the pain is closer to the surface , like a muscle spasm , it works well . If the pain radiates from an internal organ like the liver , then I use this in conjunction with an edible or tongue drop ( sublingual ).
4 . COCO ’ s FECO / RSO ” product is very potent and looks like black goop in a tiny syringe . I squirt just a little ( the size of a grain of rice ) onto my fingertip and rub it under my tongue , where it is absorbed into the bloodstream much quicker than swallowing . However , Be Cautious — this is a highly concentrated product . I use it to help me go to sleep and stay asleep , but if I ’ m not careful and use too much , then I will sleep for too long and wake up groggy .
5 . “ Tongue Drop ” ( sublingual ) by Care by Design comes in either a 1:1 or 2:1 THC / CBD drop . Place a dropper full under the tongue and hold it there for at least 10 minutes — allowing it to be absorbed into the bloodstream , then swallow . It usually takes 15 minutes or so to feel the effects .