By Jay Jay O'Brien
Certified Cannabis Wellness Coach and Educator

Always Trust Your Gut

When the oncologist told me I had 6 months to a year to live, something inside me refused to accept that as my fate. The news was disastrous, but I refused to believe it. I downright defied it, because I knew in my gut that I had created this dis-ease in my body, and because of that, I knew I could heal it. And, here I am, 3 and a half years later surviving and thriving after a stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis. 

The Knowing Is The Hardest Part

I knew I had cancer. Before the doctor could get the words out of his mouth, I knew what he was going to say. I was actually the one to put the words in his mouth in the first place. There was this feeling inside of me that predicted the doctor's diagnosis. An inclination that what I was experiencing within my body was not normal and not good.

Something had to be done, but that was going to mean actually facing the fear and hearing what I didn’t want to hear. These premonitions brought me to the hospital on multiple occasions. My only symptom was intermittent pain, but it was enough to send me hobbling, abased and teary-eyed to the closest wheelchair of my local hospital's emergency room.

The Known Unknown

I knew I had cancer, but I did not know what to expect. I was floored when the oncologist informed me of my poor prognosis. Six months to a year to live was all I was offered. No chemo. No radiation. No surgery. No pills. Just death.

I got the news my gut told me I was going to get. Now, what was I going to do?

I didn’t know what the future had in store for me, but I knew there had to be something more than what I was being offered. That insecurity led me to look into what my options could be. That’s when I discovered Cannabis medicine.

Common Cannabis

I had been a recreational utilizer for a big part of my life, as were many of the members of my family, but understanding Cannabis as a medicine was a completely novel concept for me. I thought Cannabis was a drug. Mind you; I never considered it a bad drug because it was so commonly used among my family members, just not in the most beneficial way.

Cannabis use was widely accepted by the people close to me, so I thankfully never grew up with any Cannabis stigma, but rather, a disdain for the people who would try to tell me that it was a dangerous demon set to destroy our sanity.

My mom smoked Cannabis morning, noon and night. She was a high-functioning member of society with a huge heart for the troubled and a tough-as-nails work ethic. She was patient, kind and a boatload of fun! Cannabis helped her recover from her hard laborious factory jobs that contributed in the end to her demise.

I believe Cannabis was a big part of the reason for her demeanor and the more I look into the potential of what this plant is capable of, the more I believe in her as a medicine. As it turned out, it was just what the doctor ordered, so to speak.

Higher Powers

The cancer had taken my mom quickly and the memories of that experience played over in my head. Refusing to accept the doctor's diagnosis, I was determined not to share the same fate as her, so I asked her to show me the way.

That’s when everything changed.

Aha! Wait….Duh!

I came across a documentary called “Weed the People”. That hour and 37 minutes opened up my eyes to the potential of what Cannabis could do. Watching it, I had a huge ‘a ha’ moment. Or was it a ‘duh’ type moment?

Not certain, but either way, my hand was on my forehead and my jaw was on the floor. Something in me knew that this was it. This was going to change my fate.

The Only Way Through Is In

It wasn’t long after watching the documentary that I began ingesting high doses of highly concentrated Cannabis oil, known in cancer circles as Rick Simpson Oil (RSO). I was doing so in an attempt to heal the cancer and additionally, was served up vast portions of connection and spirituality. (If you’d like to learn more about RSO, read my article)

The high doses of Cannabis oil caused some intense states of euphoria. It was in those states I sat nestled in these deep pockets of reconnection and realization. Here I was able to drop into my body, my mind, and my spirit and was reintroduced to my human ‘being’.

Re-establishing this relationship with myself helped me to re-centre and re-ground. I let go of a lot of grief and anger and brought myself to a place of inner peace. Through this reconnection, I was able to find acceptance and take responsibility for my actions in bringing about this dis-ease.

With this acceptance, I found forgiveness and with forgiveness, I could attempt to heal. And heal I did. With Cannabis in my system, I reflected, renewed and refreshed my state of mind and being. Meeting myself again, as if for the first time, was an opportunity to get back to being the person I always knew I could be.

Back To Basics

It’s been 3 years since I made these introductions and built this deeper relationship with myself. Cannabis has changed so much about what I think and know about myself. I am much more in tune with my mind, body and spirit. It is a relationship I cultivate now that I know I have Cannabis to give me the patience, the consciousness and the space to do so.

I knew what I could be capable of and had I not been able to rebuild my relationship with myself, I’m not certain I would still be here today, and were it not for Cannabis, I’m quite certain I would not.

When you know, you know, you know?

Note from the Editors: There will be an issue of the EC Newsletter dedicated to Cannabis and Cancer in June. If you have questions regarding this topic, struggle with terminology, etc., please watch for that issue publishing on June 12, 2023. We recommend if you want to use Cannabis as part of your cancer treatment, you work with your medical team and qualified Cannabis experts and that you fully understand the law in your jurisdiction. Please use the feedback form below to request a specific article topic for the Cancer issue.

About Jay Jay O’Brien:

Jay Jay is the founder and creator of naturalisticallynow and the Canecdotal Collective, where she educates and assists people with cancer, implementing Cannabis into their protocols. As a stage 4 lung cancer survivor and caregiver to her type 1 diabetic son, Jay Jay has learned that you truly do "get what you give", and with Cannabis, she believes we have the opportunity to give our bodies the opportunity to truly heal rather than just masking our symptoms. Through her own experience of healing, she has now made it her mission to share the capabilities of Cannabis with all who will listen.

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Effective Cannabis Newsletter is a platform to educate on the vital role of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) in one's health. The information is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information contained in or available through this newsletter is for general information purposes only. It is not medical advice; it is health awareness.