A Desperate Search for Relief- Part II
After the closure of the Behavioral Health department in early March 2020 due to the 'Shelter in Place' order, our search for an alternative pain relief solution became more urgent. Dennis' overdose marked the end of his pain medication prescriptions. We grasped the gravity of this order in the battle against Covid-19 as the daily death toll surged. Like many others, fear gripped us—fear of contracting the virus and dealing with its consequences. The stark reality was that Dennis transitioned from 'in-patient care' to my care at home. Initially hoping to escape his relentless pain, he now carried that pain with him. What actions could we take, and what role would I play in this challenging situation? In these moments, our belief in a 'higher power' became our guiding light, a source of strength during this trying time.
As we grappled with this new reality, we started hearing a lot about the potential benefits of using CBD for various medical issues. I learned that CBD was derived from marijuana and had become legal for general use. For me, someone who had been "clean and sober" for 41 years, anything related to marijuana or cannabis was an absolute nonstarter.
I vaguely remember that we had purchased a small bottle of CBD from a health food store before the "shelter in place" lockdown began. Dennis may have tried taking it orally a few times, but there was no meaningful relief. That experience marked the beginning of a broader search, not for CBD specifically, but for natural plant based oils that might help ease his pain. Along the way, we explored numerous natural oils as part of our learning process, hoping to better understand what worked, what didn’t, and why.
While CBD played a role in our early experimentation and understanding, it ultimately was not the solution we were seeking. Determined to develop an effective pain relief solution, I explored alternative ingredients and formulations; the final Remadie on sale now contains no CBD and no THC. As I continued experimenting, it became clear that our journey toward meaningful, safe pain relief was far from over, but we were moving in the right direction.