For me, a typical day begins with an earnest nudge from my early-riser child. From there out, chaos ensues. My mornings are filled with explosions of cereal, clothes, toothpaste, tears from one kid, and screaming from the other. We all then race out the door in a futile attempt to beat the clock and the pandemonium finally subsides once I’m able to clamber my way out of the turbulence of the school drop-off line and head out to either work or back to the house.
Table of Contents
Motherhood Induced Stress
I’ve worn both the working-mom and the stay-at-home-mom hats, and I find that both encompass about the same amount of pressure. Between 9 to 5 in either role, I check off to-do lists, make appointments, tend to projects, clean up messes, make new ones, take little breaks, and figure out a dinner plan that my kids won’t complain about. The minute we step foot back in the house after work or school, I can be found simultaneously handling dinner and helping out with homework until it’s time for our bedtime routine which is a whole other beast to tackle. After the children are in bed, I relish in this very small and very short window of twilight where I can indulge myself but often question if it’s enough.
Repeating this schedule day in and out is rapidly depleting for even the strongest of people. Right now, it’s all the rage for parents to ardently cling to wine o’ clock in an attempt to salvage that last bit of energy to tend to their self-care. However, alcohol isn’t for everyone. Many, including myself, suffer from sensitivities to alcohol. When I drink any amount of it at night, I get terrible sleep and begin the day in the foulest of moods which then creates this negatively bubbling atmosphere that I would rather not project onto my family.
How I Was Able to Access Cannabis
After much consideration, I decided to turn to cannabis. Initially, I was apprehensive because I didn’t want to be labeled or be stigmatized. Fortunately, I live in a state that has a medical marijuana program where approved patients can have access to cannabis dispensaries and get their medicine. I wasn’t sure how to get my card. I cold-called several doctors and was turned down left and right until I used google and was offered suggestions for companies that could connect me with a professional that was willing to do a consultation.
In the end, I went with Veriheal for my medical card because their fees are refundable in the event I was not approved and because they have their own CBD line that includes lab results. Luckily, the doctor they linked me with found that I qualified for my medical card. Once I was approved through the state, I got my card and I was good to go!
I spent about a month dipping my toes in the water and testing my tolerance with different strains and consumption methods until I found a happy medium that best serves me. Now that I’ve been consistently incorporating both CBD and low doses of THC into my lifestyle, I find that I get much better sleep, have an overall more relaxed mood that positively reflects upon my family, and am able to successfully sail through my daily tasks without that sharp sting of stress!
