Marlyse's story: Roller skating, resilience, and recovery - my journey with medical cannabis

Can you please tell us a bit more about yourself and your health journey?

Sure. I'm 47, I'm married, and I have a 13-year-old daughter. I love nature and travel, and I'm very grateful for all of my life experiences. 

I suffer from Sudeck’s disease, also called CRPS [Complex Regional Pain Syndrome], which resulted from an accident I had 2 and a half years ago. I’m a very active person, and I’m really into high speed roller skating. One day, I was cruising down a bit of smooth tarmac at about 25 mph when our dog got spooked by a disability aid somebody nearby was using. Looking back, I suppose it’s kind of ironic. 

Anyway, the dog bolted! She turned in a massive arc through a huge field and came right at me. Back when our dog was a puppy, she used to always jump into my arms, and that’s exactly what she did that day—while I was going downhill on my roller skates. Unfortunately, I was going one way, and the dog came flying at me from another. I was taken out. I hit the floor. I knew that I was in really bad shape because I was swearing a lot and for me, that means serious pain. 

At the hospital, they only took an x-ray of my elbow, which was broken. They said, “Oh, no. You haven't done anything else.” In the morning, my arm was still hurting so much that I went back for more X-rays. It turned out that I had crushed fingers, a torn subscapularis muscle, dislocated tendons and ligaments—my arm was a pretty mess from my chest down to my fingers. That’s when my four months of hell started. Before anyone realized that I had CRPS. 

My arm just wouldn’t heal. It became black and huge, and my fingers were fat and didn't move apart. Four months in, I started to have terrible thoughts. I wanted to die or at least the removal of my arm. The vascular spasms caused pain that took me into another world - I’d try to cry, but no noise would come out. 

The doctors were puzzled, and nobody could diagnose the problem, until we finally met one consultant who was an absolute gem. He said, “I know this, and this is Sudeck’s disease.” Once we had the diagnosis, I was no longer a lost person in so much pain, and I could finally start to get help.

What kind of treatments have you tried previously to help manage the  pain caused by CRPS?

Before my diagnosis, I was given three codeine tablets per day for pain and that was it. I told them it wasn’t enough, but they always said, “You’re not presenting.” I never understood that. Everyone is different. I don’t like to complain—I’m a bit of a trooper, that’s just my character—but that doesn’t mean I don’t go home and cry on my own.

After my diagnosis, my doctors were practically throwing morphine at me. For a year and a half, I was taking up to 25 tablets of codeine, plus oral morph  three to six times a day. Obviously, I was aware that taking morphine regularly was not healthy, but my pain was out of control.

Eventually, a stellate Ganglion Block  on my spine was proposed. The pain surgeon said, “Now, if I get it wrong, you'll go into a coma for three months.” I didn’t hesitate. I said, “If it helps with the pain, I'm willing to go for it.” Either way is a win - it works. I'm getting some relief. If not, I'm in a coma for three months and out of pain’’.

I completed the operation in January 2023 , and with my own hard work, as well as the help of my husband’s massages, yoga, meditation, physio as well as my prescription medications, I reached a point where I gained some mobility back, but I still suffered from chronic pain. 

How did you end up discovering Releaf?

My husband saw a medical cannabis ad in our local pharmacy when he was getting some of my medicines, and that’s when we started our journey with medical cannabis. I wanted to know more, and started looking into it and that’s where I found you guys, great reviews online and news!

I started from the beginning, asking questions like, “What is cannabis?” and “What is cannabis oil?” In my research, I learned that we all have many cannabis receptors in our bodies. Surely, if we've got all of those receptors, it’s meant to help us. 

We decided to go with Releaf, and scheduled my first consultation with one of their lovely doctors. We all agreed that I should start a treatment program with medical cannabis. 

And, how has your Releaf treatment been going? 

If I didn't have medical cannabis, as well as the support from my husband and family, I think I would literally still be stuck with my big black arm, crying in pain.  

I have got a fantastic routine going with different forms of medical cannabis for different needs. I have morning oils, night oils and pain oils as well as different types of the flower.

For example, I have one strain that I use if I’m going outside with a lot of people. That strain just calms me down, and I’m sure no one will know about it, so I don’t feel any judgment or stigma.

I have another strain that I use as a daytime painkiller, and another that I use at bedtime, which is awesome. That strain feels like, “Good night! Let's go to sleep!” which is lovely. And, as a 47-year-old, menopausal woman, I can also say that the balanced oils have helped decrease my night sweats. They still happen, but they’re less intense and more manageable now. I’m just glad to have found something that works so well for me."

For me personally, it’s all about the balance. It’s not just about the THC; it’s the THC and CBD combined. They both seem to help in their own ways. 

What reactions have you received when you tell people about your medical cannabis treatment?

My dad is a hard army man, and was very sceptical at first, but within a couple of weeks he could see that my life was a little easier, and I was in a lot less pain. Now, even my dad is saying, “Carry on. Have your flower if it helps.” That is really sweet. 

When I first mentioned medical cannabis to my doctor, she was very against it. She said, “Absolutely not. This is just not something that's done.” She refused to take the idea seriously, which made me feel rather silly and small at the time.

After some research, I decided that she was simply wrong. I read through a lot of government studies and thought, “I’m okay to do this. I’m going to start this treatment with or without her approval.” After she saw my undeniable improvement, she changed her tune. That was empowering. 

My physiotherapist absolutely raves about my progress. He thinks medical cannabis has been the best thing ever for me, and gives Releaf a lot of credit for my improvement. He's seen, first hand, the positive changes in my mobility.  

Finally, what are your future goals?

I have a long journey ahead, and my biggest goal with medical cannabis is to fully come off prescription pain medications within the next few years. My doctor said that until I’ve recovered the most amount of movement possible, I’ve got to stay on them, and I want to use medical cannabis to speed up that recovery process. 

I’d love to tell everyone about Releaf because not enough people know about this treatment. I want to write something and share my experiences with medical cannabis—a book, a pamphlet, or even an email for doctors to send to potential patients. 

I do believe that, as much as this experience has been so painful and horrible, it happened for a reason, and has given me the courage to take charge of my own health journey in my own way. I only want to empower other people to do the same. 

For more information about medical cannabis treatments for this condition, please see medical cannabis for chronic pain.