Matt’s story: Healing the mind and body after a life-changing plane crash

Could you tell us a bit more about how you were injured, and the complications you’ve encountered since?

I became a pilot years ago, and my family had a plane which I would fly quite regularly without any problems. In October 2023, I was flying with my wife and my eldest son from Norfolk to Nottingham, having just finished lunch with my wife's parents. The plane malfunctioned, and we crash-landed in the trees. Thankfully, we all survived, but the crash left us all with injuries. I shattered my left shoulder, and had a lot of metal implants surgically inserted to try to piece it all back together, but I haven’t had the use of my left arm for 14 months now.

The metal in my shoulder got infected after the first operation, and since then, my doctors have been dealing with that so that my body can heal the broken bones. Unfortunately, it hasn’t worked and last week, I had the top of my humerus removed so that a metal ball—like a socket— can be implanted. 

The whole experience was absolutely horrendous, but we—as a family—are very close, and we have largely overcome the mental challenges surrounding the trauma of the accident. The physical part, obviously, is ongoing. We've had a lot of help, and I'm very grateful for the support we’ve received. I have chronic pain, and the hospital has prescribed painkillers through the NHS, which are working. 

My wife and I looked at private healthcare, but they wouldn't treat me because I’m classed as a trauma patient and there are complicated, multidiscipline departments involved. The NHS is absolutely the right place for me to be, and the people that looked after my family and I are just incredible. I'm now on my 14th operation, and I've got two more to come. 

So, what led you to look into adjunctive therapies like those offered by Releaf? 

It was the insomnia that is associated with my discomfort and pain. Unfortunately, after the crash, I just couldn't sleep. I was prescribed sleep medicines by my doctors, which just didn't work very well and left me feeling very groggy the next day. One of them had a side effect of making me feel sick. 

I’d never thought about medical cannabis as an alternative until I was talking about it with a friend of mine who has serious back pain. I had heard that, in 2018, medicinal cannabis had been legalised in the UK, but I had no idea how it could help me. If I'm being brutally honest, I thought it just made people high to help them to get over pain and trauma. 

When I first started talking with my wife about contacting Releaf, I struggled with it. I said to my wife, “It's cannabis, and I don't want to take cannabis. That's not something that I've known in my life. I don't want to be on drugs.” 

My wife pointed out, “You've been on opioids, and other very strong medicines for a year already. So what on earth are you worried about? Medical cannabis grows from the ground. It's also a very well studied medication. People are aware of its benefits and what the side effects are.” 

I still wanted to live my life, despite the fact I couldn't use my arm. I still had a lot of things I wanted to do. Once I overcame this  stigma and contacted Releaf, it was an obvious step forward. 

What was your first appointment with Releaf like?

When I first spoke to the doctors at Releaf, they were very thorough and helpful. They did a lot of looking into my health, my background and my mental well-being. All of that was very reassuring. 

After the accident, I would generally wake up five or six times a night in pain—every single night. I was prescribed the medical cannabis oil from Releaf, and when it arrived that first night, something quite incredible happened: I woke up once. That was outstanding— a massive change for me. It's changed my life. 

I take the oil at about 8 or 9 p.m. at night, and by the time I go to bed at 11, I'm quite drowsy, which is wonderful because I haven't felt drowsy for so long.

And how has your treatment with prescribed cannabis oil been going so far? 

Since I’ve started my treatment, I'm really pleased to say that there aren’t any side effects, which was a big concern for me at first. I don't feel high from taking medical cannabis. I never wanted to feel high from taking it, but it clearly works to relax me enough to get me through a night's sleep. In 14 months, I've had six full night's sleep without waking up at all, and four of them have been since I’ve been with Releaf.

Medical cannabis oil is nothing like being drunk on alcohol, there is absolutely no comparison. I’m completely in control. I’m not ill. There is no hangover. Most importantly, there is no sleepiness in the morning or feeling like you're two steps behind everyone else. 

I also wonder if the cannabis oil has a psychological effect. I used to worry that when I went to bed, all I was going to do was just lie there. My insomnia was kind of self-perpetuating. Now, after taking the oil, I feel relaxed and in a great state of mind. A big part of recovery is rest and relaxation so I can build my health up, and that just wasn't happening for me. 

This entire journey has been horrendous, but at least now I'm resting properly. I’ve been really pleased with the treatment. 

Have you made any adjustments to your treatment plan over time? 

I've only had to renew my prescription once, and it has stayed the same except for the dosage. After speaking with one of Releaf’s consultants, we decided to raise the amount of oil I take.

I was on a very small dose when I first started. I think, in the beginning, the doctors sensed what was going on in my head—about my worries and concerns about side effects—and that’s why they started me off slowly. When I asked about increasing the dosage, they said, “Absolutely you can. You can increase that amount right away.” 

Now, I get an even better night's sleep, which is wonderful.

And finally, are there any misconceptions about medical cannabis that you’d like to clear up?

I would really love for more people to understand how medical cannabis can change their lives, because I'm sure my challenges aren't isolated.

I guess a lot of people don't look into medical cannabis for their own reasons. It's just a shame that there are such strict regulations that prevent people from overcoming the stigmas, and understanding that medical cannabis might be an effective treatment. 

I know that everyone's views on medical cannabis are different. As I said before, at first, I just didn't want cannabis in my life. After actually trying medical cannabis, I feel silly that I ever thought that way, especially after using a serious opiate like morphine. 

When I speak to people about medical cannabis, I just say, “Get over the stigmas, because it’s not what you think it is. And if it helps, why wouldn't you want to have a better, healthier life?” In fact, I've already recommended Releaf to a couple of my family members who are using it now for their own medical needs. 

I really hope that people just try—just have a look at medical cannabis because, like I said, it's changed my life.