TSC Talks guest Nikki Lawley is a former pediatric nurse, former blackjack dealer, and much more, who went from full active life to chronic daily pain and other debilitating symptoms after suffering a traumatic brain injury on the job in 2016. This is the story of how it happened, what happened and how she’s been able to move from existing in survival mode to having a life filled with hope despite ongoing challenges. In her own words; “since my (TBI) injury, one of the things that I’ve learned more than anything is about living in the moment. my life changed a second and I can’t go back and write a new ending, but I sure can start now and I just have really become more human with this injury. ”

Here are a few relevant quotes from the transcript~full transcript linked below:

“So I began the search for a diagnosis. It was hell, I was always a respected colleague in the medical field. And every doctor I went to was like, we don't understand why your symptoms are so long. We don't understand why you’re not better yet. We don't understand this headache that never goes away. How can you have a headache 24 /7. I'm like, I have a headache. 24/7. I have a headache that never goes away. And they basically told me that it was psychological at one point, and it was so de-humanizing for a person that's never had mental health challenges and extreme situations, to be told, like, this is all in your head. Really nothing wrong with you. And it was like, Whoa, is it really in my head? No, and I mean, chill. When I say I was upbeat and happy, you know, I was different than I was before. I was really quick, really witty really able to, you know, snapback and had a really fun life. I'm a different Nikki and I'm differently-abled, but I feel that patients are the experts, and they are not heard. We are not heard from a patient perspective. When I tell the doctor, this medicine isn't working. Why do I have to be in question?”

She goes on to say,

“It wasn't like a panacea that like one day I just opened my eyes and oh, cannabis is here. Oh, I'm all better. That's not how it works. Yeah, the universe has allowed me to explore. Honestly, it's allowed me to be able to understand my injury, it's been able to help me help others. I was able to see that cannabis isn't so bad. It's given me hope when I had none. and removing the stigma of this plant is honestly what's in my heart that I really want to help do.”

On the state of Cannabis legislation,

“But I've learned so much about this plant, and there's so much more to learn. And right. We're just at the beginning, really any of us. Exactly. And New York State is looking at legalization. Yes. I keep seeing that. Is that gonna happen? Well, I was part of it for the last two years and nothing happened. And it was incredibly disappointing. Incredibly. They all got a position so they can make the most money off of it, I think there's so much of that behind it. I don't know all of it. But oh, no, you're 100%. And I really didn't understand that. Like I always just heard people say that, but let me assure you, that's it. I've never seen a more corrupt system literally starting at the very, very top of how it all works together.”

“So I had to fight to just see the right providers, I spent so much money out of pocket. Workers' compensation pays for next to nothing. Yeah, unless you have specific doctors that they are willing to pay for, you can't get care, right. Everything was a struggle from medical massage, physical therapy, to cognitive therapy, you name it, they fought you on it. And then to have independent medical exams that are paid for by the insurance company, and they spend literally three and a half minutes with me. They look at all the medical records and say alright, she can return to work in six weeks, and she has no problems.”

For the full transcript: https://otter.ai/u/EDWInbGkx7qAhus2lgEyjYilyoM

Nikki’s links:
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Nikkilawley
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-lawley-aa281517/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikki.lawley
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawleynikki/?hl=en
Recent podcast: https://player.fm/series/coffee-party-usa-radio/i-want-access-4-all-nurse-nikki-lawley-stops-by-for-a-cup-of-joe
Blog article: https://www.mikesmedicines.com/medical-marijuana/cannabis-shopping-with-nikki-lawley-everyone-is-unique/