HAIRDRESSER Maria Mullane’s life hit rock bottom in her early 30s.
She was virtually bed-bound, drained of energy, found it hard even to lift a cup of tea and had to drag herself to the bathroom. Was this all there was to look forward to?
As her muscles weakened because of the time she spent in bed, Maria had to walk with sticks. A diagnosis of fibromyalgia – chronic joint and muscle pain, coupled with extreme fatigue – simply served to heighten her anxiety. She slept little more than three hours a night, was taking 32 tablets a day for various ailments and was at her wit’s end.
Then a friend who had suffered similar health issues turned up one day without her walking sticks and Maria was instantly curious. What had happened to bring about such a notable improvement? The answer was cannabis oil and it proved a solution which turned Maria’s life round, too.
Maria, now 46, takes up the story, “My friend gave me the remains of a couple of bottles of different types of CBD oil and advised me to try them both, to see which helped. I was extremely sceptical, but agreed and over the next week or so I tested both. The first was from a high street health store and, frankly, made no difference to my pain or sleep levels at all. Then I tried a few drops of George Botanicals’ oil and, for the first time in years, I slept till 6am. Normally I had been awake three hours earlier. It felt amazing.
“I ordered some oil online and as I used it regularly, I noticed my pain reduced to a manageable level and I had more energy. That was last summer and I really haven’t looked back. It’s been fantastic. I also use the CBD balm on my neck and shoulders, to ease the pain.”
Maria, who lives near Frome with husband Mark, daughter Jazmine, 22, and 19-year-old Brad, was delighted to discover George’s Botanicals was made nearby and visited the farm. “I was most impressed at how it was run,” she said.
As a hairdresser, Maria hears her customers’ life stories and now often recommends those who suffer long-term health issues to try CBD oil. She has even become an agent for George’s Botanicals because she believes in it so strongly. Mark, who suffered a traumatic accident on holiday a few years ago which left him in great pain and unable to walk far, also finds the oil beneficial.
“It’s not a miracle cure and it might not work for some people, but these oils have changed my life,” says Maria. “They help me control the pain and I’ve reduced my daily tablets drastically. This is a reputable, pure and natural alternative to long-term medication.”
