Our 9 year old son Declan is an amazing child. He’s smart, witty, handsome, and empathetic.
He’s also living with OCD, ADHD and Tourette Syndrome.
The first 18 months after his diagnosis, some days were good, some were bad. As time progressed, it was mostly bad. His tics were getting so bad that even going out in public caused him massive anxiety. He was made fun of at school and by the kids in the neighborhood; gawked at by strangers when he had episodes in public. He couldn’t even sit still long enough to eat, much less complete his school assignments.
Declan and me
We tried everything to find Declan some relief from his symptoms and the sore muscles and aching joints he developed as a result of his relentless motor tics. Doctors prescribed clonidine, haloperidol, and Guanfacine (not all at the same time), all of which either had no impact or horrendous side effects.
We decided that we couldn’t let our boy slip away to being a permanent zombie, so we started seeking more natural remedies. In addition to therapy, we tried topical essential oils, vaporized essential oils, chiropractic regimens; in other words, if someone recommended it, we tried it! Nothing was giving him even a minute of peace or relief.
We felt so powerless, so defeated.
Then, one day Declan’s uncle sent us a sample of a new CBD product. We had heard of CBD, but we had never tried it. We weren’t exceptionally hopeful, but we decided to give it a shot. We began giving him this CBD powder faithfully, every day for a week, with no change. Then one evening we were sitting at the dinner table, eating and talking about our day. Declan was sitting with us, eating and contributing to the conversation. The gravity of this moment hit my husband and I at the same time – we looked at each other as we realized that Declan was sitting down at the dinner table, eating, and carrying a normal conversation. His tics were gone!
We were hesitant to claim victory at first, thinking that it may have been a fluke. But as the days passed, we noticed that the volume and intensity of his tics were a lot lower, dependent on his stress levels, if he was tired, etc. We wanted to stabilize that, as well as find a more convenient delivery method. Up to that point, we had to use digital scale that measured in milligrams and measure out the servings into a parchment, then mix with honey and give it to Declan. Besides being extremely inconvenient, we also weren’t 100% sure the serving size was consistent.
We also learned about other families who were looking for the same kind of relief for their kids and loved ones. So we contacted the lab that supplied the sample powder and talked to them about what we wanted, and that others may want it too. They knew our story and wanted to help, but they did not have a means to manage and fulfill orders. And the product needed some tweaking to make it convenient to take. Earthbound Extracts was born from that conversation.
We worked with the lab to adjust the formula so that we could fit a big enough serving to see results, but in a capsule small enough for anyone to take. And because we knew that we could not be without our CBD after finally seeing these results, we also worked with the lab to make sure they could manufacture enough to reliably supply people on a regular monthly basis.
We just launched Earthbound Extracts this past week, and the initial feedback has been nothing short of humbling. Parents from around the country have been sharing their heartbreaking stories, and we can’t wait for them to receive their first orders. We don’t know where we’d be if we hadn’t found this product, or if the lab hadn’t been willing to work with us to fine tune it, or if any number of other things hadn’t happened to make this a reality. My husband and I truly feel that this is a calling, and we are in a position to help so many families. We are blessed.
