1 Year Lyme Battle Anniversary!!

So obviously I am TERRIBLE at keeping blogs updated! We'll blame it on Lyme. Seriously. This last year has been one heck of a ride, one that I'd really like to get off of if I could. But since that's not an option here I am. I've been fighting this "Monster" called Lyme Disease and it has been a battle to beat all wars. So that's my excuse and my reason I have been SO incredibly sick this last year that to put forth energy to update blogs is WAY too much to deal with. The reason for my post today is inspired by my courageous beautiful niece that got her diagnosis of Lyme. She's decided to blog her journey and I think her reasons for doing so is fantastic. I believe that people need to understand more about this beast and how horribly hard it is to live with. I want people to "get" what it literally feels like to live with and how your body feels with the World War 3 that's waging inside of it....

I just got home from my every 3 month medical sojourn to Mexico to see my kind, wonderful, brilliant, god-given doctor. There are no words to express just how grateful I am to this man and that he has come into my life. I truly love him. Every time I go to Mexico has been different with the way my body handles the treatments and this time was no different. It was pretty rough. I have "new" symptoms that have developed, severe nausea and heart palpitations. He said that means the bacteria has decided to take up residence in a different place so they've moved on to my stomach and heart. Great! Cause you know you can live so well without your heart functioning... NOT!. He's treating me with lots of stuff to heal the ulcers the Lyme has created in my tummy. The stuff is helping. But I'm still suffering. It's hard to eat much because even putting a tooth brush in my mouth is causing me to gag which then can cause throwing up seizures to happen. So much fun. ;) But don't worry I'm positive I won't get too skinny because my metabolism is in the toilet right now for whatever reason.

I received more "stuff" to do which takes all the things I have to take/do in a day up to a whole other level. I have so many prescription drugs, homeopathics, supplements and vitamins I am finding that I am REALLY struggling remembering what I have done/taken and whats left to do. I may have taken my thyroid pills and antibiotics twice this morning but I'm not sure...

I thought it might be kind of interesting to make a list of the symptoms I had that have either improved or gotten better and then list the symptoms I still have as well as any new ones that have cropped up. Side note: I'm analyzing these based on NON herxing symptoms. If I'm herxing you can better believe that ALL these symptoms return with a vengeance. More about herxing in another post.

Improved Symptoms:

Brain fog- most days this one really is a whole lot better. I can definitely still have some but I for sure have had an improvement.
Memory issues- mild improvement. I'm still struggling with this one quite a bit such as word and name recall. Which can be quite embarrassing at times especially when you can't remember names of people that you've known for years. Awkward.
Depression- Totally and complete astounding improvement on this one! I can't believe how amazing I "feel"! My serotonin and dopamine levels went from 3 to 960 in 18 months! They should be at 1500 but hey! I'm SO not complaining! Seriously if 960 feels like this what is 1500 going to feel like!?
Seizures/tremors/muscle twitches/bells palsy: I've seen an improvement in these from last summer for sure which is nice but I still suffer from them. Instead of 18 or more seizure episodes a day I have minor tremors and muscle twitches most days. I only have a more major seizing episode once or twice a week now. SO NICE!
Energy levels: Most days this has improved tremendously. I find I can do more without fatiguing (aka ending up in bed)  then a year ago.

As I have started listing my symptoms I realized this could be a VERY looooong post so because of that I decided to change my tactic and find a way to simplify this for you the reader.

Here's a list of symptoms I found at  http://www.lymeresearchalliance.org/signs-symptom-list.html
I thought I'd highlight the ones I've had problems with in the past or are experiencing now. The ones in pink are my symptoms. I've put an I at the end if there's been improvement, an N if it's a "new" symptom and a G if the symptom has resolved.  If I didn't put anything just know that I'm still struggling with that and have seen zero improvement.

Head, Face, Neck: Headache I Facial paralysis (like Bell’s palsy) G Tingling of nose, cheek, or face Stiff neck Sore throat, swollen glands I Heightened allergic sensitivities I Twitching of facial/other muscles I Jaw pain/stiffness (like TMJ) Change in smell, taste Digestive/excretory System: Upset stomach (nausea, vomiting) N Irritable bladder Unexplained weight loss or gain Loss of appetite, anorexia Respiratory/Circulatory Systems: Difficulty breathingNight sweats or unexplained chills Heart palpitations N Diminished exercise tolerance Heart block, murmur Chest pain or rib soreness Psychiatric Symptoms: Mood swings, irritability, agitation G Depression G and anxiety I Personality changes Malaise Aggressive behavior / impulsiveness Suicidal thoughts (rare cases of suicide) G Overemotional reactions, I crying easily Disturbed sleep: too much, too little, difficulty falling or staying asleep I Suspiciousness, paranoia, hallucinations Feeling as though you are losing your mind G Obsessive-compulsive behavior Bipolar disorder/manic behavior Schizophrenic-like state, including hallucinations Cognitive Symptoms: Dementia G Forgetfulness, memory loss (short or long term) I Poor school or work performance I Attention deficit problems, distractibility I Confusion, difficulty thinking I Difficulty with concentration, reading, spelling I Disorientation: getting or feeling lost I Reproduction and Sexuality Females: Unexplained menstrual pain, irregularity N Reproduction problems, miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, neonatal Death, congenital Lyme disease Extreme PMS symptoms N Males: Testicular or pelvic pain		Eye, Vision: Double or blurry vision, vision changes Wandering or lazy eye Conjunctivitis (pink eye) Oversensitivity to light Eye pain or swelling around eyes Floaters/spots in the line of sight Red eyes Ears/Hearing: Ringing or buzzing in ears I Sound Decreased hearing I sensitivity Pain in ears I Musculoskeletal System: Joint pain, swelling, or stiffness Shifting joint pains Muscle pain or cramps Poor muscle coordination, loss of reflexes Loss of muscle tone, muscle weakness I Neurologic System: Numbness in body, tingling, pinpricks Burning/stabbing sensations in the body Burning in feet Weakness or paralysis of limbs Tremors or unexplained shaking Seizures, stroke Poor balance, I dizziness, I difficulty walking Increased motion sickness, wooziness Lightheadedness, fainting Encephalopathy (cognitive impairment from brain involvement) Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) Meningitis (inflammation of the protective membrane around the brain) Encephalomyelitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord) Academic or vocational decline Difficulty with multitasking Difficulty with organization and planning Auditory processing problems Word finding problems Slowed speed of processing I Skin Problems: Benign tumor-like nodules Erethyma Migrans (rash) General Well-being: Decreased interest in play (children) Extreme fatigue, tiredness, exhaustion I Unexplained fevers (high or low grade) G Flu-like symptoms (early in the illness) Symptoms seem to change, come and go Other Organ Problems: Dysfunction of the thyroid (under or over active thyroid glands) Liver inflammation Bladder & Kidney problems (including bed wetting)

I'm not gonna lie going through this list made me realize just how sick I am. It's funny how you live with it so long that you didn't even know that some of this stuff wasn't "normal". Seriously people I've lived with it for 36 years. I thought everyone hurt  like they had glass shards inside their joints and muscles. And believe it or not there are a few symptoms that weren't listed here... I won't bore you with it all though.

As you can see overall I've definitely had some improvements over the past year thanks to the care of my doc and my strictness at following everything he's advised me to do. I'm going to keep on keeping on and win this fight against this monster!

Lyme Brain and a Warrant out for my Arrest!

 I had a bit of a surprise yesterday that I wanted to share...
My hubby came home mid-afternoon which is not like him. It was a nice surprise for me. I was all smiles and talking to him as he was writing a check out. I ask him what he's doing and if he's going back to work or if he's done for the day. He responds by telling me that I have a........ are you ready for this..........Warrant out for MY arrest!!! What?! My hubby doesn't kid about stuff like this so I knew he was serious. Immediately it crosses my mind that I could very well be booked and charged and put in jail! I can just see the headlines! Yeah. A little melodrama in my head. We'll blame it on Lyme since Lyme can take so much credit for this story as you will soon find out. 

There's a back story to this I need to share so you all understand how this happened. Around a month ago I was headed home from a meeting at around 10:30. My hubby was in the back seat sleeping since he needed to get up at midnight thirty. Ugh. Poor guy. Well, my brain had been doing weird things to me, brain fog, memory problems, brain blanks... What are those you might ask? Brain blanks are where you just blank out. You're not aware of time lost or what happened during that time. Sound scary? It is. I didn't realize it at the time that I had been having those because they were for such short short periods of time. This brain blank happened and when I came out of it I saw staring me straight in the face a yellow traffic light! Argh! I had NO idea how long it had been yellow for. I had no time to stop so I pressed on the accelerator and hot rodded my way through the now red light. There was no cars around except for a single solitary car on the side of the road. Phew! I was grateful I had put nobody in danger. I look behind me and realize the single solitary car had pulled out... Oh dear! Yep! The lovely awesome not so patriotic red and blue lights start flashing!  I pull over and the officer comes up to the side as I'm frantically trying to find all of the required identification and stuff they need to fulfill their sadistic power hungry... OK. OK. I know I'm going over the edge here but just wait. He comes up and I try to explain that a tissue box was caught under my foot and I was removing it and had looked down. Yeah. He wasn't buying it either. Ha ha! What was I going to say?! The truth? Are you kidding me? He was extremely rude and gruff with me in his macho "I'm going to give you a ticket you blond bimbo" kind of way. I do have to give him a little credit however because when he returned with my info and ticket in hand he was a bit nicer. I told him I normally wasn't so "stupid". He seemed to agree with me. I figured it was because he had seen my stellar clean driving record.  He tells me I have 2 weeks to pay the ticket or go to court and to call some number and blah blah blah... That's all I remembered. Lyme brain! Remember?

Let's fast forward here. Two days after the red light incident I started seizuring BIG TIME. It was 10 days before seeing my Doc in Mexico and all I could do was try to get my seizing under control and tie up loose ends, pack, get girls camp organized, etc... I literally didn't think another thing about "THE TICKET" until yesterday. It's all I can think about now. I keep having these images of them checking my orifices, taking my mug shot, pressing my fingers into black ink, and then the metal bars and the sound of them closing. I feel so violated in my head.

On the bright side it's a hilarious story my kids are proud to tell their friends. I raised 'em right didn't I? And my hubby got the money off in the mail yesterday so as long as I stay out of Vernal, Utah for the next two days I should be fine. That's a relief. Side note: My ticket was 170 big smackaroos!!! So lesson to be learned here? "Don't run red lights even if it means stopping in the middle of the intersection! Because that's somehow safer then getting out of the intersection quicker." Thanks Big Macho Cop! Lesson learned. Glad to have such bright quick thinking individuals keeping us safe.
 

Have a Lyme free night! 

Diagnosis!

Diagnosis!!!

On the fateful life changing day of  October 4th, 2014 I received the news that I had Lyme Disease. This news rocked my world. I literally felt my support shake underneath me for the next few days as I tried to absorb this information. I knew that the holistic Doc that diagnosed me with this was right but it was a LOT for my brain and soul to absorb. 

I have a dear friend that has suffered from chronic Lyme for years and knowing what she has experienced I felt that I wasn't strong enough to deal with it. Little did I realize I already had been dealing with it myself in many different ways for years. If it wasn't for my relationship with my Heavenly Father and my brother Jesus Christ I have NO idea how I would've made it through those first few days of shock. I used prayer to uphold me and stabilize my shaky shaky foundation so I could keep functioning.

 I was advised by my holistic Doc to make an appointment with the renowned great doctor... Dr. Calzada as soon as I left. It took me another 24 hours to follow that advice. It seems I needed time to absorb what this meant for me. 

I made the phone call and was told March 16th, 2015 was their next available date! WHAT!?!? You have GOT to be kidding me! 5 1/2 months to wait??? At the time this felt like being pregnant... I felt like it would NEVER get here. I was SO ready to start my journey back to health and to have to wait almost half a year was just too long. I realized the depressed state my thinking was putting me in and changed my attitude. I used prayer to help me and received inspiration that this was the right timing for me and my body. I was not to worry. Phew! 

During the next 5 months my symptoms steadily increased. Within 2 weeks of finding out I had to stop exercising. Peeps I am passionate about healthy living and exercising is an integral part of that for me. I have exercised faithfully for 17 1/2 years with no longer then a 4-6 week break for surgeries or having a baby. I was a fitness instructor at my local gym for 12 years and am passionate about helping women increase their love for themselves and used my teaching to try to do this. I also taught nutrition and helped women (and men) lose weight for a brief time at the gym. I ran 5k's, a 1/2 marathon, and a full marathon before and ankle injury that wouldn't heal put me out of commission for running long distances. I still have problems with my ankle to this day. 

In January I started feeling "weird" in my legs. I had an unexplainable weakness that made wearing high heels impossible and climbing stairs really tough. I figured it was the Lyme taking residence in my quads. One day I fell down the two stairs going down into my garage. I was able to catch myself on some shelving saving me from whatever. On another day I ended up coming down my long ol' flight of stairs and feeling the weak "weird" feeling in my legs I grabbed the hand rail so that I could catch myself if my weak legs gave out on me. I made it down the stairs that seemed to go on forever. Phew! I walked through my front room and the feeling steadily increased. I made it to my kitchen and.... FELL! My legs felt just like after I ran my marathon and they turned to jello. If you've ever ran a marathon you may know what I'm talking about. Well there I was sitting on my butt with my feelings hurt. I was fine but my feel bads weren't feeling good. I didn't know quite what to do so I turned to prayer which seemed to be what I did a lot of these days. I got an impression that I needed to give myself time to rest so just to stay there for awhile. Hmm... On the kitchen floor?! I thought. Yep! So I scooted my hinney up to the cupboard and sat. I checked in after forever with God to see if it was ok to get up and move. I got the answer I was looking for! Well, kinda. I was to grab my water, my phone, and whatever else I thought I might need, use the bathroom and go rest in the family room with the lights out. Weird. But OK! So that's what I did. I waited 2 1/2 hours before I got the OK to get up. I was totally fine after that. 

During the 5 1/2 month wait I experienced depression, extreme fatigue, insomnia, aches and pains in my joints, new injuries (even though I was doing nothing, not even mopping my floor), brain fog, memory problems, vision disturbances, constant headaches that would frequently turn into migraines, ear ache, blood sugar issues, unexplained weight loss and gains, sensitivity to cold and change in temperatures, sensitivity to water (extreme itching after showers), major hair loss, thing brittle nails, acne, hypothyroidism, muscle twitches, heart palpitations, air huger, food allergies, IBS, Hashimoto's and asthma.