Not much longer will this be mine
Yeah, I healed it through the PICC line,
And I’m just about to lose this Lyme
Honey, honey, yeah"
- Submission from a friend responding to a request I posted on Facebook to help me
re-write the lyrics to Marvin Gaye's "Heard it through the Grapevine" and turn it into
a healing song for me.
I am finally ready to post an update here and so much has happened I hardly know where to start. I will strive for brevity with impact, but make no promises to do a good job editing this post.
Since my last entry, I've managed to get my home cleared of toxic mold and am living indoors comfortably as of November 2013. I still keep a HEPA filter running 24/7 in my bedroom and for the most part, my nausea and acid reflux are gone most days. That in itself is amazing! I no longer live in daily fear of another trip to the ER, at least not for this issue. That whole process was entirely counter-intuitive. Our house was freshly painted, no signs of mold, no smell of mold or mildew, no moisture in the walls. I would have never thought we had a mold problem. I am so glad Dr. Harbor knew about Dr. Shoemaker's research and then considered it's effect on Lyme sufferers. The Biotoxin Pathway
People with chronic Lyme, if there is nothing else you get from my blog, please get this: If you can't get over Lyme you are likely also developing (or exacerbating) problems clearing biotoxins (mold, scented products, gasses, etc.) even if you've never had a problem before!! There is a DNA test available to check your susceptibility to chronic Lyme and biotoxin detoxification problems. If you fall into this category (and my Lyme doc believes all chronic Lyme sufferers do) to heal the Lyme you must do the following:
1. Remove the biotoxins from your daily environment. Use a respirator when necessary. An industrial air scrubber, Swiffer wipes and a HEPA vacuum will be your best buddies. Scrub down all walls, surfaces, curtains, nicknacks, anything exposed with a solution of borax, hydrogen peroxide and water. HEPA vac all other furniture, rugs and carpets.
2. Learn ways to increase your body's ability to detox. This is super huge!! Some of the top methods are on this website and well worth a look. These detox protocols are excellent for non-Lymies, too. Tired of Lyme
3. Give your body 1-3 months of clearing the toxins you've been exposed to over time, using detox protocols religiously. Once your environment is clear, it gets worse before it gets better as the body offloads stored up toxins. After 3 months, more or less, you should feel much better.
4. After 3 months, reassess and treat Lyme and co-infections if necessary. (Sometimes the immune system can bounce back after steps 1-3 and get the Lyme under control with little to no further treatment.)
For me, it took some doing getting back into my house! I hired a woman trained in hazardous material removal to come in and scrub down our walls and floors with a mixture of borax, hydrogen peroxide and water. All exposed fabric, coats, curtains, everything, was washed and bagged or HEPA vacuumed if it was too big. All exposed cardboard and paper products were removed, cleaned or replaced. It took several hours over some days to complete and we still haven't done the basement. I use a respirator when I need to go down there.
I've had a few treatment failures, the last one being in the spring of this year. I also had another Lyme test after being cleared from the biotoxins and detoxing for a few months. I had the same positive band in both tests that my 2012 tests showed, which indicated I'm still infected and just as I suspected, probably not with Lyme anymore but one of the co-infections, most likely Bartonella based on my symptoms.
Due to the latest test results and my treatment failures, my GP got approval for a PICC line and antibiotics from my insurance company. That's a bit like touching a unicorn. It just doesn't happen. What a miracle! Again, without persistent doctors, cheering friends and just plain stubbornness, I wouldn't have gotten to this point.
There was a time last year when I thought I might die from this disease. When I remember those times lying in bed too sick to move or even get into pajamas, wasting away, dashing off to the ER all too often, living with constant visceral fear, I realize I am getting better every day. I feel like I'll jinx myself if I speak too soon, so for now I'll just say I'm half way through my IV treatments and I'm feeling optimistic.
 |
| Add caption |
