Halloween Check

Hope you have had fun running from house to house getting candy and goodies, but before diving into those chocolate bars do 2 things....

1.  Check for ticks on your skin and clothes - parents check your little ones and yourselves!  We haven't had a good freeze, so ticks are probably very present.

2.  Parents check through your kiddos candy to make sure it hasn't been tampered with.

3.  Enjoy!

Love y'all - Sydni




 

What is Lyme Disease?

What is Lyme Disease?  Thanks to the help from the following websites hopefully we will get the general idea...

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lyme-disease/DS00116  

"Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in North America and Europe. Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. Deer ticks, which feed on the blood of animals and humans, can harbor the bacteria and spread it when feeding.

You're more likely to get Lyme disease if you live or spend time in grassy and heavily wooded areas where ticks carrying the disease thrive. It's important to take common-sense precautions in areas where Lyme disease is prevalent.

If you're treated with appropriate antibiotics in the early stages of the disease, you're likely to recover completely. In later stages, response to treatment may be slower, but the majority of people with Lyme disease recover completely with appropriate treatment."

http://www.aldf.com/lyme.shtml#whatIsLyme 

"LD manifests itself as a multisystem inflammatory disease that affects the skin in its early, localized stage, and spreads to the joints, nervous system and, to a lesser extent, other organ systems in its later,
disseminated stages. If diagnosed and treated early with antibiotics, LD is almost always readily cured. Generally, LD in its later stages can also be treated effectively, but because the rate of disease progression and individual response to treatment varies from one patient to the next, some patients may have symptoms that linger for months or even years following treatment. In rare instances, LD causes permanent damage."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease 

Chronic neurologic symptoms occur in up to 5% of untreated patients.^[12] A polyneuropathy that involves shooting pains, numbness, and tingling in the hands or feet may develop. A neurologic syndrome called Lyme encephalopathy is associated with subtle cognitive problems, such as difficulties with concentration and short-term memory. These patients may also experience profound fatigue.^[18] However, other problems such as depression and fibromyalgia are no more common in people who have been infected with Lyme than in the general population.^[18][19] Chronic encephalomyelitis, which may be progressive, can involve cognitive impairment, weakness in the legs, awkward gait, facial palsy, bladder problems, vertigo, and back pain. In rare cases untreated Lyme disease may cause frank psychosis, which has been mis-diagnosed as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Panic attack and anxiety can occur, also delusional behavior, including somatoform delusions, sometimes accompanied by a depersonalization or derealization syndrome, where the person begins to feel detached from themselves or from reality

I really hope this gives you an idea and helps you to better understand Lyme Disease.  There are tons of information available online or through your doctors.  I encourage you to research LD for more information.

God bless,

Sydni 

Lord, I'm Hurting

Lord Jesus,  

This is killing me.  I truly am thankful for a diagnosis, but I am so angry that we have no idea how long ago I received this disease from a nasty little bug... aka. the tick. 

Believe me, this is no comic book figure.  

I AM ANGRY BECAUSE...
* this could have caused some or all of the problems which led up to having my hysterectomy 7 & 1/2 years ago
* children, the one thing I wanted in life... the above statement explains that
* psychosis... numerous mental health issues, which have resulted in around 15 -20 admissions because I was certifiably crazy
* fibromyalgia - the pain, the ridicule, the "it's all in your head" bull
* neuropathy - how many falls have resulted from this
* intimacy - my marriage is not complete... I have not only no desire, but pain beyond any explanation (and I adore my husband!)
* confusion, delusions, hallucinations, dissociation..... ugh, Lord you don't want me to go there
* and more


Jesus, I just want to scream and cry more than I have already and even curse at you for letting all of this happen.  In my head, I know you didn't curse me with all of this, but in my heart I question where I went wrong.  What did I do to make You hate me?  Why must I be the example?  When will you just call me Home and truly HEAL me?  CAN YOU EVEN HEAR ME??!!!


Oh, I know You hear my every prayer, my every cry, my every desire.  You present them for me before Your Father.  I know the answers don't have to be filled with major detail, but are usually a yes, no, or wait.  


Jesus, I believe You have placed me in the "Wait" so You alone can help me to grow in my devotion and love for You.  I also believe Lord that You are using this situation in my life for Your plan.... whatever that may be (only Jesus knows the plan for you).


My heart is breaking and I am simply trying to just accept that this diagnosis is part of me.  I must rest and really take care of myself daily.... physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  I know there will be good days and bad days, but Lord I am doing all I can to trust in You.  


'And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.  To him be the dominion forever and ever.  Amen.' ~ 1 Peter 5:10-11

In His Holy Name,
Sydni

The First Full Day

Yesterday changed my life and this time not for the better.  I learned that I have Lyme Disease.  Yes, the disease that comes from the bite of a tick.  It really blows my mind.  I never ever remember having been bit by a tick in all my life.  My parents have said the same thing.  

For those of you who have known me a long time or are just meeting me by coming across this blog site, I have had numerous medical problems throughout my life.  Things including: sleep disorders, psychiatric disorders, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, mono, a total hysterectomy (at the age of 25,  6 months after my husband & I were married), falls, bladder & incontinence issues resulting in two surgeries for an Interstim Device, gastric issues, neurological problems such as tremors and mild seizures, just to name a few.  All of these things could be individual in and of themselves, but all of the symptoms that make up these and other diagnoses are related to Lyme Disease.

My doctor, Rebecca Knight, M.D., told me that most doctors do not test for Lyme Disease unless a tick is present on the body or a known bite has occurred.

After struggles with my health... continual pain, including a hospital stay in August 2010, Dr. Knight decided to test me for the disease along with several other conditions.  I knew Lyme Disease wasn't an option... I didn't have a tick nor a bite mark.

Well, yesterday I returned to Dr. Knight's office after having had blood drawn a week prior.  She walked in the room where my husband Jeff and I waited, and before she could sit down, the words Lyme Disease fell from her mouth.  WHAT?  How on earth could this be possible?  Dr. Knight explained that it is very possible I was bit a long time ago.... like as a child... decades!

Over my life my continuing symptoms were looked over by numerous doctors as a 'problem in my head' (aka. a psychiatric issue).  Finally, Dr. Knight was out for a fight and I couldn't be more thankful for everyone in her office and their determination to look for a diagnosis to explain my symptoms & illness.  And as they arm themselves for treatment, not only through medical research & medications, but also through what I love to call 'knee-time' (aka praying out to our Abba Father, the Great Physician).  I love you all!

Long story short... I am an emotional wreck!  I have cried, screamed & cursed, as my anger, frustration, anxiety & depression has ridden a roller coaster of fear over the past twenty-four hours.  I have been numb and slept most of the time.  Two doses (soon to be 3) of oral antibiotics has been the beginning of our hopeful treatment.  Blood work will be done to see if there is improvement.  This is a long process with several treatment plans, but as this did not come on over night, if I am blessed for a cure, it won't disappear over night either.

I will keep you posted throughout this process no matter how long it takes.  One thing I know for certain... Jesus Christ will HEAL me, whether here on earth or when He calls me home.

God bless & much love,

Sydni