treatment: week two

Here it goes...week two update!  I have to start by saying that it is difficult to be this open and honest about my symptoms without feeling like I just posted a whole page of complaining.  If you are reading this and are fighting Lyme, you will understand and maybe find some validation in the symptoms you are having.  If you are reading this as a healthy person, please read it as a window into the days of a once-healthy person...a journey that has to be treated with humility and honesty.  I was "that person" not too long ago, who pushed past weakness and fatigue, and I would rather "do it myself" than ask anyone for help - because I didn't need help and because I wanted it done MY WAY.  Until one day I just couldn't... and it shocked me.  These words are not just a reflection of my symptoms, it is peeling back my layers of pride to let friends and strangers alike into my world of Lyme.  It is written not to request sympathy or to highlight moments of pain, but to bring awareness to those not suffering with it, and to bring hope to those who do!  This week you are about to read about was a bit of a downer, but there is a good week coming!!! (I am actually a week ahead in treatment of every one of these updates.  And by the grace of God, I hope there will be many more to follow.)  So bear with me through these posts that don't seem to bring much hope...there is a bigger picture being weaved, and I can't wait to see the whole story....in time. 

The daily dose this week!

Day One:
Feeling physically tired.  Trying to rest and drink more water than I have been. 

Day Two:
It's ozone/bionic day....
320 cc RI
1 scoop alkala powder immediately following
1 hour in hyperbaric oxygen chamber as quickly as I can, following RI
Bionic: 10 points with borellia nosode
I also tried five minutes of ozone ear insufflation. 

Physically:  Headache that is constant, physically heavy and exhausted.  Noises were overwhelming to me today, I felt major brain fog and mentally overwhelmed- feeling a little crazy and needed quiet.

Day Three:
Today is IV Day.  It was the first day of using lymphostat in the IV and I am at 10 grams of vitamin C, plus the other minerals/vitamins listed on my IV protocol page. 

Physically:  Really tired- sleepy tired, not just body tired.  I grocery shopped and came home to a clean house (Thank you to those of you who blessed me with this!  You know who you are.) so I was able to just rest for a while.  Later that day I felt eye fatigue/pressure, irregular heart-beats and constant low-grade knee pain.  I cannot lay in bed and hold up a book or my phone without my arms going numb and my whole body feels heavy.  Mentally I feel like I am trying to think past a major brain fog (reminds me of after my C-sections being on medication that made me feel delirious).  I have low back ache and neck pain. 

Day Four:
No treatment today.  Around 2 pm I felt dizzy, floating and intense knee pain and body aches- felt absolutely awful.  I was "loopy" and ready for sleep by 6 pm.

Day Five:
Ozone/Bionic day...
320 cc RI
1 scoop alkala powder in water
1 hour in Hyperbaric Chamber immediately following R.I.
1/2 dropperful of Artemisia Annua (from Herb Pharm) to start combatting Babesia co-infection in 1/4 cup of water around 4 p.m.

Physically: Head-ache in forehead region to the top of the skull (feels like pressure), eye pressure and "off."  Tired, stiff neck that worsened throughout the day.  Limbs feel heavy, I have a tired and achy "buzz" all over my body, knee pain, muscle pain, fighting off feeling angry in general.  Was still able to get up and function though (make dinner etc.)

Overnight: had a herxheimer reaction (maybe to the Artemisia that I used for the first time).  I felt an increased aching in my body all over and a few twitches in my side, then noticed pain in my lower spine - the pain had been deep and migrating all day.  Then my body went into waves of spasms originating from my core like the previous few times this has happened.  I have noticed that this happens at times when I am in the most pain.  I am unsure if this is an automatic response that my body is doing because of pain, or if it is a lyme-specific neurological response due to the neurotoxin die-off process. 

My pain in general is not so bad on a minute to minute basis, but becomes overwhelming in the amount of unrelenting pain hour by hour, and when it increases even just a bit all over, it tips me over the edge of reasonably coping.  Thankfully, sleep comes and I am truly restful most every single night.  I am so thankful to not be dealing with insomnia like some lyme sufferers I know (so sorry for those of you who do!).

Day Six:
IV day....
I am still at 10 grams of vitamin C along with the other ingredients in my IV bag.  The morning went well and I started to feel the familiar head-ache in the front of my head through the top of my skull, almost like pressure and tightness, not so much a throbbing sensation.  I feel sweaty today, and totally fatigued both mentally and emotionally.  I also had brief spells of ringing in my ears.

Day Seven:
I was so physically sore and in pain last night before going to sleep that I tried not to move.  I had another minor case of twitching but was able to go to sleep fairly quickly and it only lasted five minutes.  Today I am doing okay, just have a sore neck that radiates down the spine, almost like I slept wrong on my neck.  I am able to be up and function but am still resting a lot today.

IV days with a loved one's company is always a welcome blessing!  This is my sister-in-law, Stephanie, that has been a constant source of encouragement and gift of friendship...she is walking with me along some crazy roads!  #IWillPayForYourCounselingSteph  #SheEvenLaughsAtMyJokes  #SheJustGotHerSonThroughLymeAndNowSheHasMe 

I want to note some updates on our protocol (and I am continually updating "the mostly german protocol" page here).

I will not be taking the lymph/spleen supplement on ozone days because it has vitamin C in it, which is supposed to be avoided on ozone days (it will render the ozone ineffective). 

I am ordering in cilantro (Herb Pharm) to further assist in detoxing, especially heavy metal detoxing. 

I will wait on trying to treat babesia (and other co-infections) until I am further into my lyme treatment (Maybe another few weeks) so will not be taking Artemisia Annua for a while.

I have also added more supplements.  I bought "ProFerrin" from my doctor for my low iron levels, and some "Complete Omega-D3" from Nordic Naturals, along with Alpha Lipoic Acid (my doctor recommends 200 mg/three times per day). 

I am continually recording in my treatment journal all of the kind words of encouragement from friends/strangers/loved ones and it truly helps to keep a light shining in the dark.  I am so blessed and strengthened by all the support big and small.  Even though I would never ever by choice be where I am at right now, I know that my Creator is molding and sculpting me through it (namely He is ripping off  big patches of pride that I wore like a medal around my neck with the words that said, "I can do it myself!").  And he is teaching me how to graciously receive...something I still don't like, (haha) but am so deeply thankful for.

Here's to all you who fight!

I have loved this song for a few years now and was surprised one day to hear how it originated.  The "for King & Country" band wrote this song for their sister who was diagnosed with Lyme at 22 years old.  She went through some dark times, and this was their message to her.  Hear the full story here.  I am so encouraged by this song that reminds us, "IT'S NOT OVER YET...TO EVERYONE WHO'S HIT THIER LIMIT - IT'S NOT OVER YET.....IT'S NOT OVER YET!  KEEP ON FIGHTING, OUT OF THE DARK INTO THE LIGHT...HOPE IS RISING, NEVER GIVE IN NEVER GIVE UP, IT'S NOT OVER...YET."