Successful Outcomes

During the worst of times with Lyme, and it's treatments- I was quite isolated.  However, I did have Internet access.  Many, many times, I'd Google search to try to find stories of people who were better! 

Almost all that I read were tragic stories.  I was living that.  Somewhere, was anyone getting better? 

Slowly, I found a story here and there of people who'd gotten better.  Mostly, it seemed, those who got better, understandably, just wanted to leave Lyme behind them; and so there wasn't much to find on the web. 

Lately, I've been finding more encouraging stories, of people thriving in spite of Lyme (like the Beauty Pageant winner I posted about recently).  This is a good trend!

The other day, I came across a post, and video by Dr. Horowitz, who has coined MSIDS to describe many of us (Multi Systemic Infectious Disease Syndrome).  He recognizes fifteen areas that must be attended to in us for a successful outcome. 

Is your doctor keeping these ares in mind as you are treated?  Your doctor needs to keep a 'wide view' in treating you.  Perhaps there is an aspect your health is hung-up on- if so, ask your doctor about it~

1. Infections: Bacterial, Parasites, Viruses, Candida...

2. Immune system (?dysfunction)

3. Inflammation Sickness syndrome

4. Toxicity:  Multi. Chemical Sensitivity, Environmental Illnesses, Heavy metals, Mold and Neurotoxin...s

5. Allergies

6. Nutritional and Enzyme Deficiencies/functional medicine

7. Mitochondrial Dysfunction

8. Psychological Dysfunction

9.Endocrine Disorders

10. Sleep Disorders

11. ANS (Autonomic Nervous System) Dysfunction  (disautonomia; low blood pressure...)

12. Gastrointestinal Disorder

13. Elevated LFTs  (liver function tests)

14. Drug Use/Addiction

15. Deconditioning: need for PT

Dr. Horowitz states there are over 300 strains of Borrelia worldwide- having many variations in presentations, from indolent slow to aggressive fast.   There are multiple strains of other co-infections as well, like Babesia. 

To me, many of these 15 areas can overlap as well-  it takes a good diagnostician to discern the intricacies and relations of these areas.

I would also add that an important component for successful outcome is spiritual well-being.  Knowing Truth and Hope makes a huge difference in getting through the Lyme Fight.  It is important to life, and eternal life!  

Keep seeking our Great Physician- asking Him to give you His wisdom, knowledge and understanding.  Ask Him to guide you, and your health care practitioner, in the best direction for you. 

Having Lyme is like having a huge basket full of tangled balls of yarn...  it takes skill and patience to sort through all of it! 

May our Great Physician provide what is needed for your care in this Lyme Fight today~

Blessings-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvIEJ_PmqJ8


Mark 2:17

And hearing this, Jesus *said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Spaghetti & Mountains

I've been feeling a lot like what energy I've had these days has been spent by throwing the proverbial 'spaghetti against the wall', seeing if anything sticks.

A couple strings of thin spaghetti are clinging, but vicariously so.  Time and conditions will tell if they fall, or cement themselves. 

This afternoon I had this in mind, and my mind switched to a neighboring channel where I began to think of how twisty-turney our lives are, especially so when we are walking with the LORD.

This seems counter-intuitive to me.  As a Babe in Christ, I'd adopted the presupposition of a linear walk with God.  Instead, He's led me in many directions- up, down, across, this-way, that-way, here, there, nowhere, everywhere... rushing, slowly, with a smooth gait, with a limpy gait, a slow gait, sitting, lying down, being still (imposed, and self-imposed)...

 

Sometimes even a day where the goal is to get out of bed long enough to use the bathroom, or try to eat something, is as strenuous as a mountain climb! 

Or,

Perhaps the way looks impassable- and we seek God to direct us as to whether we are to stop and turn directions, or to see if He provides tools to help us pass through...Is it an ending, or a new beginning?

In all this, the main thing is to keep moving, keep seeking.  Even if it is a day in bed- seek Him, what could you do for Him this day?- Praise Him, encourage someone else, pray for someone else...

Or for stronger days-  where you breathe, and it doesn't hurt; you look out, and you can embrace and enjoy the colors and tones, not having to quickly cover your eyes because of the pain and sensory overload... Yes, those wonderful days (minutes/hours) where we get a glimpse, a whiff- that there is still life around us, and we are still a part of it!  For these, we prepare. 

Even in the quiet days- time and effort are not lost.  We are learning from Him, and there are so many great life and truth lessons to be learned on the bed of affliction! 

After many months on the bed of affliction I'd wonder-  what's the point!  Even if I were learning more and more about God, His Word, His ways... what did it matter if I couldn't get out there and "DO  something"! 

But the LORD would remind me that He is more concerned with my "BEING"...; out of my being, the doing will come. 

He would also remind me that I had become myopic.  The Teacher would show me that there is so much more than this life yet to come.  Anything I was learning, my Redeemer would use for His glory and to build up the Church, in this life, and the next! 

Nothing goes 'to waste' in His economy, in His time.

Dear One-  keep an attitude of adventure.  We are on a great, mysterious journey- well beyond our mortality. In this present, He is seeking to teach us His ways, to prepare us for His divine appointments in this life and the next. 

Seek Him.  

The pictures I've included here of are from a couple of  family trips we took- yes, long ago!  I posted them to reminding me to keep on God's trail, wherever He leads- that is where He wants me- No matter the heights, or the lows, or seemingly treacherous ways~ I need to keep an adventurous attitude along the way, just as I had as a child on these adventures with family.  My Father knew the way, he was trustworthy and led us through; Just as my Heavenly Father is trustworthy, and has sent His Son to show the way through~

Blessings-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ODe4sGCKxc   I Will Follow, by Chris Tomlin

Isaiah 49:13

Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people And will have compassion on His afflicted.

Isaiah 52:7

How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Isaiah 54:10

“For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,” Says the Lord who has compassion on you.

Encouraging Lyme Thriver Article

This was posted on fb tonight-  I just thought it was a good encouraging article about someone whose battled through Lyme and is thriving! 
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/8/prweb10991588.htm

Blessings-

Garden Delights

My husband is a farmer at heart!  And, he has the green thumb to go with it!

I did not get the 'farmer's wife' gene, and having Lyme makes gardening near impossible for me. 

Finding adaptive ways (easy ways) to deal with the garden harvest is a must.  Thankfully, there are a few people on whom I may call as harvesting comes for various garden delights-  we trade out help for produce, and have the bonus of fellowship.   

This past week I found a new plant in the garden-  my husband tunes in when I mention veggies that are good for me to use in juicing, and he had planted chard this year.  Not only did he plant chard, but 'rainbow chard'! 

It is a beautiful plant! 

Now- I am not naturally a 'veggie-fanatic'!  But due to Lyme, I have become all the more aware of the importance of organic/natural foods in cooking and in juicing.  So- if there can be a plant I can actually eat (bc of so many allergies/intolerances), one that is nutritious and versatile, and  it is such a beautiful plant on top of being able to eat it- all the better! 

Another bonus- it is not as fibrous as kale! 

All I have to do is rinse it off and chop it up!   I plan to freeze much of it; a friend told me it can be dried as well!  The other evening, we put some in with our summer squash dish- nummy! 

Yep- must be good if I like it! 

For the summer squash recipe-  here is the idea of it, the measurements are exact:
-Cut up, summer squash and zucchini into lengths (younger ones, you don't have to remove seedy parts)
-Cut up rainbow chard
-Cut up, slice, yellow onion into lengths
-Cut up, dice, roma tomatoes

Heat up olive oil in large sauce pan
add onion, saute til transparent
add the summer squash and zucchini
Once the squash begin to just cook through- add the chard, cook a couple minutes, then lightly add in the tomatoes-  cook/heat thoroughly    (Squash should be tender, not crunchy, not mushy)
Also toss with an Italian herb mix
(if you want/can- before serving, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, serve when cheese is melted- Or substitute with another cheese of choice)

Also- I tried a recipe for broccoli that I saw on fb the other night- preheat oven to 375 degrees 
take a head of broccoli, cut up
toss with:
2 TBSP of olive oil
2-3 cloves of minced garlic
salt/pepper to taste

place broccoli mix, single layer, on baking sheet
Place on top rack of oven,
bake 20-30 minutes til broccoli is 'crunchy' 

These are fairly easy recipes, and quick to make- and good ways to get those veggies in. 

The best garden we have from which to eat, is the garden of Scripture-  always plentiful in produce, ripe and ready to be picked, whenever we need sustenance!

This has been a trying week on so many levels here.  Yesterday Psalm 130 caught my attention.  I think I shall be supping on it for some days~  especially verses 1-6
Psalm 130 Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord.² Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications.
³ If You, ^[a]Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
⁴ But there is forgiveness with You,
That You may be feared.

⁵ I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait,
And ^[b]in His word do I hope.
⁶ My soul waits for the Lord
More than the watchmen for the morning;
Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.

 

Many of us have had nights awake and understand the earnestness of a watchman waiting for those first rays of light to show after a very long night.  

 

As the Psalmist- let us wait for the Lord, and put our Hope in Him~

 

Blessings-

 

Already, Another Truck!

Within minutes of posting the last post-  I learned another truck has struck our family-

Please pray for my four month old grand-neice, Lilly.  She is extremely ill.  They are doing a blood exhange at this time.  The current diagnosis is leukemia, but we know nothing more than that.

God have mercy-  walk this family through~  Hold all tightly in Your care~

Thank you for your prayers!

Blessings-

You Can Do Everything Right, and Still Get Hit by a Truck!

As a Believer, for years I held the notion that if I was obedient to the LORD, lived a 'good life',  stayed out of trouble...trouble would stay away from me.   I even affirmed this notion with Scripture, particularly ones from the Old Testament (often mistaking principles for promises).

Then- I got hit by a truck.

Yes, a literal truck.

I was headed homeward after doing some Christmas shopping, in November no less.  This was such a treat:  I had gotten the majority of shopping done early for once, and a girlfriend of mine had kindly been taking care of my three young children for me so that I could have the luxury of shopping by myself. 

Hidden away in the trunk, lay all the Christmas treasures we would have for our children that year.  With only about 15 minutes left of my journey, I was enjoying the quietness of the car ride, and taking in the scenery. 

Coming to a crossroad, I looked to the left where a nursery greenhouse business was at the corner, the approaching road covered by foliage; I then looked to the right and noticed the house on the corner- which had also been some .....

BLACKNESS

TOTAL and utter blackness is all I can recall next.  I'd never in my life experienced anything like it.  It was confusing.  Seemingly from far away, I heard voices calling.  At first it was hard to tell what they were saying, to whom were they speaking... Slowly, the blackness lightened, and the sounds of voices got louder.

I realized my eyes were closed.  With effort, I opened my eyes to more confusion.  What in the world were people doing looking in at me through my windshield!  What were they saying?  Was I 'alright'?  Was I? 

Trying to remove the cobwebs in my mind, I turned my head to try to look around and come to my senses.  Immediately, I could tell that was not a good idea- pain shot through my neck. 

After a becoming a little more sensible, I realized these people were trying to help me.  Something was terribly wrong.  They wanted me to unlock the car doors. Which I did.

One gentleman came in and asked if there was anyone he could call for me.  (This was way back when having a 'car phone' was still pretty new.)  He called my friend to let her know I'd been in an accident, and an ambulance was on its way; she would call my husband to tell him.)  

Thankfully- even though in a rural area, blessed First Responders arrived quickly; as well as Sheriffs,  more emergency personnel, and the 'jaws of life' with which they cut me out of my vehicle... 

As I'd come to the crossroad, within a fraction of time of my looking to the left, a man driving a pickup truck blasted through the stop sign (witnesses say he was airborne when he struck me) and T-boned my vehicle only inches behind my driver's seat; sending me whirling into the ditch. 

(Once his vehicle stopped, the other driver got out and fled the scene by foot.  It was possible he had been influenced by a substance.  In his vehicle was found a semi-automatic that did not belong to him, nor did the truck belong to him.  And, he was driving with having had his license revoked.  They had helicopters looking for him; finally, they located him about three days after the accident.  He got a few months in jail- and, drum roll:  his driver's license, which he'd already lost, was 'taken away'.)

To shorten the story-  To this day, I deal with the marks left on my person from that trauma.  Neck injury, internal bleeding, concussion, seat belt injuries... Still, I'm thankful that it was not worse, and that my children had not been in the car with me that day!   We lost most of the Christmas presents- although the kind people who stopped to help, had done their best to harvest as many things as possible from the roadway.  (When struck- the contents of my vehicle left it explosively.) 

So, what's this have to do with Lyme-  Well, maybe Lyme is your truck?

Lyme is just one of several 'trucks' in my life.  Over  time, I have done much praying, searching out the Word... trying to reconcile why these trucks come into my life, even when 'I'm doing things right'!

Finally, I've come to understand that the Lord Jesus didn't come to keep me always away from the trucks that come into my life-  but He did come to see me through them, and lead me to an eternal life where there will be no run-ins with trucks! 

Also, I've come more and more to appreciate Him as Redeemer.  Looking back over my own truck events-  each one has taught me a deeper understanding of the LORD, and with that, He has brought some glory to the situation, a redemptive quality. 

Do I want more trucks to come into my life?  NO!  But, now if/when they do, I'm fortunate to have a certain history of walking through those times with the LORD.  It's never easy, but I'm all the more convinced that He will be there for me, to help me, and to redeem the situation. 

Faith calls us to reason, it isn't 'blind' per se.  But, faith is believing in that which is unseen.  Again, it is the Object of our faith that is most important. 

What is the Object of your faith today?  May I encourage you to not be so much concerned with the amount of faith you may have- but concern yourself mostly about in what/whom you are placing your faith. 

My faith is in Jesus Christ.  I have found Him alone to be worthy of that trust. 

If you are up to it, read or listen to the Book of Job.  Watch how redemption comes. 
It may look different for us, but hang in there Dear One- redemption comes! 

Blessings-
Job 19:25
“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.
Psalm 78:35

And they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer.

Proverbs 23:11

For their Redeemer is strong; He will plead their case against you.

John 10:10

¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and ^[a]have it abundantly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du0il6d-DAk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC6RXAJpPjo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-pZNULbJws
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZFN8TBfgNU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E
Matthew 19:
¹⁶ And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” ¹⁷ And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” ¹⁸ Then he *said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; ¹⁹ Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ²⁰ The young man *said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” ²¹ Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be ^[j]complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” ²² But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.

²³ And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁵ When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” ²⁶ And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Are You Having Fun this Summer?

I have to admit, I was taken back a bit when my primary physician asked me if I was having fun this summer.   But even more, I surprised myself with my answer, "Yes!"

My doctor's context was in the realm of something called 'summer vacation', as in- going places, doing things...away.  In my reply, I included, "I've learned that I don't have to leave the house, or take much time to take a mini-vacation without leaving home."

Another gift of Lyme.

Not that I wouldn't enjoy being at a point that physically, and economically I could 'go on vacation'.  It sounds like fun, and I enjoy celebrating with my friends who do get to do this as I watch their adventures unfold as they post vacation pictures... 

I don't remember our last vacation- away.  Must've been about four years ago, or more....

But, part of of personal resilience protocol has been to learn the art of taking a mini-vacation while right at home. 

This can be done in any number of ways~  perhaps by:
-listening to a favorite song/album, light a couple candles (not scented ones for me), pour up a glass of Perrier, and enjoy the concert.

- putting on an audio stream of outdoor/nature sounds, lying down with my eyes closed- picturing myself in an outdoor setting (maybe even put a low fan on, just to add a breeze)

- in warmer weather, I go out to sit on the porch- look at the nature around me (I'm blessed to live in the country)-  I am quite entertained by the dragonflies and hummingbirds dancing in space, the colors of the sky changing as evening draws on, looking at my garden (a few potted plants)..

- writing a simple card to someone to thank them for being who they are- something specific I appreciate about them

- when you have to lie down and rest, how about getting out that beach towel in the back of the closet, set that down to lie on, put on a little summertime music (to what degree you can handle volume/sound), or maybe play an audio of sea gulls..

None of these may sound fun to you-  but you get the idea.  

Fun is a state of mind.

It's maybe been a long time since you've entertained the idea of fun in your mind.  I do so understand that!  Much of our day is spent just trying to SURVIVE.

But, I want to encourage you, for resilience sake, to begin to think about ways you can incorporate a little fun into your day.  It is actually a choice you can still make-  it's just been pushed to the back of your mind for so long, or maybe you need to contemplate redefining fun... Whichever, I encourage you to see what you can come up with, that is doable for you- and incorporate it into your day. 

I'd enjoy hearing from you about the mini-vacations you discover!

(Below, I added a couple pics I took of the clouds today-  they are perfect for imagining what the shapes may look like!  Antother mini vacation idea!)

In a way- it can also be a way of  taking a sabbath.  For us, it is taking time to recreate from our work of survival.  I don't mean to minimize one of the Commandments, to keep the Sabbath- or to take it out of context.  But, I am saying it is an important principle for us to incorporate into our lives...

In a mini-vacation of sabbath rest, we can intentionally take that time to meditate on His Word, thank Him for who He is, concluding it by giving praise to the LORD for His care, and for the ability of being able to have that time 'away'. 

May you be inspired to have a spot of fun in your day today!

Blessings-

Exodus 20:11

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.