Thursday, June 2, 2011

Memorial Day Weekend

I went camping over Memorial Day weekend--my first fun trip of any sort since getting sick with Lyme disease. I had a lovely time and I'm glad I went, but I didn't realize until we got there that we were going into a Lyme endemic county. A lot of people with Lyme disease can't relax when they go out into nature anymore for fear of being rebitten (you can get Lyme over and over), but I absolutely refuse to let that happen to me.


That being said, I may have tried to dust off every single speck of dirt on my body to make sure it wasn't actually a tick. I made sure that everybody in my family checked regularly for ticks, and we all ended up in the clear. I am very glad I went camping and the whole family had a really great time. It was so refreshing to be out in nature again! I really don't think I would have gone had I known we were going into an endemic area, so I'm glad I was already there when I found out.


While we were on our trip, I had the pleasure of talking with my friend's mother, who also has Lyme disease. Just like me, she became debilitated in February of 2010. She lives a few hours away from me and she chose to do herbal treatment instead of antibiotics. She is doing so well, that it made me wonder if I'm doing the right thing with antibiotics. If my Lyme can be eradicated--or at the very least held at bay--by herbal remedies, shouldn't I pursue that option? That question has been lingering in my mind.

Tuesday, after we were back from our trip, I started back up on antibiotics. It was only two weeks off, but it was my longest stretch without meds. I didn't want to have to put up with stomach issues (ahem...I'm trying to spare you the details!) while my body readjusted to the medicine (it usually takes two or three days) during a camping trip, plus I was feeling great, so I talked to my doctor and she agreed to let me go the extra week without antibiotics. I tried once before and couldn't do it because all of my symptoms came roaring back with a vengence. I made it through this time around with two weeks off, though my symptoms were starting to come back near the end.

3 comments:

  1. Yay...its long over due that you are finally feeling better somedays..woohooo love you Aunt Connie

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  2. Here's to a summer with energy and vigor!
    Trinanymous

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  3. Wow, you are so brave to go camping, I think that's so great! I don't think I could do it. I'm envious of your courage :) I see trees, trails, grass, weeds, flowers, and I think of evil things. It's a sad state to be in because I have a 3-year-old and she will probably grow up fearing the same things. I hate Lyme. I hate trying to defend and describe it to those who aren't "in the know". I wound up in an emergency room last week and when I told them I had Lyme, they almost audibly chuckled. I immediately felt like I shouldn't have even mentioned it but I needed to explain why I was on the abx regimen so they didn't kill me by giving me something that would interact. Ahhhhh, Lyme. Thanks for making life more interesting....

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