Is it any Wonder?

Is it any wonder that people think Lyme disease is all in our heads? After all, life with Lyme disease means...

riding on a horse one day;

riding in a wheelchair the next.

If that's not confusing enough, this is what I look like when I'm in excruciating pain:

(hint: I'm the one on the right)

On my good days, I don't look sick. On my bad days--unless I'm in a wheelchair--I still don't look sick. So how will the world know how badly a cure is needed for this painful and debilitating disease? That question nags at me day and night. I don't have the answer and I really wish I did.

I am only one person in this big, big world trying to spread awareness for chronic Lyme disease. Sometimes it feels like a lost cause, but I am trying and that's as good as I can do. I am reminded of this beautiful quote by Helen Keller, "I am only one, but I am still one. I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something I can do."

Mark My Words

I survived my first Bicillin injection on Wednesday! The needle amazingly didn't hurt a bit and it was over in a heartbeat. The site became sore several hours later; not right away like I expected. I figured that I would start Herxing right away, but I actually didn't get really sick until around 10 hours later. I was VERY sick for a few hours--complete with uncontrollable, violent muscle jerking--and I wanted to throw in the towel, but I had a friend with me who helped me through the pain.

Tonight is my second shot. My derriere is pretty sore, and it's going to be very painful when I have to have another shot on that side (we alternate sides every time). I will be getting injections on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from now until question mark. My plan for this weekend is to hole up in my bed and watch a marathon of The Wonder Years on Netflix.

I am so proud of my body for how hard it is fighting this battle. Lyme disease treatment is incredibly difficult, both physically and mentally. But, I am stubborn and strong-willed and I will never, ever give up. Mark my words, I WILL OVERCOME THIS!

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it." Helen Keller