Saturday, January 24, 2009

Jennifer's Lyme Life

**Updated** May 8, 2009
For those of you that are just learning about my Journey, go to these old blogs to see how far I've come.

My Diagnosis
My Therapy
A day in the life of a treatment
My PICC Line Story Part 1
My PICC Line Story Part 2
Grey's PICC Line Story
November 15, 2008 Update
Mercury Toxicity (My Mercury test came back negative)
Aluminum Toxicity
PICC Line Removal
Two weeks post PICC
Two year anniversary plus supplements
March 15, 2009 Update
Post PICC Pics
Conflicted Lymie
CDC Positive Test Results
Ups and down of Lyme

There ya go. The most important health blogs all in one place! Enjoy reading if you've not read them before.

10 comments:

cindy baldwin said...

Hi! I stumbled upon your blog from Alice's. Like Alice, I have CF, and up until the last few months I lived in Durham. I wanted to ask - who is the doctor that you are seeing for your lyme disease? I saw a doctor of integrative medicine in Raleigh for a long time for my fibromyalgia, and I know that he treated lyme patients as well. I was just wondering if he was the doctor you see.

Jennifer said...

Thanks for the comment Cindy. I commented on your blog. Should you want to discuss it further, Alice knows how to get in touch with me.

cindy baldwin said...

I bet it is indeed the same doctor then! I have a lot of fond memories of going to that clinic. He helped me out of a BIG rut with epstein-barr and fibromyalgia when I was in high school - I still order my magnesium supplements faithfully from his nutritionist!

Jennifer said...

I bet it is because my doctor does have what I call the "health guru." The Health Guru Guy's name starts with the letter J. :-)

cindy baldwin said...

Yep, DEFINITELY the same team.

I think that the nurses that were there when I went are no longer there though - which is sad because they were terrific people! By the way, reading your stories of tough IV starts brought back the memories! I have AWFUL veins and it was a very lucky day if they could get me in 1 stick. We came up with a whole routine - I had to sit in one of those green reclining chairs, with a cup of water, a hot water bottle on my arms, and a book, and do breathing exercises. Then they could sometimes get a vein! LOL.

Now I actually have an implanted port - a permanent cathether under the skin in my chest - since earlier this year I reached the point where a nurse could hardly get a PICC line in me anymore (PICCs are very common in CF). How long have you had your PICC in? how long do you hope to keep it in total? I always got a condition called mechanical flabitis and had trouble keeping it in longer than 3-4 weeks.

Jennifer said...

I know they aren't there b/c the nurses that were originally there when I started are no longer there either. I *love* my nurses now! :-)

I've had my picc since July 17th. I am hoping that the end is close.

Do you Facebook?

Jennifer said...

Oh and I would have to drink like 64 ounces of water BEFORE I got there ... then drink 3 or 4 more cups when I got there ... use a heating pad ... and then just maybe they'd get it! One lady was REALLY bad and one lady was fairly good. But at the end before the PICC ... even she had difficulties getting it in under 3 sticks.

I know all about ports because my friends Melisa & Sarah have them.

Renee said...

I have enjoyed reading about your diagnosis, PICC lines, etc. You have been on quite a journey. A journey with courage!

Jennifer said...

I figured if anyone popped in and couldn't figure out things .. I would make it easy for them! :)

Fliterary said...

I'm praying for you, Jennifer!