Welcome

I noticed that there are quite a few new followers (maybe 3 or 4) in the last few days. So I wanted to take the time to welcome you guys to the blog. I'll do a proper post in a few days on this blog, but wanted to do a quick run down.

Over on the right of the blog (if you're following via just going to the blog you'll see this. if you're using google reader you won't .. so take a moment to click on over to the blog from google reader) there are three links. One is a welcome to my Lyme Life. One is my background story (which is extensive). Then there is a third that lists a lot of my important Lyme posts in one place.

Welcome again. Hope you find information you're looking for in those locations.

Have a great day.

my magic bottle

Last night I finally pulled out the magic bottle.

It's called Dioxychlor.

I took 10 drops last night and 10 drops this morning. I woke up with a small sore throat (the last few mornings it's raged for over an hour. This morning it only lasted 5 minutes) without nasal drainage pouring out of my nose.

My nose is still giving me issues, but it's no where near like the past few days. My cough though is still pretty bad. So bad in fact that I almost got sick because of the forcefulness of the cough. Hopefully that will die down in a few days with the Dioxychlor now on my regiment.

cold update

feeling worse and worse every day. I'd hate to go to the doc in the box. Last time it wasn't pretty.

is about to

pull out the big dogs for my little "cold."

One is named Colloidal Silver. The other is called Dioxychlor.

Just depends on which "taste" I desire. This nose/throat mess is getting on my last nerves. Waking me up at 6am on a perfectly good sleep in day!

These two separately did a world of good for my LD. I think they might jus tdo the same for my cold. So here we go to find them.

PS. no lectures on how CS is going to turn me blue. I know it's NOT because I only take 2 tbsp a day. That blue man rubbed it on his skin (his own homemade kind at that) and drank it by the bottles full.

Many photos of Christmas

We chose to have a quiet fun Christmas at my parent's house this year. We arrived around 9am and stayed until nearly 5pm. We had a marvelous time, but I missed the days of having Christmas in the mountains with my Grandparents.

The big gift this year was a Wii for Dad. For the first time ever, he got clued. He's usually the clue writer, clue placer and the clue giver, but never the clue recipient. I had the best time writing clues (which I did last year as well for my husband's clue gift ~ which you might remember was also a Wii). Never heard of a "clued gift?" Well let me explain. Sometimes there is a rather large item that you want to give, but instead of just giving the person the gift ... there is a bit of anticipation. The unspsecting person opens up a normal looking gift. In the gift, there is the first clue to where the second clue is. They realize right away that they've been "clue gifted."

Usually 2 to 4 lines per clue are written. Sometimes it's only 3 places and other times it's 5 or 6 places. I'm sure if we really wanted to be annoyingly fun .... we'd have 7 or 8 clues. The first time somoene got clue gifted was me back in good ole 1995. It doesn't happen every year, but it's fun none the less. Whenever I'm the clue writer, I try to give little fun clues inside each clue about what the gift might be. Whenever the final gift is unwrapped .. it's more of a "aha" that's what that clue meant. Generally clues are found somewhere in the kitchen, in the bathroom, and for the first time ever ... one had to walk outside in the cold to find one in the mailbox.

IF you were really lucky, you saw one right here on my blog yesterday. I had it scheduled to post right about the time he would come to the computer for the last clue. VERY hard to schedule. If you've never done this, I suggest you give it a try. Just as a sample of what you might write:

Now that you've found your next clue
It's apparent what we've done to you.
Your next hint or so I've been told
Is where you keep things very cold.

(this was clue number 3 ~ and he had to find the clue in the freezer).

On to the photos of the day.

I took these photos using my new telephoto lens that santa brought me for my camera. The lens has automatic and manual focus. I discovered that I really like the manual focus on this huge lens that is quite heavy indeed for my unsteady hand. I took these photos from a pretty good distance away.

Row 1: Left is the new Nativity Scene. Right is a few candles, water globe and willow tree angels along with the ends of a couple of band director "magical sticks."
Row 2: Snow babies that my Dad painted years ago. They make me smile.
Row 3: Left is the dish that is a MUST. Granny's Mac & Cheese. Right: Trumpet on Tree

The next few photos were taken with our regular lens for the Olympus SLR. We use this lens for traditional picture taking. We can also use the manual focus on it as well as the automatic focus, but we have to change that setting with the camera body instead on the lens itself.

Row 1: Left:My new Willow Tree Angel. Right: Rob with our new birdfeeder
Row 2: Help with my ever needy hair (and check out the velvetta cheese box in my lap)
Row 3: We always get some sort of goodies. Left: Junior Mints Right: Beef Stick

Guess what we did ....

If you said ...



you might be right.



We decided since we were going to get up early and go to my parent's house .. that we should go ahead and exchange tonight.

Other than the GPS which had already been given .. and well used. I received two new lens' for my Olympus SLR camera. LOVE THEM.

Took this beauty of a picture from the kitchen of my house into the living room.

Bring the Rain

Quick Crud Update

I no longer have that headache. Ya know the one where your head is so suggested you feel as if your eyes and teeth wanna pop right out? Yeah that one. It's gone.

I no longer have that back ache. Ya know the one where you feel as if you just wanna pull the spine right out of your back and you'd feel better? Yeah that one. It's gone.

I no longer have that fever. Ya know the one where no matter how much Tylenol you take it just won't go down low enough? Yeah that one. It's gone.

What do I have?

A cough due to post nasal drip. It's not pleasant when it happens and it catches me and others off guard. It will probably be there another few weeks. But prayers works people, pray it goes away by Christmas morning.

A bipolar nose. One minute it's drippy and the next it's stuffed up. It's so confused. Honestly I think it's all in my head (haa haa. little Lyme humor there).

Fatigue. I think I'm so tired from resting so long.

Well I have to run off to work. Okay maybe not RUN. That would be a long run. It takes me 40 to 45 minutes by car. :O

Crowd Crud Part 2

I wanted to update folks on my crud condition. Last night I continued to get worse. My fever climbed, my cough worsened, my nose wouldn't stop running. I was just plain ole miserable. In fact, I was so miserable that for maybe the 4th time since it's airing ... I missed Survivor Live. I have NEVER missed the finale live ... :=( So I'll be watching to see who won last night and hoping that I don't get spoiled at work or on the radio.

So yes, I woke up feeling much better this morning. My nose has improved (and usually it's horrible first thing in the morning) and my fever is GONE. It went from 101 last night to back to normal 97.5 (for me that's normal). I took some Tylenol last night, but haven't had any in over 9 hours.

I will tell you though that majority of the time, I start fighting it off and then I relapse. So today could be a great day, but tomorrow could be worse than yesterday.

SOOOOOo in knowing this about my body, I am going to continue to work on fighting this illness by boosting my immune system with shakes and taking OTC meds that will help me keep the symptoms at bay. I hate taking medications, but ... I do not want to be sick Christmas morning.

Crowd Crud

So it never fails if I get around huge amounts of people that I get sick.

It starts off slow. First I don't feel quite like myself. Then my nose starts to get the drippy feeling. Following the drippy nose is the sore throat from the nose draining down the back of my throat. Then I feel feverish (and majority of the time I actually get a fever). I begin to cough and the bones in my face begin to ache.

I must have been Glutton For Punishment a second time. Remember in August when I went to two parties in one day? Well as you all know, a week ago Saturday I was at a graduation for my brother. The crowd in that room was crazy ridiculous. However, I didn't even think about potentially getting sick. Last time I got sick was at the beginning of October.

Well after my crowd infestation on Saturday, I was forced into another crowd situation on both Wednesday & Friday. On Wednesday we had a meeting at work which included many people from other child care centers. On Friday, we had our Christmas party at the bosses house which included lots of hugs from friends. I didn't even THINK about the possibility of getting sick from any of these parties. However, on Thursday and Friday guess what I started doing? It didn't even dawn on me until now, but I began to sneeze. Quite a bit. Would people remind me that when I start sneezing that I need to double up on the Vitamin C?

I am almost positive I know where I got this, but it simply never fails. Go to crowded events and I get the crud. I pray this doesn't turn into Bronchitis. It would be simply lovely to have Christmas Day without Bronchitis. (This is also why we are tempted every year to have Christmas early because we don't want the pictures of me looking horrible ~ always get this really red nose like Rudolph).

So please pray that the sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, fever goes away quickly and swiftly. Wow I sound like a Nyquil Commercial. :P Add sore throat to that and you have my list. Though I'm not for certain about the fever. I've not tested it yet.

update: I tested it an hour ago after an hour of tylenol. 99.8. Whatapain.

He was tempted.

So last night I had a Christmas party at my boss' home. Upon my return, I slowly and carefully walked in the house to avoid waking up m husband. He was still awake which surprised me considering it was past midnight. I was still walking around without lights on and I tripped over a roll of wrapping paper. He then turned on the lights at the same time I turned towards the computer and I saw a box sitting on my keyboard.

I realized that my husband was tempted. Tempted to buy one more item. Tempted to see the look on my face.

My husband placed Santa's gift on my keyboard. It was not wrapped. It was actually just the box of the item without the item in it. It is a beautiful GPS unit which will come in quite handy. I get lost easily. This should assist me and help me feel more confidant in going to new places.

Wheeeeeeeeeeeee.

He was tempted. I'm glad he was.

Temptations

Go ahead fess up. How many of you have ever been tempted to open up your Christmas gifts a tad early? When you were children ... how many wanted to find the hiding spot in your parent's closet to take a sneak peek of gifts? How many actually did? (Hi Mom, I tried to find them, but you hid them really well and I was really short)

Well since I've become married, I can count on one hand finger how many times my husband and I have waited until Christmas morning to open up our presents. We have no patience. It has nothing to do with us wanting to open up our own gifts, but we want to see the look on our spouse's face when they see the special things we've picked out for them.

One year when I was at my sickest, we did something even more unconventional. I bought all my presents, he bought all of his presents, we wrapped our own gifts and then that morning it was a surprise about what the other picked for themselves.

I am determined to wait until Christmas morning. I have 8 nights to be patient make my husband be patient. A few weeks ago, we purchased an elliptical machine to replace his recumbent bike. Since this was such a pricey item, we decided that no more money would be spent on his Christmas. So he has three items under the tree to open. Now I on the other hand have quite a few. Every night Rob says, "You want to open up just one?"

Now presents are like Pringles: You can't have just one! He'd hand me one. I'd open it and then he'd hand me another. I'd open it. Then he'd have to open one. Then I'd have to open another. It happens this way every year. This year, I am determined to resist temptations.

Jeffrey the graduate

Jeffrey receiving his degree in front of a packed gymnasium.


Jeffrey showing off his degree holder for us.



Jeffrey turning his tassel.



Dad, Mom, Jeffrey and me.

My brother the graduate

My brother graduated college today.

This is a grand achievement of spectacular fashion.

I am so proud of my little brother.

Lots of photographs were taken.

Lots of laughter was had.

Tears were on the verge of being shed.

I can now say that I am the big sister of a college graduate.

My parents can say that all of their children are college graduates.

What a moment for our family.

What a moment for Jeffrey.

Way to go Jeffbo.

Way to go.

New to the blog?

If you're new to the blog, there are several specific blog posts that will help you get to know me better. Here is a repeat of something I wrote in early November. If you ever have any questions, don't feel too shy to ask. The only stupid question is the one unasked. Feel free to leave your email address in the comments and I will get back to you as soon as possible.

My name is Jennifer and this is my blog. I have been actively fighting this world of Lyme Disease and co-infections since March of 2007. I've also dabbled in mineral deficiency, Progesterone Deficiencies, Heavy Metal Toxicity and other health issues. I had a PICC inserted into my right arm July of 2008 and I battled with it every day to keep it in for almost 7 months. There were several moments where it probably should have been pulled, but between my wonderful nurses, doctor, picc line insertion team and husband ... we managed to keep it in as long as I needed it. We used it up to the night before it was finally pulled. My background story can be found here.
Other important links can be found here.

I've used regular antibiotics, supplemental therapies, IV vitamin & minerals, yeast battling medications and chelation treatment. I know there is more that I have used, but the most important part of my protocol was keeping the Candida (yeast) at bay. I feel as if the IV vitamin & minerals did the best at keeping my energy levels up. I had an extremely experimental IV which I used for well over 7 months (probably more like 9 months) which isn't available any more. I feel like that IV did more for more than anything else I have tried.

Now while that stuff pretty much rules my life, I am a person. I live my life the best I can with the skills that I have and the love I receive. My husband and I have been coupled together now for 12 years. This coming April, we will celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. He has been with me on almost every single doctor visit I have endured. He's only missed ONE hospital visit and that one was just a quick check on my picc line when I was having an allergic reaction to the cleaning solution. I wasn't even there that long. He's supported me with his quirky sense of humor and determination to get to the root of my health issues. Google was his best friend when I spiraled out of control in 2006/2007. He is the one that found my Lyme Doctor, he is the one that diagnosed me, and he is the one that ensured that I filled out the paperwork to get to see my Great Oz of Lyme.

We have two delightful and mischievous dogs. We rescued both. One is a lab mix that we rescued from the SPCA. He is about 8 to 9 years old. We rescued him when he was about 8 months old. We also rescued a Dachshund from a house. I went over to this house with a friend of mine to donate clothes for the mother. When we arrived, there was a terrible stench that greeted us. The house was full of children and pets. I mentioned how many pets they had and the lady said they were trying to get rid of one of them. I found this lovely scared overweight Dachshund under the couch. I told the lady I would take her to the SPCA and find her a home. I fell in love and she's been under our loving care ever since. I speculate she's around 10 to 11 years old now. She's definately no longer shy, but does get scared at new people. She's no longer overweight either!

I work in a child care facility. Originally, I worked full time in a preschool classroom. However as time went on, I became in charge of my center's reading program. I did both teach in the classroom and run the private reading program. Then it became crystal clear that I was struggling doing both well. I would spend 2 or 3 hours outside of my classroom and only have my class 3 to 4 hours (and two of those hours would be at nap time). So I had a choice to make. Do one or the other or feel like a failure at both. Even though I was still doing both quite well, my health was starting to fail and I needed to focus on as few things as possible. I could have done either, but my passion was the reading program.

So now, I teach 3 & 4 year old children how to read. I also dabble in the Math program as well. It's quite a rewarding job to know that the children I send to Kindergarten already know how to read before getting there. A lot of the children I have taught in the past are now in Academically Gifted programs. It makes me so proud to know that they took the basics I taught them and expanded into very gifted students. A few months ago, I saw one of the students I taught at 3 and 4 and she's now in 3rd or 4th grade.

There are several things that I love. I love taking photographs (especially of flowers, trees and clock towers), watching Carolina play basketball, collecting angels & snowmen, reconnecting with old friends and watching TV (especially So You Think You Can Dance). I used to be in the marching band and winterguard. I love to go to competitions to see my alma mater perform. Speaking of Alma Maters, I went to Western Carolina University and performed in the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band for one semester. So any chance I get to see WCU perform, I grab it. That band is one awesome band. Youtube does not do it justice. If you ever get the chance to see WCU perform live ... take it! You will not be disappointed.

Again, welcome to the blog. I hope you'll take this opportunity to learn more about Lyme Disease by looking over to the right and checking out some older blog posts.

Trip to the beach

On Monday, I took a trip to the beach. I enjoyed my time talking and laughing with an old friend. Pretty much was an eating and lots of talking trip. I didn't walk on the beach, but I saw the ocean. Funny thing happened. Funny only happens to me funny ... not funny humorous in any kind of way funny.

So in September of 2008, we went to the beach ... Upon our return I wrote this:

****
We were on our way once again and made it to the first bridge. Now bridges, they frighten me. A few things other than bridges frighten more more (heights, the S critter, tunnels, etc.). Bridges over water ... they frighten me more than regular bridges. Now we had to go over this bridge to get to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We not only had to go over ONE bridge ... we had to go over TWO bridges. One of those TWO bridges was one of those "fancy dancy" bridges that opens up in the middle when a boat happens to need to go through. Wanna guess what happened when we were on the bridge? If you said, "the bridge opened up while you were on it" you just won 17,000 points. And just like on the Drew Carey show, they aren't good for anything.


***

So now that you've reread this doozy of a paragraph, know that since we made it all the way to the ocean that we had to go over one of those fancy dancy draw bridges. And guess what happened while we were on it ..... IT OPENED UP! *gahhh*

Anyways had awesome food with an awesome friend.

Just Jennifer

How many of you have different versions of yourself? Come on speak up. You know it's true. When you're around strangers, you act one way. When you're around family, you act another. When you're with coworkers, there is a completely alternate side. There are many sides to me.

There is the absolute strong side. This side of me will not admit weakness. This side of me will not let anyone in to see the how badly I feel. I have shown this version to almost everyone at one point or another. I really had to utilize the strong side when I was getting sick and did not realize what was going on to my body. I did not want anyone to know how badly I felt or that my body was failing me. The strong side is the side that won't let me travel because I don't want people to see that I fail at something or that I am directionally challenged. At the very peak of my illness, it was very difficult to keep this strong side focused because I needed help. It was difficult to ask for help because asking for help meant showing that my body was failing me. There were only a few people that I confided in for assistance.


It's this strong version of me that I really want the world to see, but sometimes the weak side slips out when I least expect it. The weak side is the version of me that houses the tears. Sometimes it causes uncontrollable crying and sometimes it causes me just to mope around the house feeling a tad bit sorry for myself. However, I usually don't let this side show too often nor to too many people. Then there is the crazy Jennifer. I show her when I'm feeling either extremely comfortable or extremely uncomfortable in a situation.

A few years ago, I became Lyme Jennifer. Lyme advocate extraordinaire. Pretty much all my thoughts were about Lyme. It's hard not to be Lyme centered when everything you do involves Lyme Disease and treatment.

I have some friends that I am strictly strong Jennifer around. Some of these people need my strong side while others could understand my vulnerability, but I just don't let them in. There are others that see more of all of me, but there are very few that see just Jennifer. Sometimes I wonder if I've ever seen just Jennifer. I saw her this week for the first time in a really long time. It felt good to laugh, shop, hang out with friends and not be worried about getting home in time for a treatment. I know I should be taking these supplements and I know that if I continue not taking them that a relapse could occur, but it feels so good to be Just Jennifer.

Who do you just wanna be?

My favorite ornament

My favorite Christmas tree ornament came from my Granny's tree. Every Christmas, we would stay there for Christmas week. Upon arriving, I would run to the tree and try to find my favorite ornament. I'd twirl her and loved her. I loved it when I got to put her on my own tree. Now every time I unwrap her, I twirl her in my hands before placing her on a branch.

*shhh*

I was very bloggy in November. I suspect December will be a quieter month on the Blog Front.

I've got a very busy month ahead.

Tomorrow I'm heading to Wilmington to eat lunch with a friend from my old homestead. Then later this week, 6 days to be exact, my brother graduates from college! This is a very exciting day. I'll probably do a proper graduation post for him later. Of course, tis the season for family gatherings and doctor's appointments. Rob has his follow up in a couple of weeks. I found a new use for my IV pole. Today as I was hanging up m y clothes, I realized I was hanging the button down shirts on it to be able to button one or two buttons before hanging them in the closet. Though, I think I prefer last years usage:



I realized a few days ago that I never finished, or started for that matter, a project I wanted to get off the ground. That's to find photographs of my friends and me and putting them in one photo album. I'm slowly putting photographs in a folder on my computer that I want to print. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Enjoy the silence. Just know, I'm doing very well.

We can go home again

This past Sunday I woke up and decided that I needed to be in this special place. Things kept popping up that told me that maybe I shouldn't go, but I ignored those signs and went anyways. First I tried to leave the house and realized I left the directions. Then I got in the car and realized I had no gasoline. I went ahead and got gas and then missed the highway I needed to take. After all these things were out of the way, I headed down the road with only a little bit of reservation and a full tank of gas.

About 2 hours later, I pulled into the driveway and took a deep breath. I changed into more appropriate shoes (IE less comfortable) and stepped out of the car. I grabbed my trusty bible from 1987 and decided it was time to check things out. I walked into the back building and saw not a soul, but rooms that made me smile. I thought about all the children's laughter that had filled the rooms. I wandered around for about 10 minutes before heading to the front building. I carefully opened the front door and entered. Then the second door opened for me and there was a man that I used to see every single Sunday. His smile was a sight for sore eyes and I entered ....



Every single eye was on me. Some people recognized me right away while others took a few glances. I was given a gift that day. A gift of remembrance. A celebration of my return that no one was expecting. I was greeted with smiles, hugs and memories. I enjoyed my Sunday School class which included sitting between two of my best friends from so long ago. I suspected that they might be there given it was Thanksgiving Sunday, but I wasn't for sure. After all, they both have lives of their own. The service itself was a beautiful reminder of the Advent Season. It was a beautiful reminder of how children are our future. I realized it was so long ago when I sat on those same Burgundy steps listening to a similar Children's Sermon.

Then, the pastor put me on the spot and asked I come to the front in the middle of church to talk with the children. I was petrified to be standing in front of all the adults that used to care for me, but I squatted down low and did what I do every day. I talked with the children. Then, I lit the first Advent Candle with a little boy who was there visiting with his Mom. His Mom used to be my best friend at church. Upon lighting the candle, I swiftly made my way back to the pew sitting next to this little boy's Uncle who was also one of my closest friends. After church, I was invited to their home and enjoyed 3 hours of food and fellowship. We talked about the past and the present. We talked about the good parts of our lives and the not so good parts. In the 7 some hours I was there, I felt as if I had never left at all. Twenty years was erased quickly.

You can go home again. :o)