Home Hunting Part 2

God can work miracles. I believe this with my whole heart. I believe that He has the capacity to CURE me from Lyme Disease, but I believe that is not in the plans just yet. God has a plan for all of us and for me it to educate others on the devastating effects of Lyme Disease and give Him the glory.

This isn't about Lyme though. This is about the story of house hunting and how it all works out in God's time. So my husband and I had been talking about refinancing our house, but I kept putting it off. Then he put it in terms I could understand. By refinancing the house, we would save $300 bucks a month. That is a couple of IV treatments or a few HBOT therapies, etc. So we began to put the refinance in motion. Things went through and on Friday March 23rd, we signed the documents to refinance the house.

Now the next morning on the 24th, we woke up and something convinced us to look at a home close to our work. So we drove 45 minutes to this house and went in. I wasn't thrilled about it, but it was pretty. I really liked the "Loft" area of the house, but nothing to write home about (no pun intended). That night, it was really noisy in our neighborhood so we drove around to neighboring neighborhoods and drove down one subdivision. I saw a house that had an open house sign on it, but the house was locked up. We decided just for the fun of it we would go back the next day when it would be opened.

On March 25th (Sunday), we walked into this house and I kid you not I felt like I was at home. In fact I joked with another family that was there when they walked in, "Come on in to our home." Yes, I jested, but who knew that it really would happen? God did. The relator had to take that family down the street to open up another home so we had a good 20 minutes in the home to ourselves. I oohed and aahed over every little thing. She returned and we talked to about the home. We walked down to the other house and when we walked in that family said, "Come on into to our home." We laughed and looked around.

We took a second look at the first home and then came home. I couldn't stop thinking about the house. We thought at the very least we could look to see whether there were other lots available knowing that this house would probably be bought pretty quickly since it was only one of three left and only one of two that was move in ready. Keep in mind that this all happened less than 48 hours after refinancing the first house.

We came home and talked about it. We drove by the house again and again. We were listening for neighbor noise. There was none. It was miraculous. The next weekend, we popped in on a Saturday. We looked around and took a couple of pictures. We came back the next day with a check for earnest money. This happened on Sunday April 1st. This was all happening very quickly. In that short week, we had talked to two financial gurus. One that had worked with us on our refinance and the guy that the relator had recommended. Well our guy said he thought it would be best to wait until July. The other guy said he would do it as quickly as we wanted, but there was only so fast that we could go because of all the requirements of the lenders.

So from April 1st to April 4th, a lot of things went wrong. First we were told we had to have a certain amount for down payment and a certain amount set aside for both mortgages. This amount was astronomical, but we knew we would have it by a certain date. Then on April 3rd, we got an email that stopped us in our tracks. Now instead of having to have an astronomical amount in our bank we had to have triple that. Instead of having two months of both mortgages in our account, we had to have SIX months of mortgage. Any normal person would have said, "Forget it." They would have given up.

But not us. We kept at it so in 24 hours, we came up with a way and our meeting was set for April 4th. We were given until the 10th to get everything together and he would send it to the underwriters on April 11th. We were told that the first time our stuff went to the lenders that the underwriters would probably deny our request and that we would just resubmit everything in another month. We were also told there would be a huge list of demands. Instead of worrying, I prayed.

April 11th, the man sent our stuff off. We waited and then, we did the unbelievable. We accepted that this was going to happen and began to box up some things in our current home. Things that we don't need to use for the next month. I packed up 12 boxes and my husband packed up nearly the same amount. We went to our house again this past weekend and it felt even more like home. We met our neighbors. This morning we were sent an email. An email that said the underwriters approved our request AND there was only TWO things on the list. Those two things were immediately sent to him and shortly thereafter we got an email saying that we would CLOSE ON OUR NEW HOME MAY 14TH!

Now let me put this out there.

March 23rd - close on refinance

March 24th - look at home in big city near work

March 25th - see dream home in current city

During week of March 25th - contact lenders and find out how they can help.

March 31st - go back to home to see if still have same feeling

April 1st - give earnest money check

April 3rd - email with "bad" news, but we overcome challenge to have our meeting

April 4th - meeting and give paperwork

April 7th - go see house again

April 11th - paperwork is sent to the lenders and underwriters

April 17th - send email to check on status

April 18th - given approval and closure date of May 14th

Now we were told by a really smart financial person that these things don't get approved on the first run. We were also told that there would be a lot of hoops that we wouldn't possibly be over to overcome.

Now granted, we don't have the keys in hand yet, but I am here to tell you that God works miracles.

I can't wait to share pictures. I pray that the rest of the process goes smoothly and nothing kinks up, but I have faith.

Roller Coaster Changes

Life is funny sometimes. It wasn't too awfully long ago that I cried almost every day. Then one day, I forced myself to change. I didn't even realize how upset I was all the time until a friend pointed it out. She asked what happened to the bubbly Jennifer she used to know. Oh what a question that was. I thought and thought and realized that the bubbly Jennifer was still there, but very guarded. It was in that moment I made a choice to change back. I slowly chipped away at the bad bits and even through the worst moments of my life managed to smile through the pain. I opened up my soul, my heart, my spirit to those around me. Every day, I change just a little bit. And today as I was thinking about this, it reminded me about this song sung by Addison Road. I realized that no one is perfect, not even those that we look up to and respect. Even those that we've known for a while can do things that hurt us. So what do we do when someone we respect and look up to hurts us or someone we love? We forgive because one day ... there will be a change in the making.

Number 1 With Lyme,

I wrote this post a few days ago intending to post later, but since today is the National Day of Prayer ... It seemed fitting for today. Before I get into this post though, I want to let you see a part of me that I rarely show. I try to be an open book. However, there are a few chapters that I keep sealed shut. I don't want pity or sorrow so I keep it sealed shut. So here it is:

I have had a horrible day. Down right terrible in fact. This is what I wrote somewhere else:

It feels like I'm in the middle of the ocean and the undertow is sweeping me away. Every time I get one thing accomplished, fifty more things are piled on. I can't keep up with what needs to be done. Feeling rather inadequate at the moment. I had an Asheboro '93 feeling and let's just say that ain't good, ain't good at all.

So with that said, my planned post. One that is much more uplifting and hopefully I'll be able to read it and feel better ... feel less inadequate ... feeling more Jennifer.

***

You may wonder how my relationship with God strengthened during my illness. I believed from the very beginning that what afflicted me was given to me for a reason. I believed (and still do believe) that God gave me this battle to fight in order to glorify His name. The more my health failed the more I believed that in the end, I would be healed.

God made me a promise. At my weakest, I looked at His promise in the book of Isaiah. Isaiah 4:29-31 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. ³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; ³¹ but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

That is simple. He states it, "But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength." You may ask if I believe in God (or more poignantly if God exists) why didn't He renew my strength earlier? Well it is simple. He healed me in His time and not mine. Yes, God could have very easily granted a miracle and cured me in a moment. However, that was not my journey to take. He needed me to take a different path. He needed me to be weak so that I could show others my strength. He needed me to be outspoken. He needed me to know weakness so that I could be the strength for others when they were too weak to speak for themselves. He needed me to encourage others to hope in the Lord.

A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame

My heart and my soul, I give You control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise, become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else, my purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame

My heart, my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
From the inside out, O my soul cries out

My Soul cries out to You
My Soul cries out to You
to You, to You

My heart, my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
From the inside out, O my soul cries out

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
From the inside out, O my soul cries out
From the inside out, O my soul cries out
From the inside out, O my soul cries out.

"God's Willing"

"My husband is more than likely taking off this coming Wednesday to tell our story and then it is my hope that I can go the next time on the 25th. I'm not sure if it will be possible, but if it is God's will for me to be there ... I will be there."

I said this on Sunday. On Monday morning, I talked to my boss about the exciting opportunity that my husband would have this coming Wednesday and if it went well that I would possibly get to go later on. It was then when she said that I should go since it was my story. You about had to pick my chin off the floor and stop me from saying "seriously."

I have always said that God gave me Lyme Disease for a purpose. I believe that this is part of the purpose for me to use my Lyme Life to help Integrative Medical Doctors that help all illnesses. Now God willing, I will be healthy enough tomorrow to talk to these men *and women* that can help Integrative Medical Doctors.

Wish me luck and lots of prayers.

Chelation Challenge.

Tomorrow I have the Chelation Challenge.

I'm sure everything will come out just fine, but please pray that it goes quickly and that all my test results come back in normal range. I try to be strong and patient, but I am tired of this PICC Line and am ready for some normalcy (whatever that is).

I know it's all in God's time and I will be patient should I need to keep the PICC Line in for longer. However, it would be nice to know that the end of this PICC Line is in sight (like February maybe) and not have another kind of treatment on top of the maintenance part of Lyme Therapy.

Coming soon

Coming soon to a blog near you will be photos of my favorite Christmas Ornaments. :o)

Last year this time, I was frustrated with my health. I was extremely frustrated because I was on all these medications and they were not helping at all. In fact, I believe that in many ways they made me worse. It hurt to walk and I fell all the time. I can not even count the number of times I fell down my steps ... ripped my pants ... had to come back inside to change clothes before I went to work. Nor can I count the number of times I got sick in the middle of the night for 3 to 4 hours. I was miserable.

I am so blessed to have gotten better. Here is the video/song I listened to on my worst days. I was sure that God would have reached down to take my pain away. I knew I needed patience. I had it. And He took my pain away.

5 months ago

I've had my PICC line for five months today. I thought my PICC and I would only be together for a month or two. I've been to the hospital with it once and had several prescriptions written for it to be x-rayed. Fortunately I only had to go back to Rex the one time and they "fixed" the problem.

I am hoping to be able to end this PICC by my birthday, but who knows what God has in store. It's in January that I go for the Chelation Challenge. If my Chelation challenge shows that I have a lot of heavy metals, then I will need vein access more often than a regular IV can give. If my Chelation Challenge shows that I only have a little bit or no heavy metal toxicity, then I can give up my PICC.

I am content with either option as long as Priscilla the PICC stays happy. :)

*lost track of time* said 4 months originally, but DUH July 17 to December 17th is 5 months. (You might be a lymie if)

*tomorrow begins my 3 day post on Love.

a tiny cold

About a week ago, I was exposed to three major illnesses. I knew that the liklihood that I'd wind up with some form of these was significantly high, but hoped and prayed that they would not come to fruition. Here it is 9 days before Christmas and I wake up with (TMI) the snots and the sore throat. I also have a cough. If this cold goes in the same directions as any other cold I've ever had in the last 4 years, I will be hoarse by Christmas. What a present for my husband.

Please pray that the treatment I had on Saturday will continue to work it's magic and I will not become so sick that I have to "skip" Christmas. I feel GREAT, but my nose and throat and cough. :( Not so happy about that. I have been feeling the 'tickle' in my throat since Thursday or Friday, but the cough didn't start until yesterday ... woke up with the nasty green nose (At least it's Christmas Colors) today and well it seems that fate always has me sick on something I'm really looking forward to *which you'll hear all about tonight*

I'll survive. Always do.

Pure Exhausted

Nothing much to say today except that I am pure exhausted. I stayed up way too late watching Survivor and Survivor Reunion show last night. I was ecstatic when Bob won not only the million dollars, but the Sprint Favorite Player $100,000 prize too.

Since my treatment on Saturday, I have noticed that I have a severe headache. I am sure it is just what we Lymies call a "die off reaction," but since I haven't had a massive headache since like July .. it is a bit depressing. :o( Pray that it ends quickly.

10 days till Christmas. :o) I will definately have to get up pictures of my decorations soon. Praise God that I was able to decorate this year. :=)

Good day to all and to all a good night. :}

I am wealthy

Keep in mind that my blogs .. are my opinions alone. They aren't meant for controversy or for people to get into an uproar. They are just what I am feeling at the very moment I am writing.

So I've been thinking about the term "wealthy" lately. It's not that odd that I would be thinking about "wealth" or "lack there of" during the Thanksgiving Holiday. It is generally the time when people are thinking about purchasing gifts for loved ones for Christmas. It is hopefully the time in which we think about the "wealth" of gifts the wise men brought for baby Jesus.

Commonly when people think of wealth, the things that come to mind are money, valuable belongings and property. People probably think of how wealthy others are to determine how wealthy they think they are. If they live in an area where everyone drives BMW's, then they probably don't feel very wealthy if they drive a Chevy Nova. If they live in an area where everyone drives a Chevy Nova, they would in all likelihood feel quite well to do if they drove a BMW.

Now let's "remove" the money aspect of wealth.

Wealth in general means an abundance of something. So if someone were to look into my cabinets, they might find a wealth of plastic cups or a wealth of needles for syringes or even a wealth of vitamins. Still those are "things" that a monetary assignment can be placed. It *cost* me to get those things. If someone were to look into my heart ... they would find a wealth of something that a monetary value can not be given. They would find an abundance of compassion, of laughter, of happiness, of friends, of memories and so much more.

So am I a wealthy person? Do I have the latest and greatest of things in my home? Compared to some that live in the area ... No I do not. Compared to others ... Yes I do. But am I wealthy? Do I have an abundance of things in my heart in which a price can not be determined? Yes I do. Can people (IE the bank) take these things from me? No they can't. I have a wealth of beautiful memories that no one can take. I have a wealth of friends, laughter, happiness, compassion and knowledge. So today ... I thank God that I am wealthy. My prayer is that all of you can be wealthy too.

Provers 19:8 (NIV)
He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who cherishes understanding prospers.

Feeling up and down

I have been having these emotional swings the last few days. In all reality, I know it's all hormone related, but it doesn't make the swings any easier. One moment, I feel great. I'm happy and excited for the present and the future. Then the next I am crying and frustrated. The good news is that my hormones should balance out in a few days and I'll be back to my strong stubborn self. I started some new medications a few days ago to get rid of the parasites and the yeast. Either the dying bugs are making me feel bad or the medication itself is doing it. I have about 5 more things to add to my regiment of daily drugs and I am a little leery of doing it when I already feel a bit on the nauseated side.

I remember feeling that way every day. It was awful. I worshiped the porcelain throne almost every night for almost 2 years and I just can not go back to that kind of living. Thank goodness I am only on the parasite drug for 3 more days and then I will go to something a little more homeopathic (which hopefully means a little easier on the stomach). The yeast drug will only be a few more days as well before I begin the homeopathic stuff. I just wanted to give the pharmaceuticals a chance to kill the beasts so that it would allow the homeopathic stuff to work the best.

If someone had told me 3 years ago (even 2 heck even last year) that I would be trying weird stuff to try to kill Lyme, Yeast, and all my blood friends, I would have laughed in their faces. At this point, I'd stand on my head and walk backwards on my hands if it would help. (Okay so I don't think I have that particular skill, but I could spin a mean rifle back in the day)

My doctors told me that I still have a long journey to go. I accept that, but sometimes I just want it to be "right now." This world is such an instantaneous world that they think ... why are you still sick after all this? Why aren't you well yet? Well, Lyme isn't that easy to "fix." Most Lyme literate doctors don't even know if it can be fixed. I want someone to fix me. I really do, but I know my body will be fixed in it's own time. I can't rush it nor would I want to.

Everytime I have a rough day, I go to different blogs. Today was particularly rough and I went to the one blog that makes me smile. More than that, it makes me pray. I've mentioned them before, but this family makes me go wow.

In a years time ... Tricia got placed on the list for possible transplant. Tricia found out she was pregnant. Tricia had a beautiful baby girl (weighing 1 pounds and 6 ounces at birth) in January. Tricia and Gwyneth had to be separated and even after she was born Tricia was in a coma and was probably the last person to even know that her daughter had been born. Tricia was placed on the transplant list and 40 days after being placed on this list received her double lungs from a most gracious family who had their own tragedy (May everyone pray for that family right now .. even though we don't know who they are .. Tricia has been given time with her husband and her daughter because they were selfless and gave life to her). Tricia left the hospital, Gwyneth left the hospital and they went home to the OBX to be a family under the roof of Nathan's parents. Shortly after they arrived home, they found out Tricia had lymphoma in her lungs. She's been on a very difficult chemo treatment and yet every picture posted she looks so uplifted and radiant. Just today, they signed a contract to purchase their own home.

People around the world pray for this family and check on this family every day. Every time I have a bad day, I just think about Tricia and her faith in God. It makes me feel a tiny bit better and realize that my "big problems" are really just rather small problems to God. Nothing is too big for God. If they can do it, I can do it.


P.S. I was even more emotional this afternoon than I have been the last few days. Sheesh. Sometimes it just sucks to be a woman.

Bradford Microscope

A while back (in February or march of 08), I heard about this special microscope. Someone I knew online had gone out to New Mexico and had an analysis done of her blood under this special microscope invited by a Dr. Bradford. I thought to myself it would be very cool to have this done, but knew that I'd never fly to New Mexico to have it done. So I just thought I would never have the opportunity.

In April of 08, I was very sick. I wasn't moving forward in the healing way so my doctor suggested this very weird protocol (that I explained in an earlier blog). I was struck by the name. He called it "The Bradford Protocol" invented by Dr. Bradford. I inquired was it the same Bradford as the microscope. He confirmed indeed it was. I was given a contact of a lady that actually had seen Dr. Bradford and I called her. She told me that this doctor (not Bradford, but another lady) comes to her house occasionally and sets up the Bradford Microscope. I told her I would be very interested. The problem is that it's about 2 or 3 hours from my house. So I never thought it would really be an option.

Well this past wednesday, I get notice that this lady is looking for me. I call her and she informs me that this doctor with the microscope is coming to her house on saturday. By Thursday evening, it had changed plans even more. This doctor was actually going to be coming about 45 minutes away from my house. I was thrilled. So that appointment was today. Several "fun" things happened at this appointment. First, I met another patient of my doctor. She was very nice and besides Lyme we had a lot in common. Then I met another lady that I have been talking to online for several months. I had been looking forward to meeting her, but had no idea that she would be there. :) (though I did invite her to come, I wasn't sure if she'd be able to b/c of the short notice).

I found out many interesting things today. At my regular appointment with my lyme doctor, we had discussed how we thought my issues were now Yeast and maybe Parasites. We thought perhaps we had exhausted all the Lyme issues and that we were finished with Lyme Disease. I was thrilled with this. Then I got to the Live Cell Analysis. :( I don't know whether to find what we discovered exciting b/c of all the treatment we've done my blood work could have looked worse ... or disappointing b/c I still have a lot of issues to work through.

I saw lots of interesting things in my live cell analysis. *wow* If my blood looks as bad as it did now, I hate to imagine what it looked like a few months ago.

In the wet sample, she saw Lyme Spirochetes as well as Lyme Cysts in my white blood cells. One blood cell she looked at had four or five cysts in it. They were floating everywhere and eating some of my red blood cells. While we were watching, we saw one spirochete break off one blood cell and swim towards another. We also so many spots of Yeast. She said that Lyme and Yeast were definitely a concern. We saw several bacterial blobs that looked like a bunch of spirochetes bunched together with like tentacles (she called them blebs).

We also saw some lemon drop looking things and I don't remember what she said they were. We saw parasites in the wet sample as well as Black Fungus. There was a lot of both in the sample. She also said she saw Plaque. In the dry sample, she looked at several samples. In each of the samples, she said it was supposed to be a sea of red with a fisherman's netting of black over top. Mine had many white spots in it and the netting wasn't as prominent as it's supposed to be. She also said that there was a dark/light grey around the sample indicating that I have heavy metal toxicity.

So:
1. Parasites
2. Black Fungus
3. Lyme spirochettes and Cysts
4. Yeast
5. Plaque
6. Heavy Metal

I am worried that I have so many issues still. I saw what is in ONE DROP of my blood. If all of that was in ONE DROP .. what's in the rest? I am trying to be strong and be courageous and brave. It's very difficult.

Daniel 10:19 (Contemporary English Version)

The angel touched me a second time and said, " Don't be frightened! God thinks highly of you, and he intends this for your good, so be brave and strong." At this, I regained my strength and replied, " Please speak! You have already made me feel much better."

My Lyme Therapy

I have been in Lyme Disease treatment since the end of February 2007. For most of the time, I was doing a fairly traditional treatment using oral antibiotics and some nutritional IV treatment (which is somewhat experimental). I could list the different orals I was using, but that would just bore you. I did start off with the most traditional treatment there is with Doxycycline. This particular drug is very tough to tolerate when you have Lyme Disease. What happens is it kills parts of the bacteria and then leaves you with toxins. Those toxins make you feel very lousy. For me, it caused major nausea, vomiting and loose stools. I was on generally 3 or 4 antibiotics at a time. Lyme Disease has different "forms." and each antibiotic killed the different forms. It also targeted other tick borne illnesses too.

Well after over a year of oral antibiotics and some nutritional IV treatment, I was not getting well. In fact in some ways, I was worse than when I started treatment. There were many things that improved though. One day back in April of 08, I began to feel very sick again. I was hallucinating (sounds and visual), feeling dizzy, passing out, and other things that I am having trouble remembering. It was a very low point for me. My husband rushed me to my Lyme Physician so he could see how very badly I was feeling.

It was at this point that we all knew that we had to do something different. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. I was presented with an experimental option that my physician had just started after he had seen success with another patient. He told me to sleep on it, pray on it, research it and do whatever I had to do in order to make this decision of whether I wanted to do this treatment.

I made a phone call to this patient of his, googled until my fingers felt like they were going to fall off, but most importantly ... I dug deep within my soul and prayed like I had never prayed before. I had a decision to make and though it did not have to be immediately, I felt like I needed answers. How could I make a decision about a treatment that I couldn't even find on google? How could I decide that I wanted to place my life in the hands of a doctor that I didn't even know existed two years before? So I did what I was taught when I was little .. I opened up the red book with gold edges that had my maiden name written on the front from 1987. I opened up the Word of God, took a deep breath and prayed that my answers would be found in the depths of the Bible.

I flipped with my eyes closed ... I opened to one page and like a kid with a map .. put my finger down. I discovered this:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."- Philippians 4:6-8

I focused on the first line: "Do not be anxious about anything." I knew my answer. I had to do this treatment. I am doing what is known as the Antimicrobial Therapy. I started off going twice a week to get this treatment and then it went to once a week. Now I am going once every three weeks. The treatment is difficult. The first treatment my husband had to carry me out of the office to the car. I don't remember. I sleep for most of the day which is probably good because if I were awake I probably wouldn't feel so good.

This treatment is killing Lyme, Bartonella, Candida, and other things that I probably have that I just don't know about yet. I have had 9 treatments so far. How is it working? I will tell you that last weekend was the best weekend I have had in years. I know it is doing it's job and I just have to tough it out. Today is one of those treatments for me. I will be starting around 9am.

The nurse gets all the bags ready (3 in all) and infuses them into my PICC line. Now that I have the PICC Line (an IV that stays in my arm until I finish the treatments), life is much easier and harder at the same time. It's easier because it takes 2 hours to do the treatment. It no longer burns my arms and it goes straight to my heart. It's harder because my day to day life is much more difficult with the catheter. However in the end, it will be worth it.

Stay tuned: for PICC: the good, the bad and the ugly.

What's up with me?

This month is going to be a very busy month for me. Plans have been made and I am so excited about all that is going to happen in September. I am going to ignore all the medical stuff that is going to happen and just tell you all the fun stuff I have planned. :) My husband and I are going on a mini vacation. Now before you all go and get excited, I said "Mini." It begins Friday afternoon and ends Sunday afternoon. However, I am super thrilled to be staying at a hotel in Nags Head North Carolina. This vacation serves two purposes. The first, which is the least important in the scheme of things, is for me to have a relaxing weekend with my husband. The second, which I am way excited about, is to attend this.

For those of you that don't want to click on that link, this is a charity event that is being hosted by Nathan and Tricia Lawrenson. Nathan and Tricia are amazing people that I have had the privilege of meeting twice. The first was at a Great Strides walk in Cary, NC and the second was at the church I attend C3. The "short" version is that Tricia has Cystic Fibrosis. If memory serves correctly, the day before Tricia was to leave her home to go to Duke Hospital to prepare for a double lung transplant ... she found out she was pregnant. This took them on a journey this last year of many miracles.

In January, Tricia had her miracle baby named Gwyneth Rose (a micropreemie) and on her husband's birthday in April ... she was granted her second miracle of the year. She received her lungs. Last year, Tricia and Nate started a Great Strides walk in the OBX (Outer Banks). So when I heard about this couple in December of 2007, I knew that my life would be changed forever. So, I am going to the Great Strides walk this year in the OBX. So between relaxing with my husband on the beach (sans Hurrican Ike) and the Great Strides walk, I am super thrilled about this upcoming weekend.

There are a bunch of small things that I have planned, but the other huge thing does not happen until the end of the month. The North Carolina Lyme Disease Foundation is presenting this documentary on Lyme Disease called Under Our Skin: The Untold Story of Lyme Disease.

I have purchased two tickets to see this wonderful documentary and prior to the beginning of the movie, there is going to be a rally for patients, doctors, and supporters of those with Lyme Disease and other illnesses (such as Autism) to help support those doctors that treat these illnesses. It's going to be a long day for me so my prayers are that I will be able to stand with the great Lyme Literate Physicians and show my support as they have supported me over the last year and half and countless others over their lifetime. I also get to meet others facing this illness and rumor has it that there is going to be a new website announced at this rally as well.

I'm so psyched. :)

The beginning

I am beginning this blog as a way to journal the memories that I have of my experiences throughout this health experience. I want to remember the good, the bad and even the oozy when I finally conquer Lyme Disease, Bartonella and Candida. At first, I may post quite a bit because there is quite a bit of "back story."

Some days may be filled to the brim with "adventures" and other days may have nothing. Some posts may be upbeat and happy while others may show my vulnerability.

I am a woman who believes that I was given this as a test of my faithfulness in God and I believe that God gave me this trial to show me that I have true strength. I have learned in the last two years that I am a lot stronger than I give myself credit for. I have come through this with a stronger relationship with my friends and a stronger relationship with God than I ever thought possible.

I am still trying to figure out the best way to start this so hang on as I figure out how much I want to share with the outside world. A lot of posts may be repeats of things I write on other websites. So buckle your seat belt, hold on to your seats, this is gonna be a bumpy ride.