Today is exactly three weeks of being on medicine, I had a follow-up with Dr. P today and it went well. We went through the symptom list one by one and it was so good to hear that my worsening symptoms and new symptoms are a good sign. I knew it was good but it is so refreshing to hear it from others, especially my doctor.
The choking spells I had is also considered common among lyme patients, my chest is still tight and I cough more often but its nothing to be concerned about. The last week or so every time I take medicine I am nauseous, this too is common. However I learned today I am taking my probiotic wrong, I have been taking it with my antibiotic, which eats it up so I don't get any of the good nutrients. So prayerfully changing the timing of my probiotic will help with the nausea.
This month I will be starting a lot of different medications some for my co-infections and some simply for lyme. My next appointment is in eight weeks and by then we should be noticing major improvements. Most all of Dr P's patients see improvements within two to three months of treatment. We are three weeks into the battle, hard times are coming but I will take one day at a time and cross bridges when they come.
Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him remember the days of darkness, for there will be many. ~Ecclesiastes 11:8
I read this and was slightly confused at why we should remember our bad times or trials and not the joys of life. I realized that when we remember our bad days we can see the good days as they are, as a blessing. If we remember the good days we set a standard for how we want a day to be but if we remember the hard days and how the Lord delivered us we see a whole new realm of joy. There is a lot of darkness in this world, everyone has a lot of bad days but Jesus Christ is so much brighter than our darkness. May we always remember our dark days so we may truly give thanks.
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Lyme disease is a tricky bug. Its hard to live with, hard to diagnose, hard to treat, and I guess hard to believe. Animals also get lyme disease, its very common in horses and dogs and treatment for them is pretty simple. I found out last week they actually have a vaccine to protect dogs from lyme. What! Many doctors don't even believe lyme exists! I am not very knowledgeable about this, I'm pretty new to the lyme world, but am planning on studying up!
Some of my limited knowledge is that lyme is a political battle. Lyme disease is so different than any other method of treatment and any other set of symptoms which makes it controversial. I would bet you most lyme patients you talk to today have had a doctor tell them that their pain is in their head and they need to tough it up. I was told that, I was told I was depressed and needed to get out more. At the time I couldn't even bend over to tie my shoes. I am not the only one who has heard this, many patients have it worse and their family doesn't even support them. I understand both sides, I have been the patient with jumping symptoms I didn't tell anyone for the first year and a half because the ones I told didn't believe me and I couldn't blame them. I began to even doubt myself.
By the time many lyme patients get diagnosed they are at the end of their rope barely hanging on. Thats not even the worst, I mentioned earlier that lyme is a political battle, lyme specialists are being turned in all over the country and getting their license taken away because of their treatment method. Although they are successful, its not the usual. My doctor, Dr. P, was written up on thursday. What does this mean?
He was written up by a pharmacy in Iowa that was suspicious due to the medicine orders the patient was sending it, it wasn't normal. So now there are two things that can happen. One-he could give in and let them take his license and move to another state or two-he can fight. Dr P. has chosen to fight and will be going to court. Many of his patients have already stepped up and are doing fundraising for court costs and supporting where they can.
It blows my mind how you can take a successful doctor who has a wonderful record of patient health and simply take their practice away. Dr P is not the first and he is certainly not the last. Lyme disease breaks my heart, how much the patients suffer especially those without hope, those without Christ. You finally get a diagnosis, a doctor and a treatment plan and it can all be taken away so easily. Please be praying for Dr P and his practice that he would win the battle and be able to remain in Iowa.
Prayer Requests:
*That Dr P may keep his practice in Iowa; and strength and grace in the process that he may grow to know the Lord through this experience
*The patients that go to him would learn through this to put their hope in Christ who will never let them down
*Endurance through the new medicine
*That I will follow the Lords leading in where to help
*Strength for my mom and how she is helping
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