Last July, I picked up Acute Lyme Disease. I did a regiment of antibiotics and was unsuccessful in warding off Chronic Lyme.
Since January, I’ve completely changed my diet (modified Paleo), altered my sleep schedule, and learned how to manage my spoons. But I’ve known I needed to talk to a couple of specialists about a real treatment plan.
On Monday, I went to see said specialist and ended up in a two and a half hour assessment that tested and questioned pretty much every aspect of my physical and mental health. And the results were less than exciting.
It’s very likely I have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome on top of Chronic Lyme, which would explain some of my symptoms. But it didn’t stop there. It’s also possible I have a long-term mold infection or a leaky gut. We need to test for the latter two to confirm.
These came to the surface because of my childhood years. I grew up on a 4,000 acre conventional corn and soybean farm where I ran a lot of equipment that sprayed chemicals on the field. Breathing those in over long periods (and as an adolescent) can cause all kinds of bad things since your nose has neuron endings directly tied to your brain.
On top of that, I had a period of about three years where my bedroom very likely had mold growing in the walls. So I’m sure that wasn’t a great thing to inhale either.
All of this to say, I have bad health and the road ahead of me is going to be rough.
The treatment plan involves a rigorous use of herbal supplements and lifestyle management since the general medical community hasn’t caught up on the latest understanding of these issues. And to be honest, I’m not super comfortable with the idea of treating an internal chemical issue with even more chemicals.
So this means I have to maintain my diet, sleep really well, eliminate as much stress as I can, and do my best to lead a fulfilling life. Thus, I’m sharing this with all of you before I’ve even fully explained it to many friends and family. There’s not likely another group I would trust this with.
But I think my biggest challenge is trust. I’m looking at a two to six year recovery if it’s even possible. And the symptoms will come and go in roughly six week cycles. Having been on the downside of that cycle a couple times, I know it’s incredibly depressing and extremely hard to deal with. Trusting Jesus to look after me is no simple task when I what I really want is to take control and beat it into submission. But I can’t do that.
So right now, my prayer is for healing, strength, and trust. Healing for my body. Strength to continue being effective in my work and providing for my family. And trust in God to watch over me.
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