Happy Anniversary Fish!!! And wishing you and hubby many more "HAPPY" ones!!!

I have been checking into lymenet daily for 2 years now, but haven't been regularly posting lately, just reading. Your contributions to this site are appreciated here and I am glad so many "newer" people like you have been taking the time and effort to post and keep this site going. (and, of course, you guys that are still helping from before my time...you amaze me!!!) Nice to finally "meet" you Laserred

Everybody always asks us if anyone did any practical jokes on the wedding day and the answer is no (!) I was prepared...but not even a single prank! Oh well!

This is the first anniversary I have been healthy in our entire marriage. I have weaned down to one antibiotic now (but am scared to go off...) Symptom free for 4 months and counting. yeah! I started waitressing parttime to exercise my brain, body, and help with medical expenses. Two years ago I couldn't remember my kid's names...today I ran 8 tables at the same time. There is hope...

Thanks again laserred for the anniv. good wishes, you're a sweetie

Leslie

ps.. at the risk of sharing too much information, my illness was a thin thread away from destroying our marriage 3 years ago.

He was empathatic to a degree at the beginning of our dating but compasion fatigue finally set in several years before my diagnosis. We also had 2 small babies who were infected with lyme (we didnt know it then) and so was hubby, to a much lesser degree than us.

We were all diagnosed within 6 months of each other and boom! that was what we needed I guess. What almost tore us down actually made us a stronger, more loving family.

But most importantly, lymenet was the most directly responsible for saving our marriage...without all of you I would be wallowing around with "MS" and "CF" and the children and hubby would still be undiagnosed.

Our LIVES were saved by the generosity of all of you...thank you from the bottom of my heart.

"Symptom free for 4 months and counting. yeah!"...It sounds like your one of the inspirational stories we so need to hear.

I am happy to know there is a light at the end of the tunnel, some days are so hard to feel that, then someone like you comes by to remind us 'there is life after lyme' (should I say 'after Lyme dx', cuz I know, alot of people believe you never really get rid of it)

It's great news to hear your going to work. I was off for 9 months, dx'd in late June-early August, had three months of antibiotics (undertreated w/low dose), was confinced by the ducks that I should have been fine by now.

Pushed myself to go back to work, that lasted just short of 3 months. Found myself an LLMD during that last month of working and now on proper tx since the end of Jan '05.

So now hopefully, am on my way to recovery, I know it can be a long road, but at least now I'm on my way down the right road.

I must agree with you regarding this site,it is amazing as well as the all the informed people that post here, they have helped me tremendously. In just the understanding of what I have, how I feel sometimes, and what might be expected, so I'm not checking into the ER all the time.

Your marraige has tried true, as is said! 10 years is a milestone, so now you know you can make it thru anything that ever comes along!

How are the children and hubby doing? I hope everyone has improved to the point of living a normal life. Wishing all well!!!

Bless you and your family...'You've come along way, Baby'!

Take care,
Gerry

Yeah! You definately have the right attitude...this is definately slow and steady treatment. You're on your way now.

Looking back, the "prediagnosis months" was certainly the lowest of low times. It really makes sense that that was so. The stress of not knowing what's wrong and feeling like you're out there in the medical world flappin in the wind alone is scary and you feel trampled upon.

That doesnt even take into account the misery of the illness itself. I'm glad you got past that point and are in treatment.

Once a person settles in with a good LLMD and a routine and the right abx, the stress lessens a bit, especially with the hope of improving closer than before.

I hit 80% well (approx ) after the first year and have been living resonably well again. The rest of the fatigue, (at the time, my last, stubborn symptom) finally lifted when I was treated for bartonella in the second year. That really did the trick! Then I had several small backslides and new-med-herxes that kept me down for only a couple of weeks at a time but the second year of treatment has been so much nicer than the first! I'm glad I didn't give up meds after the first year, like I remember wanting to do. I was just so sick taking something and "being sick"!

But the second year really made me 100% and it was worth it, keeping up the treatment.

I don't know if its gone...I was on Flagyl daily for 3 months and I hope I got most or all of the cyst form. Who knows. I'll update after a year when I go off. Hopefully not sooner!

The kids still test positive with IGeneX and MDL after a year of antibiotics with Dr. Jones. But they are, god-bless-em, very mild cases now. Thanks to LLMDs - they are heroes. (and my minivan that keeps on chugging thru the miles!!! :0 )

Keep up the good work and good works - you rock my dear!

Leslie

We've been married. 30.5 yrs.; my husband has never known me well! Been misdx for 34 yrs. & dx correctly 7-04.

I enjoyed your comments, Gerry and Leslie.

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