posted
I'm writing this to give hope to the new people here-
I'm finishing up a one week ski trip. I've skied every day and I feel great on the slopes & after. I have a few tough hours in the morning herxing after taking my tetracycline. I get up early and take it right away so I can get through the bad hours.
I feel the strongest I've ever been, I can stretch in the morning before skiing. I have feeling & strength in all my limbs. My balance is great, I haven't gotten lost even once! The only odd thing going on during the day is a feeling of bugs racing around my shoulder. I feel this when I go inside to warm up. Very minor aggravation.
In order to stick to the routine that has helped me make so much progress, I've brought detox tea with me, bought 2 big bags of Epsom salts, have not had one bit of sugar, filter my water and stick to the anti yeast diet. I also use podi patches every night.
When I ski I wear a face mask & neck gaiter to make sure absolutely no sun touches me since I'm on tetracycline and will burn to a crisp in about 15 seconds. Now lets roll back the clock:
In 2005 I could ski but my feet and knees would go numb and my muscles would twitch. My shoulders and arms hurt too much to use my poles properly. My balance was not quite right. After skiing I felt like I'd been run over by a truck. I was foggy and got lost a lot. It was very painful to buckle my boots or carry my skis.
After skiing, I could barely make it up the stairs back to the condo. I was basically useless in the evening. My friends cooked for me. I soaked in Epsom salts for a long time every night, slept a lot and was in a lot of pain. I was really happy though to be doing better than the year before.
In March 2004 I went skiing and was in extreme pain. I could not use my poles at all and the nerve pain in my arms required codeine after skiing. I was in major brainfog and had great difficulty getting my boots on & off because my hands hurt so much and my arms were weak. I could not feel my feet most of the time. I had shooting pains, numbness, tingling.... Skiing helped take my mind off it.
I had to use every bit of brain power I had to remember to follow my friends and not get lost. They watched out for me. After skiing I was flat out on the sofa barely able to move until the next morning. I nearly passed out trying to carry my bags up the stairs.
February 2005, I cancelled a ski trip. I could barely walk. My feet were numb, my balance poor, pain levels extreme. My ribs hurt so much I could not lean back in a chair. My energy level would suddenly plummet to the point where I could not stand up. I rarely left my house.
December 2004, I was supposed to ski with friends over Christmas but I could not even lift my skis into the car. In fact I could barely lift my arms and was exhausted after walking across a room. I was 3 weeks into tetracycline after finally seeing a LLMD in early December. I had great difficulty driving the 2 hours to my friends house. My eyes could not focus & lights were blinding.
I spent the holidays having the herx from hell, extreme vibrating, shaking, pains, brain fog... I did not leave the house for a week and could barely make it from the sofa to the bathroom. I could barely move my arms or legs the fatigue was so overwhelming.
Fall 04, taking low dose doxy, trying to find a Doctor who would treat me. Getting worse everyday, barely able to leave my house. Extreme brain fog. Basically non functional until late at night when brain fog would lift but I could not sleep. Extreme pain, new symptoms kept appearing. Feeling like I was being tortured.
September 04, finished one month of doxycycline and thought I was cured. Within days all symptoms returned and I spiralled downhill. Intense pain.
August 04, One side of face becomes paralyzed, Bells Palsy convinces my PCP I have Lyme Disease. Begin Doxycycline. Lyme test comes back positive. Friends are horrified to see me with a droopy face. I have difficulty working, look weird, can't speak normally, ear & jaw hurt...
July 04, Found a tick on my arm after visiting Martha's vineyard for July 4th weekend. Go to Doctor and request Lyme treatment. Treatment refused. Told I must wait a month and then have a test. If positive they could easily treat it with 3 weeks of antibiotics. I was horrified at the though of taking antibiotics for 3 weeks since I never take drugs! Ha!
Well I've been on antibiotics for 30 months now. I'm continuing to get better. Without my LLMD and LymeNet I'd surely be disabled or dead. I've learned so much here on LymeNet and have made getting better my top priority.
Wishing you all continued healing.
hatsnscarfs
Posts: 956 | From MA | Registered: Nov 2004
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
What a wonderfully inspiring story. Glad to hear you are doing so well and perservering.
Your story gives me hope for a better tomarrow.
Thank you
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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trails
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1620
posted
thanks for being so thorough!
yipppie for YOU! Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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hopeful123
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3244
posted
-------------------- some days you're the bug, some days you're the windshield Posts: 1160 | From NY | Registered: Oct 2002
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shazdancer
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1436
posted
Hats, this story is wonderful. I am so happy for you!
-- Shaz
Posts: 1558 | From the Berkshires | Registered: Jul 2001
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timaca
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6911
posted
Hats~ Thanks for sharing. I love to ski, as does my husband. I hope we can do it again. Your story gives me hope. Blessings to you for sharing....Timaca
Posts: 2872 | From above 7,000 ft in a pine forest | Registered: Feb 2005
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