Sometime in the past few weeks I felt something bite or sting me while at the park. I remember saying oww! but then carried on about my day. Not sure if that is related. I've also been spending a lot of time outside in general and seem to attract every sort of bug, bee, animal out there. Not sure if that is related either.
The beginning of last week I started feeling kind of odd. I didn't connect this with anything I just mentioned above. Instead I thought most likely it's my "normal" conditions just flaring in a different way. Still not sure if its related.
But now into the real story, this Tuesday I woke up scratching my left arm because it was itching. I looked and noticed a red welt like mark. At first I thought maybe I got a spider bite, maybe a mosquito, no big deal. But then it started to look a little like a bullseye, classic sign of Lyme Disease, so I called and mentioned it to my doctor. He asked if I had any other symptoms and I said not anything different than usual, so he said wait it out til Friday and see if it goes away.
Yesterday, Wednesday, this turned into a definite bullseye and seemed to be growing. More conerning was what I thought was just a stiff neck Tuesday turned into all body stiffness, muscle and/or joint aches and pains and tightness. Then I got the chills so I took my temperature and had a fever. Called my doctor again and they made me an appointment.
Today I go to the doctor bringing in my pictures that I've been taking to show the changes of this thing on my arm. As soon as my doctor saw the bullseye, he said that's reason enough to have to treat you for Lyme Disease. He said I have a definite infection spreading in my body but he doesn't know for sure if it's Lyme or something else. He's starting me on antibiotics as well as an anti-fungal because of candida. He also ran some blood tests and depending on how they come back may change the treatment, and then wants me back in 6 weeks to check on me and run more blood tests.
Here are my concerns and what I'm going to ask you all to please pray about:
- Lyme Disease treatment, especially when its already through your system, is at least 6 weeks of 300mg of the antibiotic. He only put me on 2 weeks of 200 mg. Most doctors don't know how to properly treat Lyme.
- Antibiotics have landed me in the hospital before. Many medications have the potential of making MG and POTS worse. This is on the "be cautious with" list. "Be cautious with" is the lighter way of saying- hey if you take this there is the risk that you will end up on a ventilator; choose wisely.
- What this infection, whatever it is, will do to me. I'm already very stiff, weak and in pain. More importantly, the fact that we don't know for sure what the infection is. Lyme is diagnosed mostly based on symptoms because blood tests are often incorrect. Any infection, with or without treatment, typically makes MG and POTS flare up badly.
- If Lyme isn't treated properly from the very beginning, and sometimes even if it is, it has the potential of becoming chronic. That would add yet another chronic illness to my list.
Fortunately, most of what I just mentioned falls under "potential". So there is also the potential none of that bad stuff will happen to me. Prayer is powerful, and I ask that you all please pray that this medication does not negatively affect me, that the rest of my illnesses stay under control with no hospital stay, and that this medication kicks this infection out of my body. Furthermore, if it is God's will, that He heal me- completely heal me! Make me able to live a normal life again. Thank you for your support and prayers!
And I can't sign off without throwing in a plug here... the MG Walk Fundraiser is this month. Please consider making a donation. Funds go towards helping MG patients such as myself, better treatments, improving quality of life and searching for a cure. Your support is much appreciated by myself and everyone with MG!
God bless!
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