|
WASHINGTON
Dianne Cook - At age 29, in
1969, my little family and I went on a camping trip to northern
CA. We had 3 little boys at the time, and it was a "housekeeping
cabin" type of vacation (no vacation for mom, of course, with the
cooking everything from scratch). On the day we were to return home
to southern CA, I felt like I had the worst flu imaginable. I tried
to sleep on the several-hour ride home, and then went to bed when we
got there. I STAYED THERE FOR A MONTH. I had a hideous headache and
ZERO energy. I could barely get myself out of bed to the bathroom a
couple of times per day. I could not eat, and ate nothing but fresh
orange juice for the entire month. I lost 15 pounds. NOT a good way
to lose weight, and I was thin, anyway.
I was never diagnosed. If it was really LYME. it hadn't been
invented yet, anyway! we didn't believe in medical doctors much at
the time, and had a chiropractor come to the house. He said he
didn't want to touch me with a 10-foot pole! Gradually, I recovered,
but I don't believe I have ever been the same. I went on to have 2
more babies, (but with miscarriages before and after the fifth
child). I have every diagnosis under the sun and moon.....you know
the drill. FIBROMYALGIA, HYPOGLYCEMIA, TMJ, CHRONIC FATIGUE.
everything but the RIGHT diagnosis, I think. Several years ago, I
began to learn how to research at public computers; libraries and
colleges. I printed out reams of "stuff" on lyme and was then
convinced that this was my problem! I live in a very Lyme-ILLITERATE
area of the pacific northwest, (inland) and talked a local
epidimiologist into treatment for the lyme, which had shown up on an
IGeneX test as "HIGHLY POSITIVE". the doc didn't really believe the
PCR test, but treated me reluctantly; 7 weeks ivs and a year of
various oral and injected antibiotics. I did NOT IMPROVE. Therefore,
I thought this must not be my problem. But recently, I have begun
again reading the latest lyme info, and about all the other stealth
pathogens, and think I have it. I KNOW THAT THE TESTS ARE ONLY A
GUIDELINE. My main symptom, besides incredible fatigue (i'm 65 now)
and NO LIFE, is terrible daily head pain. I have periodic
"migraines", where I'm non-functional for 48 hours, but every single
day and night I have some degree of head pain. It is NOT HEADACHE;
it's major pain. Drugs do not touch this pain! So I realize I must
be re-treated in an agressive manner. Lotsa luck to me in finding
someone to do this, now that I have no money. I have medicare, but
I'm finding that the llmd's DON'T TAKE THIS. What to do? Ideas would
be most welcome.
* * * * * * * *
Phyllis Hake - I was
diagnosed with CFIDS/FIBRO for about 30 yrs. and now find that I
have Lyme, as tested by Bowen Lab. I feel really upset that it took
so long.
* * * * * * * *
Anne Koch - My fourteen year
"flu" began in 1992. I was vomiting and bedridden with dizziness for
two weeks. I had to crawl to the bathroom to relieve myself, and my
children had to wait on me instead of attending school. There was no
bull's eye rash, and I returned to work confident that my life would
continue to progress. It didn't. Within six months I had lost the
ability to tolerate numerous foods that had never bothered me
before. A painful stiffness grew throughout my left shoulder and
neck. My periods became so painful I had to stay in bed for two
days. My doctors were not concerned with any of my symptoms, so
neither was I. After five years had passed, I lost the ability to
keep any food or water down. Many forms of enzyme treatment were
prescribed. They all worked, for a little while at least. Seven
years after my original "flu", I was sleeping sixteen hours a day, I
was losing my memory, and the pain had spread to every area of my
body. My finger and toe joints swelled up. My left shoulder had
become swollen and deformed like a hump. My skin swelled with sores
the size of eggs. My glands were constantly swollen. I still had
trouble keeping food and water down. The diagnosis? First it was
chronic fatigue. Then it was mitral-valve prolapse syndrome. After
that it was fibromyalgia. I would get temporary relief from my many
dr.'s prescriptions. But nine years after my "flu", I finally went
to Mayo's. That was where I learned that nothing was wrong with me.
I was just depressed! I began asking all my doctor's about Lyme.
None of them believed I could possibly have it. Two years ago, when
I began losing the ability to breathe, a Lyme literate dr. saved my
life. Today, I am still fighting the spirochete-monster, but at
least I know what has disabled me. And at last I am finding weapons
to fight back. Dear reader, never, ever stop fighting. Never stop
believing you will find a cure. That is the only thing the Lyme bug
can't take from us-- HOPE.
* * * * * * * * |
