Lyme’s Update

Since 2001 I have been plagued with recurring fever related incidences that last no longer than 24 hours at a time.  Once the fever and other symptoms subside, my health returns to normal and it is easy to forget that I have ever been sick.

The more I researched the more I came to believe that I had an infectious disease.  Anyone who has one knows it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.  These diseases can appear in the blood, but not every sample will reveal the culprit.  It might be hiding in another part of the “haystack” and not the part that is in the blood draw you took on a particular day.

The most likely culprit would seem to be Lyme’s Disease – except my symptoms did not appear to match.  The least likely culprit would seem to be malaria, but everything I saw about malaria seemed to be a match.  I tested negative for both and didn’t know what to do after that.

I went to an infectious disease specialist who ran more blood tests and concluded that I was not a candidate for an infectious disease.  I wish I could get my money back from that expensive excursion.  I knew better, even though  I knew very little about why I would be sick some days.

Having the episodes were more “fun” for me than doing the whole medical run around stuff.  When  I thought I had come to a dead end, I gave it all a rest.  If God wanted me to know what I had, He could have showed me.  Psalm 77 reminds me of myself during my episodes:

I cried out to God with my voice --To God with my voice; And He gave ear to me.

In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; My soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah  You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I have considered the days of old, The years of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song in the night; Ps 77:1-6

Then along came Dr. Morgan Titus who grew up next door to our midwife.  After a time of rest from doctors and trying to solve this puzzle, I went to her for a set of new eyes to take a look.  She was convinced it was Lyme’s and sent some blood out to California to IGENEX.

From there I went to see Dr. Mulliken in Kennebunk.  I was sharing my symptoms with him and then pulled out the results of my IGENEX test.  “That’s what I thought,” he said smiling.  “Your symptoms sounded like this.”

THIS is Babesia – caused by a parasite transmitted by the same tick species that causes Lyme’s Disease. 

Everyone reading this entry should re-visit everything you think you know about Lyme’s.  While there is a common thread of symptoms – there are many that you will never read about if you read an article in a woman’s magazine or your local newspaper.

This disease is thought to be the fastest growing infectious disease in the world…yes, exceeding HIV/AIDS and malaria that we hear so much about.

Some of the diseases that can be caused by Lyme’s is Parkinsons Disease, MS, Lou Gehrig’s, fibromyalgia, Bell’s Palsy, Iritis, lupus, dermatitis, SIDS, ADD, hyperactivity, Chronic Fatigue, thyroid, to name a few…  Please note that I did NOT say that  they are always caused by  the Lyme's tick, but  if they are... they can be cured.   That should be good news to many who suffer these  diblitating, life threatening diseases.

I would recommend that anyone dealing with a chronic illness should be tested for Lyme’s.  Since the “needle” is sometimes hard to find in the “haystack” don’t take NO for an answer f your test comes back negative.

Dr. Mulliken said that we got lucky by hitting the bulls-eye the first time around.  Well, it was God not luck and the IGENEX test was not my first look at Lyme’s.  It was IGENEX’s first look at it and we hit pay dirt.  “I tell people who get a test result like yours to buy a megabucks ticket,” he said.

A few hours after Dr. Morgan took the blood draw, I had one of my episodes… another confirmation that the test results are reliable and God was in control of the timing. 

So, now we know who the bugger is that has been bugging me for so many years.  Yeah!

Okay, maybe not so quick with the YEAH!  Of all the infections attached to Lyme’s, Babesia is the hardest to eradicate.  I was encouraged, though.  Dr. Mulliken’s wife had symptoms much worse than mine and the therapy that I’m going to do worked remarkably for her.  I am hopeful.

The treatment plan is to keep up my Shaklee, add some Chinese herbs, up my probiotcs, and stick to an anti-inflammatory diet.  I will stick with this for at least 120 days.  That’s the life cycle of Babesia – as I understand it.   After that we should know if we killed the beast or not.   I’d appreciate your prayers for me. 

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