Sunday, October 12, 2008

Kind of a big deal

Well, long story short, Noah had the antigen for borrelia Burgdorferi (Bb) in his blood. He did not have the antibodies. Bb is a spirochete (a spiral shaped organism) that acts in a stealth manner and attacks the body at the cellular level. Bb morphs between a cystic phase where it is dormant and an active phase. Bb can remain dormant for years in your body, many times with the infected person not even knowing of its presence, until a flare up occurs, which can be aggravated by different things. Bb is the reason for Lyme's disease...it is what lives inside the infected tick, or other vector, that delivers the disease to the infected person. We sent my blood off while Noah was in the hospital...they found over 6 spirochetes in my blood...theoretically, my breast milk should have provided Noah with the antibodies to strengthen his sweet little body...but my body wasn't producing the antibodies because it obviously wasn't recognizing Bb as foreign. Does this make sense?

Well, doing the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer was great, but it also took a toll on my body and aggravated my Bb. And, I'm finally going to do something about it. It's taken me a while, obviously, to take this step. Seeing as how I don't have a lot of confidence in traditional Western medicine, I've chosen not to follow their Lyme's protocol which is 3 weeks of antibiotics, covered by insurance. That 'protocol' works only if you've just been infected, not in the case of chronic Lyme's disease. Chronic Lyme's patients usually need months, even up to a year, of hard core antibiotic treatments, and even then, relapses may occur. And besides, I tested 'negative' on the ELISA test, having only one antibody, therefore, according to their standards, a negative result...though my blood was sent to the guy's lab in CA who invented the ELISA test for the CDC, and that's where the spirochetes showed up in my blood. Interesting! I won't go off on many of my conspiracy theories...

Anyway, the reason I am sharing this here is because for over two years now I have done countless hours of research on this topic. Tomorrow is another part of the puzzle, and since many of you were here during the journey, I wanted to include you in this, as well. Tomorrow I will begin a homeopathic remedy for Bb. There are ten vials in all and I need to take one every three days. I am going to journal how I feel as it's possible that I may not feel amazing during this treatment. After one month, my doc will test me and see if I need to do another round. I am really excited and nervous at the same time. The part that will be the most difficult is the way I have to eat during the treatment. I have to avoid all things white, meaning; flour, sugar, processed carbs, white rice, and dairy. For the most part I eat this way, which means I'll be eating meat and veggies, which I like, but it's the chocolate that I don't know how I'll do without :)

For the record, one, I don't ever recall being bit by a tick, though it could have happened. Two, Noah never got bit by a tick, obviously...I've been bitten by countless mosquitoes, a few nasty spiders, biting flies, and hundreds of ants, but don't recall a tick bite. And three, Jason and Emily both test negative for Bb.

Depending on how or if this treatment works, which, by the way, a doc in CA and my doc here have had success with...well...

***10/13 a.m.: I already found a loophole! Ghirardelli natural unsweetened cocoa with 100% lactose free whey protein, stevia extract, ice, scoop unsweetened almond butter, original rice milk, and a Tbsp of Udo's 3/6/9 omega oil (and a banana if you aren't worried about glycemic index issues)...for anyone wanting chocolate and not able to eat the foods I mentioned above. I'm good at finding loopholes!

26 comments:

  1. what a major part of the story here. i pray that the Lord sustains you in every way and that you sense His presence throughout the treatment and healing process.
    heidi jo
    oru

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ade,

    We will be praying for the healing of your body. We hope that the treatment you have chosen doesn't make you feel really ill. We pray it works beautifully :)

    Thank you for sharing :)

    Love Carly x

    ReplyDelete
  3. How interesting! Thanks for sharing all of these details. I will definitely be in prayer for you as you go through this treatment. By the way, I can't remember if I've ever commented on your blog before, but I've been checking in for a while now. Your faith and honesty are a great encouragement to me.
    Nancy

    ReplyDelete
  4. please keep us posted. my mom and I shared with you our story and journey with lymes a bit in our comments.... keep us posted!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Praying as you proceed with treatment. So glad to hear Em doesn't have it.

    Rneee

    ReplyDelete
  6. Well obviously my name isn't Rneee...

    Sorry.
    Renee

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sure nice to meet you. I will be praying for your treatment and for a fast and great outcome and healing. Thank you for sharing...

    ReplyDelete
  8. I will be praying and knowing God will be holding you in the palm of His hand!

    Love
    Kristy

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow- that is kind of a big deal. Thinking of you and can't wait to "hear" how it is going.

    No chocolate? I'll say a special prayer about that. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  10. WOW. At least now you have some answers but I am so sorry that now you aren't feeling good. I will be praying for you during this treatment and for not being able to have chocolate!!! So glad that Em and Jason don't have it. Hang in there and thanks for keeping us posted!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thank you for sharing this update. I am looking forward to hearing about how your 'alternative' treatment works out, as we have used some homeopathic treatments with our son (austism).
    Praying for you - that you will feel well and at peace.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Good luck, Adrienne! I pray that the Lord continues revealing the 'keys' in this process.

    ReplyDelete
  13. praying for you Adrienne. I have been following a diet like you mentioned (for other reasons, obviously), and found that after the first 3-4 days, it was not bad at all! I am praying you find answers and peace in this process.
    love to you....
    Holly

    ReplyDelete
  14. I just received your posting from google lyme alert and found your blog very interesting. I do hope and pray the homeopathic treatments work for you. I am doing western with a Lyme doctor and have been on meds for 16 mo. now with some improvement...which is good since I went untreated for over 22 yrs. I am keeping the door open for other treatments so I will be interested to see how it goes for you! Have you been to LymeBytes where Connie S shares all the different ways to treat Lyme?
    Take care
    Renee

    ReplyDelete
  15. Love you friend!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I pray that this direction of meds wil work for you. God is with you. I will be watching your journal closely as my younger sister just informed me she has lyme and has had it for 5 yr and did nothing. they told her it would be a rough road. Could you shoot me a line with the info on the meds you are taking? ym sis doesn't like traditional medicine either...thanks. (cafahs@gmail.com) i have a blog on blogspot...stop y if you wish...heycarrie-anne.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. am so happy that you are giving homeopathy a go! it has been such a freeing way of life for our family...I pray big things for you!

    ReplyDelete
  18. That's just crazy! Have you spent any time in regions where borellia is indiginous? We had an ID lecture a few weeks ago and the attending said that they generally don't even test for Bb in middle America because it's so uncommon.

    Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing all about your treatments! I wish you the best and I will keep you in my prayers.

    ReplyDelete
  19. IndigEnous.... spelling word for the day :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous6:29 AM

    Thank you for sharing with us this important find! Like one of the posters, it's kind of a BIG deal! I pray that CHRIST will heal your body....and the treatments won't make you ill.

    WOOHOOO on the chocolate find! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  21. Jeez, that is a big deal! I will be praying for your health as well as clarity for you. What a hard thing to swallow. I'm so sorry medicine here is so political. It makes me sick just thinking about it!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous12:08 PM

    Wow. Amazing to have some answers after all this time.

    And I was glad to see your update. Was most definitely going to post about some dark chocolate :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. I know we've emailed one another in the past, specifically about Lyme Disease... I'd love to hear more about the type of homeopathic treatment and the vials. Are you willing to or able to share? Either here or on my blog or to my email address?

    ReplyDelete
  24. where did you send your lab work off to? i would like to have mine sent there too. I am a young mom with chronic pain (for the last13 yrs)and my youngest son is "failure to thrive" ...struggling to find the problem he is so little. Every time i read your blog i am overwhelmed by the way Jesus is/has comforted you in your suffering. thank you so much for writing--love,katie

    ReplyDelete
  25. p.s. going gluten and sugar free has helped me dramatically though no doctor has ever mentioned lymes....

    ReplyDelete
  26. Kate, my blood was sent to IGeneX Lab in Palo Alto, CA. It's expensive...FYI, and a doc has to order it...you know...politics and insurance! Fun times! I am so sorry about your son...I will be praying for him. If you want to email me directly with details about his sweet little life, please do at adexoxox@gmail.com!
    Ade
    xoxox

    ReplyDelete