Monday, January 23, 2012
The Program ~ Day 1
I just got out of a steam shower treatment and have to rest for 30 minutes, so I thought I'd take this time to blog. :)
Well…we arrived last night…it was quite the journey down here. We started our day off quite early, due to the fact that we aren't on California time yet it makes it easier to wake up early. Especially when you go to bed around 7:30-8:30PM. So, we woke up early so I could go to the beach and look for shells and sand-dollars a little before sunrise. We all drove down only to realize that the "beach" they sent us to was not a beach at all, just the place where the water met the rocks. So we decided to walk the other direction, and after several attempts Nalani and I finally found a place where we could get down to the beach. Nalani didn't approve of the place for she thought it was risky so I went ahead showing her that it was a safe place where we wouldn't get overtaken by the waves. My mom and Trish followed just a little behind.
We walked and walked and ran and searched the barren beach for any signs of shells or sand-dollars only to find a few broken pieces of shells. I decided to continue my search and saw a place that looked like it might have some so I ran over there (oh…it's about 41 degrees out and cloudy and the waves are ginormous due to the storms) and as I went to pick my foot up my shoe stayed behind, so I reached down to grab my shoe just in time before a wave came crashing towards me and there I was, not going to try and move away from it thinking that if I did I'd lose my other shoe, and trying to keep my balance so that I wouldn't fall in. Well…I saved my shoes yet was soaking wet up to my knees. My socks that were white, were now speckled black from the sand and my shoe was filled with sand and water. Oh did I mention that the tide was coming in and we had walked quite a ways down the beach? So we decided to get off the beach so that we all wouldn't be trapped by the incoming tide. The only issue was that the car was anything but close and I was now walking with soaking wet socks w/out shoes and we didn't know how to get back via the road…what to do…well…walk across the people's yard right? Well…if it was grass that'd be one thing but this was a plant that was like aloe only firmer yet smoother, yet it was better than the other option. So walk we did, and did it ever feel weird under my feet. But we made it! We got back to the hotel, tried to wash up our things and put them in bags. This is the first ever trip that I only brought what I needed (or thought I needed) so I only have 1 pair of shoes, 1 pair of flip-flops and 1 pair of Sabbath shoes. So…flip-flops it was, in the now 41 degree rainy weather. But hey, at least I had shoes!
We got on the road and had a beautiful drive stopping at so many different places. It was cloudy but oh so beautiful. God is such an amazing God, and His creation is a wonder to see. To make a long story short…we got 50 miles down Highway 1 from Monterrey and found ourselves at a barricaded road. On Highway 1 when the road is closed the only option is to turn around and go back…and for us it was 50 miles back. Yet 50 miles on Highway 1 is like 100 miles on a normal road if not more. When we got to there we were 175 miles from our destination yet by the time we found our other route we were over 300 miles away. The GPS kept trying to get us to make a u-turn all the way back. We felt bad for all those driving down the road that didn't know what was ahead of them. We were thinking of the object lessons that we could get out of it. How we should be just as urgent and wanting to share the truth with others as were were to warn those going down the road.
We arrived last night around 9:30PM and got all settled in our rooms. Today started off early. I did vitals for the people this morning and then they started with lemon salt water, juicing, steam baths, drinks, etc. There are 4 people here getting treatments, it's going to be quite the experience. Today my mom, Nalani, and I with a dear older woman that was just diagnosed with lung cancer had a steam treatment. It was quite the treatment! The have about 15 feet ceilings and 5 shower heads that come out of the shower and steam too. I've never seen Nalani drink so much water so quickly. She did really well.
I am now done with my resting time and should go make lunch for those of us that are eating.
I'll update later ~ and put in some pictures too...
Well…we arrived last night…it was quite the journey down here. We started our day off quite early, due to the fact that we aren't on California time yet it makes it easier to wake up early. Especially when you go to bed around 7:30-8:30PM. So, we woke up early so I could go to the beach and look for shells and sand-dollars a little before sunrise. We all drove down only to realize that the "beach" they sent us to was not a beach at all, just the place where the water met the rocks. So we decided to walk the other direction, and after several attempts Nalani and I finally found a place where we could get down to the beach. Nalani didn't approve of the place for she thought it was risky so I went ahead showing her that it was a safe place where we wouldn't get overtaken by the waves. My mom and Trish followed just a little behind.
We walked and walked and ran and searched the barren beach for any signs of shells or sand-dollars only to find a few broken pieces of shells. I decided to continue my search and saw a place that looked like it might have some so I ran over there (oh…it's about 41 degrees out and cloudy and the waves are ginormous due to the storms) and as I went to pick my foot up my shoe stayed behind, so I reached down to grab my shoe just in time before a wave came crashing towards me and there I was, not going to try and move away from it thinking that if I did I'd lose my other shoe, and trying to keep my balance so that I wouldn't fall in. Well…I saved my shoes yet was soaking wet up to my knees. My socks that were white, were now speckled black from the sand and my shoe was filled with sand and water. Oh did I mention that the tide was coming in and we had walked quite a ways down the beach? So we decided to get off the beach so that we all wouldn't be trapped by the incoming tide. The only issue was that the car was anything but close and I was now walking with soaking wet socks w/out shoes and we didn't know how to get back via the road…what to do…well…walk across the people's yard right? Well…if it was grass that'd be one thing but this was a plant that was like aloe only firmer yet smoother, yet it was better than the other option. So walk we did, and did it ever feel weird under my feet. But we made it! We got back to the hotel, tried to wash up our things and put them in bags. This is the first ever trip that I only brought what I needed (or thought I needed) so I only have 1 pair of shoes, 1 pair of flip-flops and 1 pair of Sabbath shoes. So…flip-flops it was, in the now 41 degree rainy weather. But hey, at least I had shoes!
We got on the road and had a beautiful drive stopping at so many different places. It was cloudy but oh so beautiful. God is such an amazing God, and His creation is a wonder to see. To make a long story short…we got 50 miles down Highway 1 from Monterrey and found ourselves at a barricaded road. On Highway 1 when the road is closed the only option is to turn around and go back…and for us it was 50 miles back. Yet 50 miles on Highway 1 is like 100 miles on a normal road if not more. When we got to there we were 175 miles from our destination yet by the time we found our other route we were over 300 miles away. The GPS kept trying to get us to make a u-turn all the way back. We felt bad for all those driving down the road that didn't know what was ahead of them. We were thinking of the object lessons that we could get out of it. How we should be just as urgent and wanting to share the truth with others as were were to warn those going down the road.
We arrived last night around 9:30PM and got all settled in our rooms. Today started off early. I did vitals for the people this morning and then they started with lemon salt water, juicing, steam baths, drinks, etc. There are 4 people here getting treatments, it's going to be quite the experience. Today my mom, Nalani, and I with a dear older woman that was just diagnosed with lung cancer had a steam treatment. It was quite the treatment! The have about 15 feet ceilings and 5 shower heads that come out of the shower and steam too. I've never seen Nalani drink so much water so quickly. She did really well.
I am now done with my resting time and should go make lunch for those of us that are eating.
I'll update later ~ and put in some pictures too...
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Our trip ~ Part 1
Well we made it out here safely. This is my first time getting internet, and so I'll try and catch up with everything that has been happening. Nothing too eventful, other than the extremely turbulent landing and take off from Denver. We arrived in San Francisco and after a couple hours and a neat AirTran ride we got a rental vehicle, filled it with our luggage and were off on our adventure.
First stop: Jamba Juice! We were all dehydrated and hungry so we decided that Jamba Juice would be a good place to go. With the handy-dandy iPhone we have found our way all over the place and a Jamba Juice was only a few miles away. After we had our fill our next destination was…
The coast! So we drove right over and started heading up the coast, oh how beautiful it was! We drove all over and then crossed the Golden Gate bridge on our way up to Napa Valley. We drove all through the grape vines, so reminded me of 2 1/2 years ago when we were driving to the Mandache's house from Northern Cali and the Bambrick's were driving from San Francisco, I'm sure we took the same route they did for I recognized some of the places from their pictures.
The sun set as we were driving through the vineyards, it was oh so beautiful. We arrived there easier this time than the last (we got lost a couple times the last time we went to their home.) Got all tucked in (in the house, not the back cabin that is FILLED with spiders, well at least it was last time) and got to bed by 8:00pm their time.
The next morning we headed off to Elmshaven, oh the memories… It's so special to see the places and hear the stories of our Adventist Pioneers. While we were there the little mist turned into rain and well, we still decided to head to the redwood park. The rain would have been ok if it was warm…but it was about 45 degrees out. By the time we got there it was really raining hard, so we decided to drive through rather than walk, oh my are the raindrops HUGE in a redwood forest! It was a beautiful drive, do we ever have an amazing God! When you stand there beneath a tree that is over 300 feet tall, it gives you a new perspective.
From there we headed back down the highway to just about where we started and then went North East to Chico area to spend a couple days with Dr. Gilkes and "Grandma" Arna. We had a wonderful time with them and Dr Gilkes went over my mom's lab and MRI reports with us which was so helpful. We now know more of what we are dealing with, which is scary but good to know the enemy that you are fighting. The Lyme's have really gotten a hold in some bad areas in my mom so please do pray for her and that the treatment will be effective.
Nalani and Grandma Arna had a lot of fun making bread for Sabbath and for our trip. Nalani just loves spending time at Grandma Arna's house. While there the forcast was for SNOW!! We didn't get it but we did have wind like I've never experienced before. Last night the winds got up to 75 mph with gusts up to 100mph. It was raining oh so very hard too! My mom woke me up last night to check the weather report and to tell me that if something came flying through the window (which I was under) to cling to the wall. When we got up this morning the wind had calmed down and the rain had just about stopped. we had decided that if it didn't that we wouldn't be going anywhere today as they have a big bridge that you have to cross going to town and there's no way I'd cross that with 75 mph winds!
This morning we went to church and then drove back through San Francisco to the coast to start our journey to Monrovia, CA.
The sun came out and we were having such a blessed Sabbath when we got to the end of the Golden Gate Bridge. Oh no! Our hearts just sank! When we had crossed it the first time it was free and so we weren't thinking anything about paying to cross it, esp. not during Sabbath hours. We got to the end and saw a line of cars by the toll booths all ready to pay the $6 toll to cross the bridge. While the others were in shock I sent up a prayer for help and suggested that my mom explain the situation to the toll person and see what would happen. My poor mom. still with some slow stuttered speech was trying to get the words out while I was praying for the Lord to soften the toll man's heart. The gentleman just kinda listened then said that they'd mail us something to pay later, then he just stepped back and sent us on our way, never getting our address or giving us anything. We all said a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord as we continued our journey to the coast.
A beautiful place to close Sabbath was our destination, I timed it out and looked at the map and had a place in mind. It was perfect! We were just about alone, only one other man there to take pictures of the sunset, and us on the beach. How majestic it was to see the huge waves, from the storm, crashing on the rocks and the beach. I climbed up on the top of a rock and decided that there would be my place to close the Sabbath. Looking out at God's amazing creation my mind drifted to our creator, what the earth must have looked like when He created it 6,000 years ago and how it'll be when He re-creates it anew. As I watched the sun going down a song sprung into my mind that we sing as the Sabbath closes "Day is dying…" and I sung to the Lord while watching the mighty waves and the sun slowly drifting through the sky. Nalani joined in her sweet little harmony and soon we were all singing. I pray that it touched the man's heart that was near us. After some time to meditate we closed the Sabbath and climbed up the stairs (on the way down we went my unconventional way, but it was decided that we'd walk back up the way that we were intended to) and got in our vehicle to figure out where to stay the night. After a little searching and changing rooms we are all settled in at Half Moon Bay. Tomorrow morning early I hope to go out and see what I can find.
We'll head down the rest of the way via highway 1, my favorite road in the world, to Malibu and then to Monrovia where we'll begin treatments for my mom.
The doctor is thinking that it's a possibility that I might have it since my mom most likely had it when she was pregnant for me and since I do have just a couple of the symptoms I've started doing the basic treatment, nothing serious as he doesn't think that that is needed at all.
So keep us in your prayers. It's been and will be quite the journey, and it's only the beginning.
I'll update as often as time and internet access allows.
We appreciate all of the calls, emails, and prayers.
~Laura
First stop: Jamba Juice! We were all dehydrated and hungry so we decided that Jamba Juice would be a good place to go. With the handy-dandy iPhone we have found our way all over the place and a Jamba Juice was only a few miles away. After we had our fill our next destination was…
The coast! So we drove right over and started heading up the coast, oh how beautiful it was! We drove all over and then crossed the Golden Gate bridge on our way up to Napa Valley. We drove all through the grape vines, so reminded me of 2 1/2 years ago when we were driving to the Mandache's house from Northern Cali and the Bambrick's were driving from San Francisco, I'm sure we took the same route they did for I recognized some of the places from their pictures.
The sun set as we were driving through the vineyards, it was oh so beautiful. We arrived there easier this time than the last (we got lost a couple times the last time we went to their home.) Got all tucked in (in the house, not the back cabin that is FILLED with spiders, well at least it was last time) and got to bed by 8:00pm their time.
The next morning we headed off to Elmshaven, oh the memories… It's so special to see the places and hear the stories of our Adventist Pioneers. While we were there the little mist turned into rain and well, we still decided to head to the redwood park. The rain would have been ok if it was warm…but it was about 45 degrees out. By the time we got there it was really raining hard, so we decided to drive through rather than walk, oh my are the raindrops HUGE in a redwood forest! It was a beautiful drive, do we ever have an amazing God! When you stand there beneath a tree that is over 300 feet tall, it gives you a new perspective.
From there we headed back down the highway to just about where we started and then went North East to Chico area to spend a couple days with Dr. Gilkes and "Grandma" Arna. We had a wonderful time with them and Dr Gilkes went over my mom's lab and MRI reports with us which was so helpful. We now know more of what we are dealing with, which is scary but good to know the enemy that you are fighting. The Lyme's have really gotten a hold in some bad areas in my mom so please do pray for her and that the treatment will be effective.
Nalani and Grandma Arna had a lot of fun making bread for Sabbath and for our trip. Nalani just loves spending time at Grandma Arna's house. While there the forcast was for SNOW!! We didn't get it but we did have wind like I've never experienced before. Last night the winds got up to 75 mph with gusts up to 100mph. It was raining oh so very hard too! My mom woke me up last night to check the weather report and to tell me that if something came flying through the window (which I was under) to cling to the wall. When we got up this morning the wind had calmed down and the rain had just about stopped. we had decided that if it didn't that we wouldn't be going anywhere today as they have a big bridge that you have to cross going to town and there's no way I'd cross that with 75 mph winds!
This morning we went to church and then drove back through San Francisco to the coast to start our journey to Monrovia, CA.
The sun came out and we were having such a blessed Sabbath when we got to the end of the Golden Gate Bridge. Oh no! Our hearts just sank! When we had crossed it the first time it was free and so we weren't thinking anything about paying to cross it, esp. not during Sabbath hours. We got to the end and saw a line of cars by the toll booths all ready to pay the $6 toll to cross the bridge. While the others were in shock I sent up a prayer for help and suggested that my mom explain the situation to the toll person and see what would happen. My poor mom. still with some slow stuttered speech was trying to get the words out while I was praying for the Lord to soften the toll man's heart. The gentleman just kinda listened then said that they'd mail us something to pay later, then he just stepped back and sent us on our way, never getting our address or giving us anything. We all said a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord as we continued our journey to the coast.
A beautiful place to close Sabbath was our destination, I timed it out and looked at the map and had a place in mind. It was perfect! We were just about alone, only one other man there to take pictures of the sunset, and us on the beach. How majestic it was to see the huge waves, from the storm, crashing on the rocks and the beach. I climbed up on the top of a rock and decided that there would be my place to close the Sabbath. Looking out at God's amazing creation my mind drifted to our creator, what the earth must have looked like when He created it 6,000 years ago and how it'll be when He re-creates it anew. As I watched the sun going down a song sprung into my mind that we sing as the Sabbath closes "Day is dying…" and I sung to the Lord while watching the mighty waves and the sun slowly drifting through the sky. Nalani joined in her sweet little harmony and soon we were all singing. I pray that it touched the man's heart that was near us. After some time to meditate we closed the Sabbath and climbed up the stairs (on the way down we went my unconventional way, but it was decided that we'd walk back up the way that we were intended to) and got in our vehicle to figure out where to stay the night. After a little searching and changing rooms we are all settled in at Half Moon Bay. Tomorrow morning early I hope to go out and see what I can find.
We'll head down the rest of the way via highway 1, my favorite road in the world, to Malibu and then to Monrovia where we'll begin treatments for my mom.
The doctor is thinking that it's a possibility that I might have it since my mom most likely had it when she was pregnant for me and since I do have just a couple of the symptoms I've started doing the basic treatment, nothing serious as he doesn't think that that is needed at all.
So keep us in your prayers. It's been and will be quite the journey, and it's only the beginning.
I'll update as often as time and internet access allows.
We appreciate all of the calls, emails, and prayers.
~Laura
Half Moon Bay ~
At Half Moon Bay, CA for the night. Had a beautiful sunset along Highway 1. It was a wonderful close to the Sabbath. Will post more as soon as I can. This is the first internet I've had!!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Made it to Denver! ~
Hello Everyone,
We made it safely to Denver. It was a very bumpy descent but good landing. We have an hour before we take off for San Francisco, Ca. For those of you that asked we're going to a program in southern California for my mom to be treated for her Lyme's Disease.
Thank you again for all of your prayers and support!
~Laura
Monday, January 16, 2012
Some Christmas Pictures ~
It is so much fun having Christmas with three adorable little girls ( Nalani is no longer a "little girl")! Here are just a few pictures from our Christmas this year.
It was such a blessing to have the whole family. :)
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Lyme's 101 ~
Here's a little information on Lyme's for those of you that are unfamiliar. As the days pass by I'm getting more and more familiar with it.
1. Is Lyme disease caused by a virus, bacteria, or a parasite?
Lyme disease is caused by a spirochetal bacteria.
2. Who is the doctor that identified the spirochete that causes Lyme disease?
Dr. Willie Burgdorfer identified the spirochete responsible for Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) in the early 1980's.
3. How long after a person is in contact with an infected source will Lyme disease symptoms appear?
Lyme disease symptoms may appear days, weeks, months or years after the initial infection.
4. How many species of ticks carry the Lyme disease spirochetes?
At least nine species of ticks, six species of mosquitoes, 13 species of mites, 15 species of flies, two species of fleas, and numerous wild and domestic animals (including rabbits, rodents, and birds) have been found to carry the spirochete that causes Lyme disease.
11. What are the most common diseases that are often mistaken for Lyme disease?
There are many different diseases or conditions that are found in patients with Lyme disease. All too often Borellia organisms are not considered as the source for patients complaints and their symptoms. For example, an ophthalmologist may diagnose any of the following conditions: conjunctivitis, ocular myalgias, keratitis, episcleritis, optic neuritis, pars planitis, uveitis, iritis, transient or permanent blindness, iritis, photophobia, temporal arteritis, vitritis, Horner's syndrome, ocular myasthenia gravis, or Argyll-Robertson pupil which may or may not be Lyme or tick borne disease related. All of the conditions listed above have been documented in Lyme disease patients and many of these diseases or conditions improve with proper antibiotic therapy.
Urologists, for example, may not realize that recurring bladder infections or swollen testicles can be caused by spirochetal organisms. Infectious Disease specialists often dismiss patients concerned about Lyme disease because many are under the assumption that Lyme disease is very 'rare' and/or they are not familiar with the various signs and symptoms of the disease due to their limited definition of the disease.
Lyme disease can be misdiagnosed as: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, Lupus, Lou Gehrigs (ALS) disease, Guillian-Barre Syndrome, Polymyositis, Hepatitis, cardiac disorders, fibromyalgia, TMJ, ringworm, Tullio phenomenon, encephalitis, ADD, ADHD, meningitis, depression, panic disorders, Bell's palsy, candidiasis, chronic mononucleosis, hypoglycemia, scleroderma, Epstein Barr virus, autoimmune diseases, Bannwarth's syndrome, various cancers, kidney disease, Raynauds syndrome, stress-related illnesses, sleep disorders, thyroid problems, vasculitis, anorexia, agoraphobia, cerebrovascular disorders, arthritis, connective tissue diseases, hearing disorders, Crohn's disease, purpura, pseudotumor, Sjogrens syndrome, stroke and respiratory insufficiency.
38. What are the signs or symptoms of Lyme disease?
Lyme is a multi-systemic disease that can cause multiple signs and symptoms.
Lyme disease can have a wide range of symptoms, which can go dormant (sometimes for years), can migrate, return, disappear, or change day by day. Symptoms can be aggravated by stress, medications, weather, and other outside influences. Symptoms may tend to worsen on a four week peaking cycle. SOME of the symptoms that may be found in those with Lyme disease include: Flu-like symptoms, headaches (mild to severe), recurring low grade fevers or fevers up to 104.5 degrees. Usually in the first few weeks of Lyme disease fevers tend to be higher. (Patients with Lyme disease often tend to have a "normal temperature" below 98.6 degrees, therefore, a slight rise in temperature may be all that is noted.)
Often patients exhibit fatigue (mild to extreme), joint pain (with or without swelling), muscle pain, connective tissue pain, recurring sore throat (sometimes only on one side of the throat), swollen glands (come and go), varying shades of red on ear lobes and pinna, malar rash, cold hands and feet in a warm environment, weakness, lightheadedness, eczema and psoriasis, painful or itching skin, flushing, night or day sweats, inordinate amounts of sweating, anhydrosis (inability to sweat), or dermatitis (acrodermatitis chronica). There may be a rash, but it isn't noticed or does not appear in all cases. The rash may be basically circular with outward spreading, however, other varieties are seen. The rash may be singular or multiple, at the site of a bug bite, or in another location, warm to touch, or slightly raised with distinct borders.
In dark skinned individuals the rash may appear to be a bruise. Numbness, sleep disturbances, vertigo, hearing loss, feelings of being off-balance, unexplained weight gain or loss, and feeling "infected" are also problems associated with Lyme disease.
Symptoms may develop that include: panic attacks, anxiety, depression, mild to severe cognitive difficulties, mood swings, coma, seizures, dementia, mania, biploar disorders, vivid nightmares, stammering speech, confusion, memory loss (short or long term), "brain fog", vibrating feeling in head, topographical disorientation, and environmental agnosia.
Some patients have problems with numbers and sequencing, disorganization of thoughts, rambling on in great detail while talking, frequent errors in word selection or pronunciation, changes in personality, short attention span, Tourette manifestations, OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), raging emotions, and cranial nerve palsies.
Patients have reported bladder disfunction (neurogenic bladder with either hesitancy, frequency, loss of bladder awareness, urinary retention, incontinence or symptoms of UTI, and chronic pyelonephritis). Intersitial cystitis, irregular or severe menstrual cycles with decreased or increased bleeding, early menopause, a new onset of P.M.S. symptoms, or disturbed estrogen and progesterone levels are documented in many cases.
Other problems include altered pregnancy outcomes, severe symptoms during pregnancy, abdominal bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal pain and cramping (may appear to be ulcers), loss of sex drive, testicular or pelvic pain, breast pain, and fibrocystic breast disease. Diarrhea (which can come and go or last for months with no explanation), constipation (which can be severe enough to cause blockage), irritable bowel syndrome, spastic colon, nausea, stomach acid reflux, gastritis, abdominal myositis, and indigestion are some of the gasto-intestinal disorders reported.
In addition, patients demonstrate a higher occurrence of various types of cysts (liver, breast, bone, ovary, skin, pineal gland and kidney).
Some Lyme patients are diagnosed by their eye care professionals and have been documented as suffering from one or more of the following disorders: conjunctivitis, ocular myalgias, keratitis, episcleritis, optic neuritis, pars planitis, uveitis, iritis, transient or permanent blindness, iritis, photophobia, temporal arteritis, vitritis, Horner's syndrome, ocular myasthenia gravis, and Argyll-Robertson pupil.
Often eye problems require a changing of prescription glasses more often than normal. Heart-related problems are associated with Lyme disease and can include: mitral valve prolapse, irregular heart beat, myocarditis, pericarditis, enlarged heart, inflammation of muscle or membrane, shortness of breath, strokes, and chest pain. Twitching of facial muscles, Bell's palsy, tingling of the nose, cheek or face are reported.
In addition, there may be chest pain or soreness, enlarged spleen, liver function disorders, tremors, extreme sensitivity to being touched or bumped, burning sensations, stiff neck, meningitis, and encephalitis. Patients may experience continual or recurring infections (sinus, kidney and urinary tract are most common).
Patients may suffer from a weakened immune system, the development of new allergies, recurring upper respiratory tract infections (causing, or worsening of pre-existing sinusitis, asthma, bronchitis, otitis, mastoiditis), and allergic or chemical hypersensitivity's.
Other noted problems include: T.M.J., difficulty swallowing or chewing, tooth grinding, arthritis (in small joints of fingers and larger, weight bearing joints), Osgood-Schlatter's Syndrome (water on the knee), bone pain, gout-like pain in toe, muscle spasms to the point of dislocating joints and tearing muscle tissue, leg and hip pain, "drawing up" of arms, "growing pains" in children, tendonitis, heel pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and paravertebral lumbosacral muscle strain/spasm.
Some patients tend to suffer from a monthly "flare-up" of symptoms as the spirochetes reproduce and/or die off.
1. Is Lyme disease caused by a virus, bacteria, or a parasite?
Lyme disease is caused by a spirochetal bacteria.
2. Who is the doctor that identified the spirochete that causes Lyme disease?
Dr. Willie Burgdorfer identified the spirochete responsible for Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) in the early 1980's.
3. How long after a person is in contact with an infected source will Lyme disease symptoms appear?
Lyme disease symptoms may appear days, weeks, months or years after the initial infection.
4. How many species of ticks carry the Lyme disease spirochetes?
At least nine species of ticks, six species of mosquitoes, 13 species of mites, 15 species of flies, two species of fleas, and numerous wild and domestic animals (including rabbits, rodents, and birds) have been found to carry the spirochete that causes Lyme disease.
11. What are the most common diseases that are often mistaken for Lyme disease?
There are many different diseases or conditions that are found in patients with Lyme disease. All too often Borellia organisms are not considered as the source for patients complaints and their symptoms. For example, an ophthalmologist may diagnose any of the following conditions: conjunctivitis, ocular myalgias, keratitis, episcleritis, optic neuritis, pars planitis, uveitis, iritis, transient or permanent blindness, iritis, photophobia, temporal arteritis, vitritis, Horner's syndrome, ocular myasthenia gravis, or Argyll-Robertson pupil which may or may not be Lyme or tick borne disease related. All of the conditions listed above have been documented in Lyme disease patients and many of these diseases or conditions improve with proper antibiotic therapy.
Urologists, for example, may not realize that recurring bladder infections or swollen testicles can be caused by spirochetal organisms. Infectious Disease specialists often dismiss patients concerned about Lyme disease because many are under the assumption that Lyme disease is very 'rare' and/or they are not familiar with the various signs and symptoms of the disease due to their limited definition of the disease.
Lyme disease can be misdiagnosed as: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, Lupus, Lou Gehrigs (ALS) disease, Guillian-Barre Syndrome, Polymyositis, Hepatitis, cardiac disorders, fibromyalgia, TMJ, ringworm, Tullio phenomenon, encephalitis, ADD, ADHD, meningitis, depression, panic disorders, Bell's palsy, candidiasis, chronic mononucleosis, hypoglycemia, scleroderma, Epstein Barr virus, autoimmune diseases, Bannwarth's syndrome, various cancers, kidney disease, Raynauds syndrome, stress-related illnesses, sleep disorders, thyroid problems, vasculitis, anorexia, agoraphobia, cerebrovascular disorders, arthritis, connective tissue diseases, hearing disorders, Crohn's disease, purpura, pseudotumor, Sjogrens syndrome, stroke and respiratory insufficiency.
38. What are the signs or symptoms of Lyme disease?
Lyme is a multi-systemic disease that can cause multiple signs and symptoms.
Lyme disease can have a wide range of symptoms, which can go dormant (sometimes for years), can migrate, return, disappear, or change day by day. Symptoms can be aggravated by stress, medications, weather, and other outside influences. Symptoms may tend to worsen on a four week peaking cycle. SOME of the symptoms that may be found in those with Lyme disease include: Flu-like symptoms, headaches (mild to severe), recurring low grade fevers or fevers up to 104.5 degrees. Usually in the first few weeks of Lyme disease fevers tend to be higher. (Patients with Lyme disease often tend to have a "normal temperature" below 98.6 degrees, therefore, a slight rise in temperature may be all that is noted.)
Often patients exhibit fatigue (mild to extreme), joint pain (with or without swelling), muscle pain, connective tissue pain, recurring sore throat (sometimes only on one side of the throat), swollen glands (come and go), varying shades of red on ear lobes and pinna, malar rash, cold hands and feet in a warm environment, weakness, lightheadedness, eczema and psoriasis, painful or itching skin, flushing, night or day sweats, inordinate amounts of sweating, anhydrosis (inability to sweat), or dermatitis (acrodermatitis chronica). There may be a rash, but it isn't noticed or does not appear in all cases. The rash may be basically circular with outward spreading, however, other varieties are seen. The rash may be singular or multiple, at the site of a bug bite, or in another location, warm to touch, or slightly raised with distinct borders.
In dark skinned individuals the rash may appear to be a bruise. Numbness, sleep disturbances, vertigo, hearing loss, feelings of being off-balance, unexplained weight gain or loss, and feeling "infected" are also problems associated with Lyme disease.
Symptoms may develop that include: panic attacks, anxiety, depression, mild to severe cognitive difficulties, mood swings, coma, seizures, dementia, mania, biploar disorders, vivid nightmares, stammering speech, confusion, memory loss (short or long term), "brain fog", vibrating feeling in head, topographical disorientation, and environmental agnosia.
Some patients have problems with numbers and sequencing, disorganization of thoughts, rambling on in great detail while talking, frequent errors in word selection or pronunciation, changes in personality, short attention span, Tourette manifestations, OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), raging emotions, and cranial nerve palsies.
Patients have reported bladder disfunction (neurogenic bladder with either hesitancy, frequency, loss of bladder awareness, urinary retention, incontinence or symptoms of UTI, and chronic pyelonephritis). Intersitial cystitis, irregular or severe menstrual cycles with decreased or increased bleeding, early menopause, a new onset of P.M.S. symptoms, or disturbed estrogen and progesterone levels are documented in many cases.
Other problems include altered pregnancy outcomes, severe symptoms during pregnancy, abdominal bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal pain and cramping (may appear to be ulcers), loss of sex drive, testicular or pelvic pain, breast pain, and fibrocystic breast disease. Diarrhea (which can come and go or last for months with no explanation), constipation (which can be severe enough to cause blockage), irritable bowel syndrome, spastic colon, nausea, stomach acid reflux, gastritis, abdominal myositis, and indigestion are some of the gasto-intestinal disorders reported.
In addition, patients demonstrate a higher occurrence of various types of cysts (liver, breast, bone, ovary, skin, pineal gland and kidney).
Some Lyme patients are diagnosed by their eye care professionals and have been documented as suffering from one or more of the following disorders: conjunctivitis, ocular myalgias, keratitis, episcleritis, optic neuritis, pars planitis, uveitis, iritis, transient or permanent blindness, iritis, photophobia, temporal arteritis, vitritis, Horner's syndrome, ocular myasthenia gravis, and Argyll-Robertson pupil.
Often eye problems require a changing of prescription glasses more often than normal. Heart-related problems are associated with Lyme disease and can include: mitral valve prolapse, irregular heart beat, myocarditis, pericarditis, enlarged heart, inflammation of muscle or membrane, shortness of breath, strokes, and chest pain. Twitching of facial muscles, Bell's palsy, tingling of the nose, cheek or face are reported.
In addition, there may be chest pain or soreness, enlarged spleen, liver function disorders, tremors, extreme sensitivity to being touched or bumped, burning sensations, stiff neck, meningitis, and encephalitis. Patients may experience continual or recurring infections (sinus, kidney and urinary tract are most common).
Patients may suffer from a weakened immune system, the development of new allergies, recurring upper respiratory tract infections (causing, or worsening of pre-existing sinusitis, asthma, bronchitis, otitis, mastoiditis), and allergic or chemical hypersensitivity's.
Other noted problems include: T.M.J., difficulty swallowing or chewing, tooth grinding, arthritis (in small joints of fingers and larger, weight bearing joints), Osgood-Schlatter's Syndrome (water on the knee), bone pain, gout-like pain in toe, muscle spasms to the point of dislocating joints and tearing muscle tissue, leg and hip pain, "drawing up" of arms, "growing pains" in children, tendonitis, heel pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and paravertebral lumbosacral muscle strain/spasm.
Some patients tend to suffer from a monthly "flare-up" of symptoms as the spirochetes reproduce and/or die off.
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