Prayer Please?

Hey guys, if you could, please be in prayer for me the next few days. After having only minimal pain the past week or so, yesterday, all of sudden, I had severe pain in my left knee/thigh. There is nothing on my skin showing why it hurts so badly, but the swelling is getting pretty bad. The pain started in just one spot, and has spread to the front and back of my thigh, my kneecap, the back of my knee, and my calf. Please pray that this is NOT a Lyme's symptom, and that it won't be something I'll have to live with!!! It's so sore...I can hardly stand it. Also, my shoulders, arms, and hands have been in more and more pain in the last day or so. I hurt so bad! Please pray that the pain stops! Or that I'll have the strength to endure. Thanks :]

Love,
Kristin

New Doctor - Appointment

Yesterday, my mom called around, and got me a referral from my Primary Care Physician for a doctor in town (St Luke's Hospital). The soonest appointment she has open is on April 21. I'm pretty sure we have it! APPARENTLY SHE IS VERY CONSERVATIVE, AND GENERALLY WON'T TREAT PEOPLE LONG TERM. Please pray that this appointment will go well, that everything will go smoothly, and that I will be able to get the medication I need!!

What I've Learned

Well I figure I should write about what I've learned from my Lyme Disease so far. It's been a long road, and I've learned a ton! Here's just a few things I've learned:

~I can do nothing on my own. It's all God's strength. Without Him, I am nothing - I am weak.

~Everything happens for a reason.

~The Lord moves in mysterious ways. ~If He brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

~God blesses those who endure.

~Even though I didn't know why I have this illness until recently (I think I figured that out last Saturday), I know that God has a plan. Even if I don't know it, He has one. And it's a good one.

~God loves me in an amazingly special way.

~God truly provides for my EVERY need, no matter how small!

~I truly love God with a passion...it's like nothing I've ever experienced.

~God will deliver me from this - in one way or another.

~God's grace is sufficient for me, and His strength is made perfect in my weakness.

So the moral of the story is that even though this has been the hardest thing I've ever been through in my life, I will get through it. With God's help, and your help. I will get through it. =]

Doctor recommendation?

It's now the weekend, and we still haven't heard from the Infectious Disease Specialist. If he doesn't call by/on Monday, my mom is going to start looking for a new doctor for me. Somewhere else, if need be (Mayo Clinic?). So if you have any recommendations for a sympathetic doctor, please comment and let me know!
Otherwise, please just be in prayer for the whole situation, that I can get the treatment I need AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, so that I can get on with my life!!!! It is SO Frustrating not being able to plan long-term, make summer plans, or do anything!!! I really just want all this to be OVER!!! That's really getting me down right now.
If anyone has any verses about length of suffering, long-suffering, etc. please share them with me!
Thanks for your prayers and encouragement! :) God bless you all!!!

Encouraging verses

These are a few very encouraging verses that I've been reading over and over again, and meditating on for the past few days. They really lift my spirits!! I thought I'd share them. Thanks for bringing them to my attention Erin! :)


"The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all."
-Psalm 34:17-19

"Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful."
-James 5:11

"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'"
-2 Corinthians 12:9a

No Appointment...

I haven't heard back from the doctor yet about an appointment. Hopefully they will call within the week. If the infectious disease specialist can't see me until Summer, we are going to start looking for a new doctor for me. If you know of any doctors who are sympathetic to Lyme's patients please let me know!
Keep praying for the same things...especially quick appointment scheduling and pain relief for me.
Thanks :)

Appointment

Today, my mom is calling the doctor’s office back about scheduling an appointment for me with the Infectious Disease Specialist!!!

Please pray that:
1. The appointment is scheduled soon
2. That he will prescribe me the medication I need to get better BEFORE he sees me, so I don’t have to wait, and get much worse.
3. That whenever the appointment scheduled, it will go well and be productive.

Now for an update on my health:

Each and every day the pain gets worse. (go figure.) There is regularly more swelling in my hands, wrists, knees, legs, ankles, etc. It hurts a lot to walk, as well as just moving my legs in general. My ribs are REALLY sore lately (That’s a symptom for some reason, and it’s gotten worse), I have sharp pains in my ribs, lungs, heart, stomach, ankles, knees, and hips. (to name a few big ones) My eye problems have become more severe. I have frequent double vision, blurry vision, pain in eyes, all kinds of eye spots, and worsening hallucinations (now CONSTANT spots/lights in vision). Another thing that has been worsening is my chronic fatigue. I sleep at least 12 hours a day now, collapsing into bed sometimes soon after waking up. Yesterday I slept til 1pm, worked on a little homework in the afternoon, watched some movies, and went back to bed at 5pm because I literally couldn’t keep my eyes open. It’s SO horrible not being able to get anything done!!!!!!

Here are some specific prayer requests:

1. COMPLETE healing for my body
2. Strength and alertness
3. At least partial relief from pain
4. Cooperation from the doctors
5. Peace about doctors and meds
6. That I would be able to get the medication soon
7. A quick recovery process

Here are some encouraging verses shared with me by a friend:

"Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful."
-James 5:11

"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'" -2 Corinthians 12:9a

Thank you so much for your prayers, please keep them coming!!! Love you all!! <3

Thanks to All!

Hey everyone, this is Tim. I just wanted to drop a note to those of my friends who responded to my email. Its great to know that you all are praying for Kristin's strength and recovery. There is a chance that as Kristin looses the ability to use her fingers without pain that I will take over updating this blog. But, since I do not write as well as she does, lets all pray that that doesn't happen!
Again thank you for the support.

In His Holy Name,

Timmy

I'm scared.

This is pretty much how I feel right now about all of my coming pain.....


"My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me. Yet, not as I will, but as you will."

-Matthew 26:39

Test Results In

I'm sorry I haven't had an update on my test results yet. I did get them, but the doctor still has to tell us what he's going to do with them. To make a long story short, the test was positive, but it's much worse than we thought. I have late-stage Lyme Disease, and in all likelihood I also have at least 1 (if not 2) of Lyme Disease's more serious co-infections - Babesiosis and/or Ehrlichiosis. I will give more details later, because my brain is so overloaded that I can't think...I can't form thoughts...I can't form words...I can barely type anymore. Pretty soon I am going to have my mom write these updates, because I won't be able to (physically or mentally).

My symptoms are getting much worse every single day. Today, my sister had to help me out of bed. It hurts to do ANY normal activity....walking, moving, sitting, standing, writing, typing, getting dressed, and SO much more!!!! EVERYTHING hurts, everything is difficult, and everything is painful. Truly, this is the beginning of the end. It will only get worse from here. I know I don't have the strength for this...I need all of the prayers and encouragement I can get. Most of all, I need strength from God, because without Him and His strength, I won't be able to do this.

Today I am going to the doctor [for a different reason...I'm sick with some sort of lung infection], and my mom is going to approach my doctor about medication for the Lyme's.


Here are some specific prayer requests:

-Strength for me/my body and my family
-Peace for me and my family
-Cooperation from the doctors
-Cooperation from my teachers, friends, family, etc.
-And most of all - COMPLETE HEALING


I will have my mom write a more detailed update on test results, doctors, treatment, etc. as soon as possible. I'm so sorry to keep you all waiting.



Love,
Kristin

Waiting...wondering...hoping...praying..........

2 more days. (whispers) 2 more days. 2 more days. 2 more days! ...2 more days until I can expect my blood test results. I'm waiting on pins and needles!!!

In the meantime, I'm going back to school, going to work 3 times a week, and living life "normally." But I feel anything but normal. The previously mentioned neurological symptoms are continuing to get worse. But so is the joint pain. Swollen painful knees, leg pain, foot pain, wrist pain, hand pain, finger pain, back pain, shoulder pain...the pain is literally everywhere. Yesterday, I had trouble walking. YESTERDAY, I HAD TROUBLE WALKING. I thought the symptoms would be more delayed than this. Apparently I was wrong. There is more and more stiffness in my limbs every day.....

Dear God, please heal me! Please give me peace! Please let my test results be positive! Please let me get an appointment with the specialist soon! Please let me get the meds I need sooner than this summer! Please let me walk!!!!!

I'm SO sick of all these symptoms! They won't go away!! I'm so frustrated. I need to keep praying and asking God for what I need... "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened." (Matthew 7:7, ESV) If you have any other encouraging Bible verses, please share them with me.

Praise God. In everything. Let it all be for His glory, no matter what happens!

God is good.

Enough said :]





No blood test results yet though. Hopefully I'll have them this week!!!

My joint pain seems to be subsiding....for now. But the neurological symptoms are getting worse. Especially stuttering, confusion, dyslexia, numbness (especially in extremities), and tremors. Please keep me in your prayers!

Symptoms

Well since I've been talking about my symptoms, I feel I should list all the symptoms I currently have / have had during the past 2 years.


Foot pain
Gait disturbance
Muscle weakness
Sore soles
Clumsiness
Pain or swelling moves to different joints
Backache (unexplained)
Rib soreness
Fibromyalgia (generalized muscle pain & tenderness)
Tendonitis
Headache - persistent / severe
Headache - intermittent
Headache - Migraine-like
Burning or stabbing pains, in odd, shifting places
Sudden lightning-like jabs
Tremors or unexplained shaking
Numbness in parts of the body and / or extremities
Tingling sensations
Pinprick sensations
Weakness or partial paralysis
Pressure in the head
Lightheadedness, wooziness, vertigo
Twitching of muscles
Poor balance, dizziness, difficulty walking, vertigo
Increased motion sickness
Warm / cool sensations at various locations
Abnormalities of taste or smell
Constant low body temperature
Diminished reflexes
Hearing music or sounds others can't hear
Visual or auditory hallucinations
Restless legs syndrome (RLS)
Memory loss (short or long term)
Distorted memory
Confusion, difficulty in thinking
"Brain fog" (inability to concentrate; inattention)
Declining performance in school or work
Forgetting how to perform simple tasks
Speech difficulty (slurred or slow and hesitating)
Trouble finding the right word
Drop in general IQ
Dyslexia: letter, number, or word reversals
Stammering, stuttering speech
Mood swings, irritability
Easy frustration
Unusual depression
Crying impulses for no reason
Over-emotional reactions
Panic, anxiety attacks
Aggression, rage, road-rage
Sleeping too much
Napping during the day
Obsessive-compulsive behavior
Suicidal thoughts
Paranoia
Disorientation (getting or feeling lost)
Depersonalization (losing touch with reality, feeling "unreal")
Stiff or painful neck
Twitching of facial or other muscles
Dental pain (unexplained)
Painful teeth
Difficulty swallowing
Hoarseness (unexplained)
Pressure in head
Sore throat
"Floaters"
Double or blurry vision
Pain in eyes
Sensitivity to light
Pressure in eyes
Flashing lights
Tearing eyes
Dry eyes
Decreased hearing in one or both ears
Buzzing, clicking, or ringing in ears (tinnitus)
Pain in ears with no medical cause
Sensitivity to sound
Constipation
Abdominal pain, cramps
Frequent need to urinate
Upset stomach, nausea, vomiting
Bloating
Shortness of breath, "air hunger"
Persistent head congestion
Chest pain (crushing sensation)
Night sweats
Unexplained chills
Heart palpitations or extra beats
Flu-like illness, after which not feeling completely well
Extreme, persistent fatigue
Symptoms change, come and go
Unexplained weight gain
Unexplained weight loss
Malaise
Unexplained sweating
Swollen glands
Unexplained fevers (high or low grade(
Itching
Increased sensitivity to allergens



........Sucks, huh?!

Diagnosis?

Last Monday, 2 March 2009, changed my life. My mom was listening to the radio, and a Lyme Disease expert came on and was talking about Lyme disease. The things he was describing sounded EXACTLY like what I had been dealing with for the past 2 years.

Could this be the diagnosis we'd been waiting for? Hoping for? Praying for?

We emailed several different doctors asking their opinion on my unusually complicated case. They all agreed that it sounded like I had Lyme Disease. The next day, Tuesday, my parents and I went to a Lyme Disease support group meeting at a local hospital. EVERYTHING that EVERYONE had described about Lyme Disease sounded EXACTLY like what I had been experiencing over the past 2 years!

...Everything seemed to be falling into place. The different people in the support group referred us to a local Infectious Disease Specialist, who would be a great help to me. So to get to see the Infectious Disease Specialist who would prescribe me the amount of medication (I'll need tons of antibiotics to get well, way more than a normal doctor would prescribe me) I'd need to get well, theoretically I would've had to see my primary care physician, get a Lyme test (it would have to be positive, and there's a 75% false negative rate) and an exam done, and then MAYBE my doctor would give me a referral to the specialist. In fact, it should've been a long and difficult process to get her to refer me. BUT my mom called my primary care physician *the day after the support group meeting*, and less than an hour later they called back with the referral! I'm not going to have to go through any of the other hype, just straight to the specialist!!

In addition to a referral from the primary care physician, the infectious disease specialist wouldn't accept a new patient without a special Lyme test from somewhere in California. The next day, (Thursday, 5 Mar) I was able to go to the doctor to get my blood drawn. The blood was sent to CA that day.

Can you believe that??? Ideas, information, doctors agreeing, support group meeting, confering with other Lyme's patients, referral, and blood test - ALL IN A MATTER OF 4 DAYS. God has definitely had His hand on this situation!!!

So for me to finally get a diagnosis on a 2 year long chronic illness, I just had to wait 2 weeks for the blood test results. That's a long time when you're sitting on the edge of your seat! Right now I am still waiting. The 2 weeks is up in 6 days, however. If the test results are positive, I will be able to get an appointment with the specialist, probably in July (he's a very popular doctor, apparently. He's booked!). If the test results are negative, I pray the specialist will still see me, and still prescribe me the medication I (theoretically) need to get well.

I pray and pray and pray that my test results are positive, and I will be able to continue in this fast track to being healthy.

My story

Wow, it's been a loooooong road. Let me explain. Here's my story: For the past 2 years I've been suffering from an undiagnosed chronic illness. I've had every kind of symptom you can imagine. For a lot of this time my life has truly been a living hell.

Last February I lost the ability to write...I couldn't even hold a pen. That started my 3+ months of being a cripple. I couldn't walk easily, write, do school, or even move without pain. I had such a horrible foggy feeling in my brain that I couldn't think. You'd be surprised how much you miss the "little things" in life once they're gone. Things like signing your name....writing an email...walking up the stairs...stretching...getting dressed (pain-free)...cutting up food by yourself...washing your hair without crying because the pain in your arms is so excruciating. I couldn't do one of those things last year. It was truly the worst few months of my entire life.

Around the end of May 2008, all of sudden my pain started to dissipate. I started being able to do all sorts of things I hadn't been able to do in months!!! By the middle of June I was living mostly pain-free. The pain stayed away for a long time, it was magical!!! :)

Then, in October I started feeling the loathsome symptoms I had felt the previous January that turned me into a multiple brace-wearing cripple. It was horrible. I dreaded the day the pain would again take over my life.

I have only mentioned the physical things this far though. Starting in January 2009, I started having quite a bit more neurological symptoms. My vision got really blurry, sometimes double vision, colored eye spots, black eye spots, floaters, brain fog, severe memory loss, stuttering, other speech impediments, hearing loss, several different kinds of hallucinations, and tremors/shaking. (to name a few) These symptoms get worse every day. I'm scared that without help, someday, I'm going to be a "vegetable"....

Since November 2008, the pain has increased daily. Every day there is a new pain, or a previously existing pain measurably worsens. It's March now, and It's only a matter of weeks/months until I won't be able to move. Just like last year, I will again be a cripple. Barring a miracle, that is.