Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Thank you

It has been a month since I have had to get driven to Harleysville every day for IV infusion… I look back and I cannot believe how sick I really was! It has been 2 weeks since I have been in “PT” and I have now been driving for almost a month as well ( driving pretty locally). I am walking and starting to exercise in my wellness program! I really just wanted to give a public shout out and thank y...ou to ALL who have driven me to my doctor appointments, to Harleysville (and sat with me for hours during infusion, to Physical Therapy & to run many errands. I am so blessed to have you all in my life. You are the angels that God has put on earth for me. I truly love you all!
 My family: My husband- Jon, my mommy, my daddy, my step-mom, my step-dad, my mother-in-law,my Nanny, Danielle, Brittany, Jen, Bridget, & Jason.
My Friends: Shannon Kelly, Lindsay Minton, Tim Keck, Amanda McCleery, Laura Murray, Nicole Casciello, Stacey Pizzo, Kelly Short, Tammy Smith, Barb Newell, Terry Ciotto, Joyce Scheller, Betsey Gallagher, Nicole Smith, Karen Bennett, Christina Warren, Colleen Jaxel, & Connie Wyld. Thank you to Collette Stabb for setting me up with rides- so sweet! Thank you so much to Rick Williams too- thank you for always being someone that I can talk to and for all of your support! <3 love to all

Friday, July 13, 2012

Goodbye PT- Hello Wellness Program!

So last week was my last week of Physical Therapy. August will be 1 year since I have been in Physical Therapy! Here is a picture of me that my Physical Therapist took on my last day- he even brought in a graduation cap for me!


So am I 100% better and have a perfect gait... NO.. but I am better! I am actually still going to be at the PT office still 3 days a week but instead of doing Physical Therapy, I will be doing the Wellness Program. The Wellness Program in like a medical exercise program. The Therapists will still be there to support me when needed and put me on a program but I will be more independent. :)


I am still having very bad hip, knee and back pain. My hip seems to be pulling forward and it can mess up my gait even more. I think from me sitting for 5 hours a day for months and not having any use of my right side for months kind of messed up my body. So I am continuing to work those joints and muscles kind of reteach them how they are suppose to work.


I am driving!!! I have been driving locally for the past few weeks!!! It feels great to run errands! I actually can't wait to run to the food store or get gas in the car.. my independence is almost back 100%!!! woohoo! I am hoping to try longer distances in the near future!


So I have been off the Picc for over 3 weeks now and still feeling not that well. It turns out that I now have strep throat. I guess my immune system still has trouble fighting its battles and I will get colds easier. Just another fight to fight.


I met with my integrative medicine doctor on Wednesday and the Lyme still seemed to be in remisson but my Mercury was still active so I am still fighting that off. I know it will take a while before I feel great again.. even a year- I am just being impatient I guess. I see my LLMD on the 24th!! Hoping my C6peptide result and my Western Blot result show no active Lyme!!


I am in the process of detoxing. I am drinking lemon water like crazy, Epsom salt baths, PC pills, wheat grass cubes, organic chorella pills & organic cilantro drops. Any other detox tricks from you Lymies out there? Please share! :)

Friday, July 6, 2012

Peaceout Picc!


Hi All,

Sorry I have been MIA for a few weeks now! So many things have been going on in my life. Saying Peaceout to this PIccline!!!



Soooo. The PICC is out!! The PICC came out on Wednesday, June 20, 2012!! I am very happy that I do not need to drive and sit for 5 hours a day now!! We did have a Hawaiian party at infusion! It was a fun way to say goodbye to my friend. I will truly miss the Lyme Friends that I have met. I know without their support I would not be where I am today. I pray for you all daily and hope for us to stay in touch! <3

                                            Last Bag of Vancomycin!
                                                  Saying Goodbye!!!!


So, overall since August, I had 98 Days of IV Rocephin and 70 Days of IV Vancomycin. I have 3 battlescars ( Piccline scars) and a mental scar for life. I know I will forever be a Lyme Warrior but I am hoping this girl is in remisson.
                                         My third Piccline battlescar!!!



How have I been feeling? Well Physcially.. I am doing 90% better than I was last August. No more walker, wheelchair, brace, Tens… ALL me! My gait is still off a little but not as bad as it was. I am having back/hip/knee pain on my right side. I knew I would have some problems b/c think about it? I sat for almost a year and when I did walk all of my weight was on my left side and my gait was always off. So I am not trying to get my body realigned. My hip and back are so bad. My PT has to adjust my hip every visit. My hip pulls forward causing me to have back pain. I do hip exercises daily to help the hip stay in place. I will need to keep an eye on this incase I need to see an orthopedic dr.



Mentally.. I have some good and bad days. I still have headaches and dizziness as well as ear pain. Also, at times I have confusion. I forgot how to wrap a present! I was staring at a box and wrapping paper-it was really scary how I forgot how to do this.



I am in bed sometimes and it really stinks. I feel that once I have energy and do something.. having a really good day. The next day I am bedridden paying for the day before. I guess I need to understand that just because my PICC is out I am not 100% healed. I have learned it may take up to 6 months-1 year to really feel good again. I am slowly learning this.



So overall I am just taking it easy. I am no longer on any antibiotics but I am on many supplements and Celebrex and Neurotin. I am also starting to detox. I do meet with my integrative medicine Dr. next week and my LLMD on the 24th of July. I am hoping I do not need to be put back on oral antibiotics but I guess we will see….



I am looking forward to living my life again and feeling like “me” again.. I am praying for the day the I wake up and feel 100%!! Please friend me on FB at Samanthas LymeLife. I update that daily J