It has been two and a half years now (Nov.-Dec. 2015, Jan 2016) since we all used Lyme-N to totally kill our Lyme Disease. Now we live a Lyme-Free life after years of horrible, nightmarish, hopelessness. I had completely given up hope that anything would kill our Lyme until Lyme-N came along. It continues to be a miracle to us every day.
So, there is not much to tell. My sons continue to live totally healthy normal lives. Hunter is 20 now and Colby just turned 17. I have not had any relapses and continue to feel better and better. It's slow, but that is due to my Adrenal Exhaustion that still plagues me somewhat. Not as bad as a year ago, though.
Hunter currently works at a mill where he works 12 hour shifts 3 days and 4 days per week. It's hard physical labor and he has to stay on top of whatever machinery he is working. He works in an area where they dry huge sheets of veneer and it's gets to be 115-125 degrees in there in the summer. Once a week they clean the dryers inside. That day was today and the thermometer read 136 degrees inside the dryer! If you know anything about Lyme (at least for me) heat intolerance is a major symptom. It's not an issue for him, clearly.
He goes to the coast on the weekends to ride his RZR around on the dunes with friends and just lives the normal, busy life of a 20 year old. You would never guess he had been so, so sick just two and a half years ago. It's truly a dream come true for me. I clearly remember a time when I dispared of my sons EVER being able to hold a job because many days they were too sick to even get to school. There were times before Lyme-N when Hunter missed out on work because he had a bad Lyme episode and simply could not function.
He has had no ongoing effects or what seem to be 'leftovers" from Lyme... except maybe a slight, intermittent tremor in his hands. He has rare episodes of mild anxiety brought on my stressful circumstances, and sometimes very randomly for no reason at all. However, anxiety, depression, and ADD run in my husband's side of the family, and there is a well documented history. I am happy to say that Hunters is very mild compared to others that have it in the family. Otherwise, he is happy, loving life and spending time with his friends. All thanks to Lyme-N!
Colby is doing what typical, healthy 17 year olds do: driving around all over the place, swimming at the river with his friends and riding his dirt bike. We put an ad on Craigslist for him to do odd jobs and he has gotten a ton of work. Everything from digging ditches ( like 3 feet deep and two feet wide, 170 feet long in 90 degree heat) and going under houses to drag out ruined insulation, shoveling dump truck loads of rock, chopping wood, planting trees, and weed-eating acres and acres of grass. All of the jobs are physically demanding and he loves having some extra cash. He has no leftover effects or symptoms from Lyme that I notice. Lyme-N simply wiped it OUT.
He did good in school last year without the major academic struggles. He got a really bad case of the flu, but otherwise, he didn't miss any school. I am always reminded of his 8th grade year when he missed 20 days in just the first quarter due to Lyme.
Now he is a happy kid that loves to joke around and have fun. He plays hard and he works hard, too.
I am doing really good. I feel good and get up and function every day. I have a positive outlook on life and look forward to each day and getting things accomplished ( I always did prior to Lyme). I continue to be free of my neurological symptoms (vision floaters, dizziness, tinnitis, depression, feeling like I am underwater, muscle weakness, etc., etc.) I still have occasional joint and muscle pain. Particularly on the full moon, during PMS, etc. This goes along with my hormonal issues that are a result of Adrenal Exhaustion (which is a result of years of Lyme). Overall, I would say my physical symptoms are 85% improved.
My major physical complaints and ongoing issues are; intermittent joint and muscle pain, (sometimes zero, sometimes at about a 3-5 out of 10) and the sleep disturbances that go with AE: insomnia ( awake until 2-3 am) and then not being able to function in the morning. Not bad! I will take it :) After the hell I survived, that is nothing.
I am not back to the person I was prior to when Lyme began to take over. That was during my pregnancy with Colby (17 years ago now!). I feel like it stole a part of my personality. I have some OCD and instead of just being able to enjoy things, I worry and obsess over all the things that can go wrong, all the negative parts of an activity, and getting ready to go somewhere just feels overwhelming sometimes. Things I used to not give a second thought about doing (go to an event, take a trip, go to the movies, run errands in town) now I have to mentally work up to and I dread. They are emotionally exhausting and I can feel easily overwhelmed.
This is not just a 'getting older' thing. My mom is 67 and riding her horse on week long pack trips. She is happy and energetic and still works as a dog groomer. My grandmother was the same way~ camping, hunting, hiking, etc. She was on a camping trip with my Grandpa when she had her stroke. She was 73. My other grandmother is still alive and she is 90 and as sweet and mentally 'there' as ever. We don't age quickly or 'young' in my family and there are no genetic conditions that my aunts or uncles have that would explain this change. Until I was about 28, I felt amazing. Then Lyme hit and I have never been the same. I keep dreaming I will get that 'desire for life, seize the moment' feeling back that I always had.
I am sometimes surprised to notice when a symptoms has faded away. But one by one, they are fading in frequency and severity. I feel a thousand times better than I ever thought I would again.
I continue to take 1 Body Adrenal Support as well as Pyrenoidosa Chlorella. They work wonders for energy and feeling good. I take a daily chewable vitamin ( Nordic Berries), Vitamin D3, fish oil... other OTC supplements to help support continued healing.
I continue to be thankful every day for a second chance at life, and most especially, for my sons to have their first chance at a normal, healthy life. God is good!