Hello hello, and happy Lyme Disease Awareness Month! I love this month for many reasons, one of which is getting to see all the awareness campaigns and projects all across the community. It's such a great thing to see everyone come together and find ways to share and spread information to help others protect themselves from Lyme as spring time descends.
I am currently in what I lovingly call, "Test Result Purgatory." During the month of April I had many different tests ran and done, and right now I am patiently waiting to get all of the results, mark things on or off my list, then make sense of it all with my Doctor and formulate a plan.
I am currently in what I lovingly call, "Test Result Purgatory." During the month of April I had many different tests ran and done, and right now I am patiently waiting to get all of the results, mark things on or off my list, then make sense of it all with my Doctor and formulate a plan.
I have yet to receive the official paperwork from my Holter monitor, but boy was it an adventure to wear it during those 2 weeks! When I first got it put on I thought it would be like the scenario with an umbrella, where if you take on it won't rain. I thought that once I finally got the monitor placed I would stop having my episodes and end up with no useful data. Full disclosure, that has actually happened to me countless times in the past, although it was with the short term 24-48 hour monitors. This time we went for the long haul, and I can tell you who didn't love it... my skin. I had sores and bumps each time I put an electrode pad on (allergy to the adhesive) & even though I alternated locations daily, by the time the two weeks were up I had open sores everywhere. My skin was pretty much beyond frustrated with me for pestering it, and every night I apologized and put hydro-cortisone cream on, silently counting down the days. This however, was my only real complaint.
Outside of the skin irritation it all went smoothly and I managed to actually record quite a lot of heart events. It monitored me 24/7 and could pick up an event on its own (say, during sleep), but I also sent over events myself if I felt my heart was being particularly strange; fast, slow, skipping beats, etc.
In terms of symptoms being scary, I think I place heart symptoms right at the top (tied with neurological episodes). The sensations can be down right terrifying & although they're never necessarily painful they are very uncomfortable. Lyme disease & co-infections can cause a variety of symptoms, and some of them are just "sensations," as in, they aren't directly dangerous like a heart blockage or valve issue, but it can still strain the heart so the goal is to minimize it as much as possible. One strange feeling that I used to get constantly (now much less) is air hunger. It's a sensation of not getting enough air & almost paralyzing, like something is sitting on your chest, but in truth the lungs get enough air. It's just a sensation. I could go on for days discussing all these random sensations, but basically it is my hope that all the strange stuff happening with my heart will come back as something benign but still helpable (that's not really a word, but you get it...). Basically I hope there can be a solution or answer for the issues at hand, so if things flare up again I can calm it down in some way.
So for now I am just keeping my fingers and toes crossed for the test results to come, and essentially I'm just trying to have peace with whatever they say. It's worrisome to feel 'stuck' or uncertain about the future. I've been in this rut lately where things feel very consuming & bigger than me. It is during these times especially that I need a reminder that my life in this moment is part of a bigger plan...
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope & a future." - Jeremiah 29:11
-xoxo,
Christina
Outside of the skin irritation it all went smoothly and I managed to actually record quite a lot of heart events. It monitored me 24/7 and could pick up an event on its own (say, during sleep), but I also sent over events myself if I felt my heart was being particularly strange; fast, slow, skipping beats, etc.
In terms of symptoms being scary, I think I place heart symptoms right at the top (tied with neurological episodes). The sensations can be down right terrifying & although they're never necessarily painful they are very uncomfortable. Lyme disease & co-infections can cause a variety of symptoms, and some of them are just "sensations," as in, they aren't directly dangerous like a heart blockage or valve issue, but it can still strain the heart so the goal is to minimize it as much as possible. One strange feeling that I used to get constantly (now much less) is air hunger. It's a sensation of not getting enough air & almost paralyzing, like something is sitting on your chest, but in truth the lungs get enough air. It's just a sensation. I could go on for days discussing all these random sensations, but basically it is my hope that all the strange stuff happening with my heart will come back as something benign but still helpable (that's not really a word, but you get it...). Basically I hope there can be a solution or answer for the issues at hand, so if things flare up again I can calm it down in some way.
So for now I am just keeping my fingers and toes crossed for the test results to come, and essentially I'm just trying to have peace with whatever they say. It's worrisome to feel 'stuck' or uncertain about the future. I've been in this rut lately where things feel very consuming & bigger than me. It is during these times especially that I need a reminder that my life in this moment is part of a bigger plan...
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope & a future." - Jeremiah 29:11
-xoxo,
Christina
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