A Lyme Disease Blog Sharing Support & Awareness

Chronic Illness Gift Guide 2017: Holiday Gift Ideas

11/16/2017

It's hard to believe that Christmas is already just around the corner again. I know I say this every year, but it always sneaks up on me just the same! I did a Holiday Gift Guide 2 years ago, but I thought it was time to do an updated version. I have so many new items I love which I think your friends/family will love too! It can be difficult to think of unique or useful items for those with a chronic illness, but have no fear I've got a bunch of fun ideas to share! I put a lot of thought, time and research into this list, so I hope that you all love it as much as I do.

The items on this list will range in price, and all of the items are things I own, have personally used, and bought with my own money. None of these items were sent to me for free, etc. So, let's just jump into it!

Phone Soap 3.0 ($54): Having a Chronic Illness also often comes with a lowered immune system. And getting sick or catching a virus is also much more dangerous for those individuals. Did you know that the average cellphone has almost 18x more bacteria on it than a public bathroom?? We wash our hands, but we don't think about how our phone is everywhere collecting germs. So even if we clean our hands, our phones are still a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria which can make us really sick! This is where Phone Soap is genius because it's a convenient little box that you simply put you phone into, and using UV lights it disinfects your phone within 5 minutes. PhoneSoap 2.0 is scientifically proven & tested by independent third party laboratories to kill 99.9% of germs such as staph, e. coli and salmonella. It also has a universal phone charger port for charging iPhone's, Androids, etc. It's large enough to fit any sized phone! I have one in my room and one in my living room, and our whole family uses it daily. If there is ONE gift I urge you to get above all the rest, it's this one.

Essential Oil Diffuser ($29): I adore essential oils, and there is always a diffuser running in my home from morning to night (with varying oil combos). Most people with chronic illnesses are sensitive to chemicals and perfumed scents, but the great news is the pure essential oils (such as Young Living), smell incredible and don't trigger MCS. Even the most sensitive individual like myself has no issues with EO's, and I use them each and every day. A nice diffuser makes a beautiful gift for enjoying aromatherapy. For example diffusing lavender can help to calm and relax, while diffusing something like the Thieves blend can keep germs from spreading. There are many different diffusers on the market today, but I love the Ultrasonic variety because they are very quiet and give out an ultra fine and smooth mist. As a bonus it works as a humidifier for very dry air (common in wintertime). What I love about this particular model is that it holds 300ml of water, which means it can run for 10 hours straight. A lot of diffusers hold less and have to be refilled every 4-6 hours, which is a drag. This model can be filled up in the morning and get you through the whole day. It comes in 3 varieties of wood grain and has a band of light which can be turned on or off, and can be switched to 7 different colors. It's a beautiful sturdy machine, and makes a wonderful soothing gift.

EMF Blocking Jewelry: EMF's are electromagnetic fields, which are emitted from all electrical devices. Often times, those with a chronic illness are extremely sensitive to these, and it tends to make them feel much worse off. I know personally that once I lowered the amount of EMF's that got to my body I felt a genuine change. In the world we live in it's nearly impossible to stop all EMF's unless you unplug everything in your house, so these wearable jewelry pieces are amazing and convenient. I have the REN pendant which is stylish and can easily be worn anywhere. They work by blocking EMF's in a radius around itself, therefore keeping you protected at all times. These can be kind of pricey but worth every penny, and is often a gift that those with a chronic illness wouldn't splurge on for themselves.

Amazon Fire HD Tablet ($39-$59): Let's face it, iPads are extremely useful but also very expensive. It's not easy for anyone to splurge $400+ on one. However, having a small easy convenient tablet to use in bed comes very much in handy for those who spend more of their time in bed/resting. The Fire Tablet is the perfect size, has absolutely everything you need, and is actually more durable than the iPad which can make this a great gift for younger kiddos too. The newest Fire 8 is priced at $59 and has an HD screen, where the Fire 7 is priced at $39 and the only thing its missing is the HD screen. They both allow the user to enjoy millions of movies, TV shows, songs, eBooks, apps and games - including Netflix, Facebook, HBO, Spotify, and more. They both come with Alexa for quick access to the information and entertainment you want. Ask questions, play music, check your calendar, get the news, weather, and more - just press the home button and ask Alexa. The convenience of this can not be understated! They both have a 2 MP rear-facing camera for taking photos or recording 720p HD video. The front-facing VGA camera is perfect for Skype calls with friends and family. It offers convenience and endless entertainment.. what more could you want?! This makes for a stunning gift that looks much pricier than it really is. When someone is hurting or sick, a distraction is often the very best gift of all.

Cambridge Mask & Vogmask ($30-$35): Both of these masks have the same design and the same purpose in mind, which is to filter airborne particles. When you have a compromised immune system, the winter time can be especially terrifying because of all the viruses and bacteria being passed around. The purpose of these masks are to keep the wearer protected and safe from dust, pollen and contaminants by filtering the air through it's carbon filter. The Vogmask is very popular (one of my best friends loves hers), and while I haven't tried that yet, I do own a Cambridge Mask. I chose the Cambridge Mask because it has lab tested military grade filtration technology which filters almost 100% (99.6%) of pollution, gases, and bacteria and viruses. It guarantees protection against gases, smells, all PM; PM2.5, PM0.3, pollen, smoke and pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. However, Vogmask confirmed that it does not eliminate the risk of infections or filter out pathogens, does not filter out smells. and it's only purpose is to filter dust and allergens such as pollen or smoke. In my case, I wanted a mask that did it ALL. The Cambridge Mask has been incredible for me, and I feel safe wearing it knowing that if my nurse coughs or sneezes then I am protected. I also love that it helps to filter strong odor (great for MCS), and dust/allergens (great for MCAS). This makes a great gift because it's practical and yet something which many with a chronic illness can't budget for. It comes in a range of sizes for kids up to adults, and both have a 30 day money back guarantee.

Caffeine-Free Coffee & Mug ($10-$30): If you know someone who has had to give up caffeine and coffee then this will make them SO happy. I was a fellow coffee addict, and it was terrible for my heart and body to drink it. I eventually had to give it up and I missed it dearly at first. Then I found Teeccino (a caffeine free coffee alternative), and everything changed. I am not lying when I say it tastes identical to coffee in my latte's and it's perfect. It brews exactly like coffee in any coffee maker or French press. They have many flavors and varieties, including their regular blend and their gluten-free collection. I suggest gifting the Gluten-Free Variety Pack to friends who are restricting gluten, and the Classic Variety Pack for those who are not (you can also buy singles of classic and gluten-free). Pair it with a cute holiday reindeer mug, a chic Lenox mug and you are all set. It's a cozy gift and one which can really make someone's day who has been missing coffee so much, or someone who is trying to cut down on their coffee intake.

Cozyphones ($17-$19): Having a chronic illness likely means spending quite a bit of time in lying down or resting. I often keep myself company/distracted by listening to audiobooks, music, news, meditation or YouTube videos. I also hate how regular earphones feel in my ears. The small ones hurt my ears and the larger headphones are bulky and uncomfortable, especially in bed. Cozyphones are the best because they are soft fleece headbands which have the headphones built in. They just gently lie on your ears (protected by the fleece), and it feels like an absolute dream. They are great for anytime, whether it's in bed resting, going to sleep, going for a walk, or anything in between. They can also be worn pulled down as an eye mask which is pretty nifty. This is cute gift which people often don't think of buying for themselves, but would love to receive. They come in adult sizes and also children's sizes and styles (which are SO cute)! And if you are looking for an add on gift to this I recommend an Audible gift membership, so they can instantly buy and listen to any audiobook they desire.

Beautyrest Heated Wrap ($22-54): Heating pads are one thing, and heated blankets are another. But right in the middle you have a Heated Wrap, which is essentially likes a poncho or large wrap (with pockets) that is heated. It feels like a giant warm hug. I got one of these for my mom last Christmas and she absolutely loves it. It's great if you tend to be chilly, but equally great if you have body wide pain because it's large. It's a lightweight soft fleece so it's not heavy or bogged down. The cord it comes with it quite long so you don't have to be right by an outlet to use it. There are less expensive options on the market, but this one works great and is bigger than the competitors which is why I love it. Heat is always a win/win situation.

Meal Delivery Service ($30-$70): This gift list addition was a suggestion from a friend, and as soon as I heard it I went "well duh, why didn't I think of that?!" My family has been using HomeChef almost every week for at least 2 years now. It's great because there are a ton of options and they all contain a protein (meat or vegetarian options), and a veggie dish. Some items have gluten and dairy but they can easily be subbed. It's fresh, delicious, dependable. For someone who has a Chronic Illness, the ease of having an entire dinner sent to your doorstep can be a life saver. These meal delivery kits ship all fresh ingredients and take under 30 minutes to make. Since we use HomeChef I have a referral link which you can find here, and you will get $30 off your first delivery which covers 4 servings of meals. However, I am also going to link other options below. I have not used these, so I can't personally vouche for them.
Hello Fresh - Blue Apron - Green Chef - Plated - Freshly - Peach Dish - Premade Paleo - Purple Carrot -

Compression Stockings ($8-$20): Back in the day when I was diagnosed with POTS and prescribed compression socks there were 0 cute options on the market. But now compression socks have gone mainstream and that means a much larger range of sizes, colors, and designs. Compression socks are used to help with circulation, and since I am terrible at explaining how it works, I'm going to paraphrase from Berkeley Wellness: "Blood in your veins has to work against gravity to flow back to the heart. Anything that impedes that flow—such as circulation problems, lack of movement (especially in a chronic illness) or a health condition (POTS) results in blood pooling in the veins of the lower legs or feet, leading to leg swelling, tachycardia, and fainting. By squeezing the leg tissues and walls of the veins, compression stockings can help blood in the veins return to the heart." In short, they make life a whole lot easier for many people with chronic illnesses, and since they're now so stylish it's a win/win.
These are extra cute with tons of designs to pick from - These are colorful and come in a 7 pack - These are the most affordable single pair of the bunch. There are tons to pick from depending on the recipient!

Gifts Under $25

Below is a quick visual gallery of some cozy "stocking-stuffers" that are inexpensive and useful. They are an assortment of cozy items which are perfect for gifting, and all under $25! I chose items which people wouldn't usually think to buy for themselves, including items like a mini pre-lit Christmas tree that is perfect for a bedroom to cheer up someone who is bed-bound. Click on the item in the photo to go directly to it.

Gifts From The Community

I asked you all, my readers, to contact me if you own a business or sell any items that you hand make. This is the part of the gift guide where I will highlight those shops/items. I haven't personally bought all these items (unless noted). If you'd like to be included or featured here, please send me an email.

Monsoon Design Studios ($20-$30): Braedon hand makes the most cutest beaded bracelets. The shop has a wide varieties of colors and styles, and features some which say 'Lyme' and 'Warrior' that can be worn as awareness bracelets. You can contact the shop owner for questions as she custom makes each piece. I ordered one of these bracelets myself, and I got the one which says 'Lyme.' The Etsy shop also features options for custom names, which would make a great gift for anyone.

VanBreeman Family ($20-25): Jennifer VanBreeman and her family created these items to raise money for their daughter's Lyme treatment. They don't have an active site up for selling the items just yet, but they take custom orders via email (vanbreemenmom@gmail.com) so please contact there! T-shirts, Hats, Shoes $20 + shipping. Leggings $25 + shipping.

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Seeing The Past Through "Rose Colored Glasses."

10/11/2017

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"You're looking at the past through Rose Colored Glasses."

I'm sure we've all heard that phrase used before to describe the phenomenon of seeing the past as better than the present. It's an interesting paradox, and I remember being fascinated with it when I studied it in class. The term was coined when studies found that people looked back with fondness on the "good old days of past," often describing it as simpler happier times. However, the past the participants looked back on fondly included wars, famines & other awful things which their brain simply omitted. Even now, we can get nostalgic for our childhoods or for older times when life just seemed better. The 'Rose Colored Glasses' paint the past as a place we long to go back to, because of its' superiority to the present. But when one removes those glasses they often face the cold hard truth that the past is rarely better. There are many theories for why this phenomenon exists: Perhaps it's a coping mechanism the brain uses to get through present hardships. Perhaps it's denial. We may never know for sure.

Having a Psychology degree made me very self aware of the ways our mind can play tricks on us. However, I still fell for the trap of 'Rose Colored Glasses.' For a very long time after I got sick (and began treatment 24/7), I longed to get my old life back. My life "pre diagnoses" looked perfect to me. I wanted to turn back time and go right back to my old city, be with my old friends, do all my old things. To me it looked like the ideal time, and truthfully that is absolutely absurd because my life pre-diagnosis was hell. I was barely managing symptoms, skipping days of work due to pain, had very high stress, and absolutely no activity was enjoyable. Why on earth would I want that back??

Well my friends, that's how strong the pull of those 'Rose Colored Glasses' were. My life changed quickly and drastically after I learned I had Lyme Disease. Suddenly, instead of going to work and grabbing dinner with friends it consisted of me lying in bed day after day, watching the months pass by as I suffered through endless treatments...and it felt like a nightmare. In that moment I would have done anything to trade it for the years before, because at least then I had a social life and a semblance of independence. So I clung to that, and I wished so badly that I could go back to it. Every single day in my mind I was mentally living in the past, and you absolutely could not have convinced me that my old life was anything but perfect.

At some point as the years went by, things changed. The glasses came off and I finally saw my past for what it was. Truthfully, it was not a particularly fun pill to swallow. My denial kept me safe, and removing the 'Rose Colored Glasses' made me face many hard truths. But facing those hard truths allowed me to realize that I want WAY better for myself than my past. It allowed me to get unstuck & see that I would rather fight through these hard battles in the present for the promise of a BETTER future.

I do not want to be merely surviving, I want to be thriving. I do not want a life full of stress and chaos, I want a life of peace and certainty. I do not want fickle friendships, I want to fortify my relationships with those who really support and love me. I do not want to be constantly reminded of pain, I want to create new memories with joy.

I used to want to go back to my old city and plop back into my old life. Now, I honestly would be content if never set foot back in that place. All I would see everywhere I looked are bad memories, pain & sadness. I had a very rough time pre-diagnosis and I can't think of one location or event that doesn't have a painful memory tied to it in some way. "Oh look, there's the restaurant where I got into an argument with a friend for leaving early and being flaky when a migraine hit." "Oh look, there's the stadium where I had to hide in the port a potty for 30 minutes while my anxiety attack passed." "Oh look, there's the Kroger I doubled over in pain in." It's remarkable what you can see when you don't pretend the past is a safe haven. In a way it's sad, because all my wonderful memories over the 5+ years I lived there are overshadowed. Even the happiest memories have fine print attached to them, pointing out another instance when something not so great happened. It might sound so strange to some of you reading this, but if you've ever been through something traumatic you will likely understand. The brain will shield you from that trauma, often near erasing it from your memory if you let it. But as soon as you unmask what's behind the curtain and take a good hard look, the pain can feel crushing.

All I do know is that I want and need my future to be devoid of that. I want a fresh start & a happier more balanced life. And I want that for myself in the NOW. I refuse to wait for some future date to be happy or wait around to create my joy. This is why I relish any good day or any achievement I have now. Because I want to tie all my happy memories together and let them be stand alone moments which stick in my brain. I don't want to look around my childhood home and only see pain. I want to see milestones, accomplishments & wins. I want to see friends who've came to visit & stuck by my side reminding me that I'm loved. I want to see the goodness from my God who continues to give me hope. So that even when I look back on this past without Rose Colored Glasses, I will see it's truth, but I will also see it's joy.

Xoxo,
Christina

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2017 WeGo Health Awards: Best In Show - Blog

8/17/2017

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I am excited to announce that I have been nominated for the WEGO Health "Best In Show: Blog"
in the 6th Annual WEGO Health Awards!

WEGO Health is a mission-driven company connecting healthcare with the experience, skills,
and insights of patient leaders. They are the world’s largest network of patient leaders,
working across virtually all health conditions and topics. Click here to learn more about their Patient Network.

The WEGO Health Awards were created to celebrate those who tirelessly support the mission
of WEGO Health: to empower the patient voice. With 16 award categories, the WEGO Health
Awards are the only awards across all conditions and platforms, that recognize the over 100
thousand inspiring Patient Leaders who raise awareness, share information, and support their
communities, but often without recognition.

For me personally, it means everything to be nominated. I love to advocate, I love to share my life with this community, and I love to help others in any small way. THANK YOU truly for those who nominated me this year, it is genuinely an honor.

I’m now looking to my incredibly supportive network to help endorse me for this award. There
are two easy ways to endorse that only take seconds of your time!
1) You can click on my endorsement badge below:

2) Click HERE to be taken to my WEGO Health Awards profile where you can click “Endorse”
under my nominee photo

If I have ever supported you, made you laugh, or inspired you to keep fighting, please consider endorsing me for this award.

Xoxo,
Christina

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Unraveling A Mystery: Health Update + Talking About Cyrex Labs Testing

8/15/2017

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They say time flies when you're having fun, but I'd like to amend that saying to be: "Time flies when you're busy solving a mystery!" Ha! But in all seriousness, I had a pretty busy time period where I continued with more testing after learning I had Crohn's. We sought to uncover exactly what was going on in my body, and that called for what felt like an endless stream of blood tests & other send off tests. I was anxiously waiting on all the results and the ability to put more pieces of the puzzle together. This was probably the "slowest" time of them all...the waiting game. I will say that this was NOT a cheap endeavor, and one that costs thousands of dollars out of pocket. Sadly, no amount of private insurance covers these kinds of specialized tests, and it's one of the big reasons why I keep advocating for change. Healing from Lyme Disease (and the conditions they create) should not force someone to clean out their savings in order to survive. But, that topic is for another day! I just wanted to mention this because although I speak about these pricey tests on my blog I understand not everyone can afford them. This isn't ever an endorsement, but rather a sharing of my experience for those who like to read about it.

There were a lot of labs used, and a lot of tests ran. But for the sake of this blog post I am just going to talk about what I had looked at with Cyrex labs, because I think this will be the most interesting for those following along. Cyrex laboratories offers some of the most fascinating test panels. I would say that they are a leader in immune function/autoimmune testing across all parts of the body, and can help provide answers and insight to people struggling with any variety of chronic illnesses. One of the first tests I had ran was the "Array 10-90: Multiple Food Immune Reactivity" panel. This is food immunology testing using a combination of both IGG and IGA. What sets Cyrex apart from the other companies offering food allergy testing are a lot of big components. Most people know by now (or you can do a quick google search) that a lot of companies have capitalized on people with food senstivities by offering pricey testing panels of $800+ which are completely bogus. These so called companies advertise in places like Instagram where they tell people that they will lose "bloat, brain fog & feel more energized" if they remove a few foods they may be sensitive to. The problem with these claims is that they have been debunked many times over. Doctors have taken blood from the same patient but sent it off with two separate names, and got back two opposite results. The results from these companies are completely unreliable and a huge waste of money. This is where Cyrex prevails. For one, they are a legitimate laboratory who have endless case studies in medical journals, but secondly they run the same test TWICE on each blood sample. If the test does not identically match up on both runs they do not send out the results. This made me feel completely at ease, because I knew I could actually trust this lab. The physicians who have used Cyrex have had correlation between results and patient improvement. So, that is a huge distinction. Another cool thing Cyrex does is that they test the foods in the forms you eat them. For example they will test cooked potato, not just 'potato' like most companies, since we eat potatoes cooked and that changes the molecular makeup of the food. They also checked eggs cooked, and things like broccoli both cooked and also raw. It makes the test way more accurate, because those changes make a big difference.

So, back to the Array 10-90 test. It looks at about 200 foods, including herbs, spices and gums. This is a combo tests which also has a panel that looks at "foods over-consumed on a gluten free diet." This includes grains like rice, amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, etc. When I got my results back imagine my shock when I saw that about 95% (yes, NINETY FIVE percent) of the tested foods were reactive. Aka, when my body was exposed to these foods the white blood cells came to attack, histamine was released, mast cells started to degranulate, and there was a full fledged freak out. The paper I got back basically said (in layman's terms) that 95% of all the foods will cause my body inflammation and pain if I try to eat them. The trouble is, there was hardly anything on that list which was deemed "safe," so in a nutshell every time I ate anything I created an inflammatory response throughout my body. My body, for whatever reason, created antibodies against these foods essentially deeming them an intruder. My body has mislabeled something as innocent as a carrot and accidentally targeted it as an invader.

As you can imagine, this was not a normal response. We knew something was definitely amiss from just that one result, and that prompted further testing. Most of the time when a person has a lot of food intolerances they say it's caused by Leaky Gut or SIBO. Cyrex has a Leaky Gut panel, which they call the "Array 2: Intestinal Antigenic Permeability Screen," and I had that ran. It looks for IGG/IGA/IGM antibodies to 3 separate proteins. These proteins will be present in the blood if parasite, virus or yeast's from the stomach make it's way into the blood when the permeability of the gut is impaired. It looks at the Actomysen Protein (Parasites), Occludin/Zonulin Protein (viruses), and Lipopolysaccharides (yeast). A video talking more in depth about this test can be found here. It's a really cutting edge test, and highly accurate if a patient has Leaky Gut of any kind. For me that test came back completely negative, which means I am not dealing with a Leaky Gut situation anymore. I kind of suspected this, because I have seriously been so on top of it with healing my stomach throughout the last 4-5 years, so I was pleased to learn that my hard work payed off at least in that regard. The next test I had ran was looking to see if I was dealing with SIBO. This was their "Array 22: Irritable Bowel/SIBO screen." This looks for Bacterial-Toxin induced damage to the gut. If you have SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) from either yeast or bacteria then the toxins from it will cause damage to the gut. This blood tests looks for those markers by looking for IGG/IGM/IGA antibodies to Cytoskeletal Proteins & Bacterial Cytotoxins. This test is brand new, and was only unveiled in March of 2017. It has been undergoing rigorous testing and studies in medical journals before it was brought to the public, so I feel really lucky to have been able to have this test ran. Even luckier for me, this test also came back negative on all accounts for having SIBO. Thankfully, that was also not my underlying cause.

So now the puzzles pieces to this mystery were slowly but surely falling into place more as each piece so of evidence began flowing in. I had a few others test panels ran, and when those were added into the mix it became obvious to myself and my Doctors that I had a serious autoimmune issue going on. For whatever reason my autoimmune system is on overdrive, and it is attacking all different parts of my body (as well as foods I put into it) improperly. It doesn't even take the time to distinguish the good from the bad, it is just in attack mode 24/7. This is likely what has been fueling my Crohn's as well, because it's impossible for my gut lining to heal if my own body is continually attacking it when it should not. This has posed an interesting task of figuring out how to calm down my overacting immune system so that it stops going after everything it sees.

Since getting my test results back we've been working on a game plan to tackle this issue, and I have been refining my diet big time. Since I obviously can not stop eating 95% of all food it has taken a complete overhaul to find my biggest triggers so I can avoid them. And truth be told, my triggers can change on a dime. Some days I may be okay with a food, and others days I absolutely can not tolerate it at all. Every single thing has to be made from scratch at home, and when I say everything I mean every last thing. Homemade vegetarian "soy less" soy sauce, homemade vegetable broth, homemade vegan mayo. All the small condiments you have on hand to cook with have all had to be tailored to work for my highly sensitive body. I hope and pray that with time I can reach a place where my body isn't cycling through and reacting to such extremes as it currently is now. Right now it is all a work in progress, and I will dedicate a later blog post discussing what I did/tried etc. Truth be told, I still very much have my bad days/flares where I curl up in a ball from pain, go on a liquid diet, and can't move from my bed for a week. Other times I have less pain & a better ability to eat solid food. It varies a great deal, especially as I experiment with treatment. Managing these Crohn's issues which came on top of my other neurological Lyme issues has been a real lesson in patience, but one which I am slowly understanding better each day. It's a juggling act, but I always say "if there's a will, there's a way." And boy do I have a will! I'm still finding my balance, but I'll get there.

For now that is all for this update! There has been a lot going on, and I have quite literally just been taking it one step at a time. One moment at a time. And trusting that God sees the bigger picture for me. I really try to focus my energy on enjoying each good day, or each good moment. No matter how "small" it may seem, I want to relish in the little joys of each day. Sometimes it can be hard (especially lately), but I have hope.

xoxo,
Christina

PS - This year I was nominated for the WeGo Health Awards for "Best in Show: Blog." If you enjoy this blog and want to help endorse me, please click the graphic below and that will help me a lot! Endorsements are open until September 1, 2017. Thank you so so much for those who nominated me this year!

I'm not sponsored by Cyrex, nor being paid by Cyrex for my opinions. All opinions are my own, and I paid out of pocket for all tests discussed. If you have any questions please feel free to ask in the comments below!

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A Story Of My Life: Meet Macy

8/2/2017

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If the story of your life were a movie, what are the moments you can look back on and say, "that was the exact minute my life changed forever?" We all have them. They are moments which feel insignificant at the time, but later create such a giant ripple in our lives that it is forever changed. Today, I'd like to share one of my moments with you.

Disclaimer: if you have a furry friend, grab a tissue. Or two. Or a box.

I remember the day so vividly. It's interesting how lasting memories can replay like a movie in your mind, so full of detail that you can almost feel it. I remember what I wore, I remember the smells, I remember the music in my car, and most of all I remember how I felt.

It was September of 2007 and my sophomore year of college had just begun. I had gone with my cousin to go "look" at a puppy which we were considering adopting. I use quotation marks because anyone who is an animal lover knows that "looking" almost always equals "taking home." I naively thought I could accomplish this task, and arrived to meet the puppies with 0 supplies and 0 plans. When I walked into the room where the puppies were I immediately realized I was in way over my head. The pups were about 6 weeks old, very shy and cowering to their mom. I climbed into the caged area, sat down, and one brave soldier left the pack to waddle over to me. She climbed on my legs, plopped down, looked up at me with her big brown eyes, and my heart exploded. This moment is my life changing moment. In this exact second I knew I would not be leaving without her. Sure enough she came home with us that night, was bestowed the name 'Macy,' and proceeded to steal my heart.

Macy: 6 weeks old

We stumbled through the puppy years together one chewed shoe and false alarm vet visit at a time. One time Macy chewed the leather shoelace off my Sperry shoes (unbeknownst to me), and when it came out the other end it looked exactly like a worm. With panic and fear we took the stool sample and Macy to the nearest vet only to have the tech tell us through laughter that it was a shoelace. It was too funny to even be embarrassing. I was an alarmist pet parent, and if you're wondering, nothing has changed. 10 years later I'm still worrying about her every move.

I felt completely out of my element during her first year of puppyhood. I didn't know if I would be cut out to be a dog mom. I felt inadequate in every way, navigating full time college, a part time job, and of course, my slowly failing health. See, back then I didn't know what was ahead of me. All I knew was that my stomach was rebelling against me, my fatigue made me miss classes, and my desperation to hide it from the people around me felt isolating. But no matter how much I tried to hide my pain to the outside world, Macy always knew. She would nuzzle her tiny warm body on my chest and let me know that it would be OK. In those quiet lonely moments I had her companionship, and suddenly I felt so much less alone.

Two days in college when I couldn't get out of bed. She was always there.

As the years passed her steadfast loyalty was with me through every single life change. I moved quite a few times throughout college, and with each new apartment she instantly made it feel like home. My senior year was my hardest year. I was on my 4th year of college, and my 3rd year of searching for answers to my ailing health. My symptoms were becoming so unmanageable that almost nightly I would call my mom at 2am sobbing on my bathroom floor. My world was crumbling around me, and no one could tell me why. I felt hopeless and I felt terrified. Graduation day came, and it should have been the happiest day of my life. However I almost missed it due to extreme air hunger, fatigue, and other baffling symptoms. You have to understand that as a former healthy person with NO diagnosis and NO doctor explanations it was all foreign to me. All these absurd symptoms like air hunger didn't yet have a name. I just felt like I couldn't get air, like I couldn't breathe properly, and I was gasping for oxygen. Utter terror. Petting Macy was my form of therapy. It was a way to quiet my anxiety, and feel a semblance of peace. If you have ever known the love of a dog, you will understand. Their love is so pure. It's so selfless, so giving, and it physically gave life back into my dwindling body. Looking back now I know without a shadow of a doubt that I could not have made it through college without Macy. She was my lifeblood, and my source of strength. In my darkest moments, she was there. On my most isolated days, she shared the quietness and gave me peace.

After I graduated college, I made the decision to continue my education and make the move across the country to Los Angeles. I had to leave Macy behind, and honestly, that was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. Walking away from her furry face that day is forever burned into my memory. My heart shattered, and for the first time I was truly alone. During this semester of school my health deteriorated quickly. Much more quickly than it ever had before. I was frantically seeing top doctors at world renowned clinics like the House Ear Institute, and seeing top Neurologists and Cardiologists all across Los Angeles. My weight plummeted to 89 pounds, I was deeply exhausted, and I was a shell of myself. During Thanksgiving my mom, grandmother and cousin surprised me by showing up for the holiday (my dad was already with me), and they brought Macy! Instantly my soul became filled with immeasurable joy. I knew how much I needed her, and during that time in my life I was especially struggling without her comfort by my side. After the holiday I had to move my life back to Kentucky, because my health just got that bad. I switched to online education, packed my bags, and my full time job became traveling to Doctors & having endless tests ran. Through this all, Macy was by my side.

Left: My mom had this painting made of Macy when I moved to California without her. Right: When she came to visit for Thanksgiving

Macy was with me when I got diagnosed, she was with me when I moved home and became bed bound, and she's been with me during every peak & valley since. You see, that life altering moment when I met eyes with her in 2007 I had no idea how much I would need her. I had no idea then the hardships life would throw at me, and the source of strength she would become. I believe that she is a little guardian angel God brought into my life at the exact right time. I know it might sound dramatic to say, but she saved my life. This disease has thrown me into the pits of depression; into times when I had no will to live. But Macy's silent love, her snuggles, her cold nose on my cheek and her deep brown eyes kept me going. She put a piece of joy into my life when I felt like the world was black. And that is something which I am eternally grateful for.

Left: The best snuggler. Right: Guarding my I.V

Macy is half of my whole heart. And as I celebrate her 10th birthday today, I am overcome with gratefulness. I thank God each day that He put this ball of fur into my life. As I reflect over the memories and life changes we've been through over the last decade (wowza), I'm reminded that any moment can be another "life changing" moment. I don't even want to imagine my life had I not made that trip to "look" at some puppies. Because that day altered my life in the best way possible. On that day in September 2007 I no longer had to go through life alone and afraid. I gained a partner in crime and a best friend who would protect me, guide me, and love me unconditionally.

Happy 10th Birthday to my little dumpling. I love you more than words can express.

xoxo,
Christina

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Things I Love

7/27/2017

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I love the smell of cinnamon rolls on a Sunday morning, and the sound of paws on hardwood floor.
I love stargazer lilies, the smell of popcorn, and the first sip of a vanilla latte.
I love the feeling of crawling into bed with fresh sheets, colorful sunsets, and when you can notice that the seasons are changing.
I love the feeling of an ocean breeze, my dogs eyes, old pictures, and peacock feathers.
I love animal footprints in the snow, discovering old letters, and genuine laughs.
I love ice cold tea and steaming hot coffee; I love a bouquet of Mylar balloons.
I love the feeling of discovering a new audiobook, foreign coins, antique jewelry, and fluffy clouds on a Spring day.
I love a dog's wagging tail, a cat's rough tongue, sprinkles, and the sand between my toes.
I love my mom's laugh, and my dad's jokes; I love my brother's smile when he pets a dog.
I love stargazing in the night sky, stained glass cathedrals, the feeling of silk, and giving a gift.
I love receiving a handwritten note, sparklers, a basket of shiny ornaments, and the smell of a fresh cut Christmas tree.
I love watching people's eyes when they make a wish, blue topaz, a thrilling mystery, and fortune cookies.
I love the smell of tennis balls, the crinkle of a new bible, fireworks, and escaping into a good book.
I love stories from my parent's childhood, colorful embroidery, waffle cones, and the gentle sigh of my dog when she's content.
I love double rainbows after a heavy rainstorm, fleece on cold skin, and otters who hold hands when they swim.

But most of all, I love my family, I love my friends. I love my life.

Xoxo,
Christina

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Let's Talk About Crohn's Disease.. And What This Diagnosis Means

6/6/2017

16 Comments

I wrote this post in early May, when I got my news. However, I didn't post it then because I didn't want this to take attention away from Lyme Awareness Month. Since it's writing some things have changed; I continued more testing, more investigation & will write a follow up soon as my body allows.

Well, here we are. It's been a couple of days since I finally got my answer, and yet it all still feels really fresh. I had hoped a few days time would give me some clarity to write this post, but right now I'm not there yet. I find myself bouncing around between a feeling of relief and understanding & back to a feeling of frustration and anger. At first I thought I would hold off on writing this post until the dust settled, but truthfully I'm not sure when that will be. I can't rush my feelings, but I also don't want to. I don't want to write some kind of clean and polished post which is void of my honest feelings. So, here we are. If you need to get caught up, I blogged about new symptoms I began having HERE and HERE.

I kind of chuckled when I sat down at my computer, because I remember writing my last post a week ago. When I was typing it out I distinctly remember myself omitting a line at the end where I said, "I just really hope it's not this 'one' disease." At the time I deleted it because I thought I might somehow jinx myself by putting it out there. But looking back now I realize that a part of my intuition knew it would be the answer, and I deleted it out of a sense of denial. It takes me a couple of days to write a post (I typically do it in segments), so by the time I was hitting "Post" a few test results had came in. As with most test results, when you look at them as a stand alone number it doesn't mean too much. But when you start combining it with other results the picture begins to form. I was aware that it was just as likely to be something minor like an unknown allergy as it was to be something more sinister. The tables could turn either direction, and I refused to believe it could be anything BUT just some simple little allergy.

There was just one pending test which stood between myself & this make believe land I was living in. I really truly believed it would come back negative & I could go on my merry little way and begin the gamut of allergy testing. It's almost like I actually thought if I believed it enough then it would happen. As if I could will my ideal future into existence. Quick spoiler alert, it turns out I could not.

The results came in, and right there in black and white were the words: Crohn's Disease. My first thought was "no way, no way, there is no way." But soon reality settled in and I realized that it made so much sense. It was indisputable; every single test result pointed in that direction and every single symptom fit. All my pain finally made sense. The severe stomach pain, the cramping, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite, sensitivity to most all food, etc. Crohn's causes widespread inflammation (and ulcerations) which can affect your entire GI tract from the mouth to the colon, as well as the eyes, joints & skin. I had began having some eye ulcers & tongue/mouth ulcers a while ago, and now those weird symptoms finally had a home as well.

Crohn's Disease is chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) characterized by inflammation of the GI tract. It is believed to be autoimmune in nature, where the mucus membranes essentially attack themselves. There is no "cure," and it varies between periods when disease is active or flaring, and when it is in remission (less/fewer symptoms). Crohn's varies person to person, and flares can get very serious if not handled properly. It can bring fun things like bowel obstruction, fistulas, fissures, malnutrition, and toxic megacolon among many other things. So keeping a keen eye on the body during a flare, and reducing the inflammation as soon as possible is very important. Also, both IBD's (Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis) increase the chance of colon cancer by a great deal, so from now on I will need to be proactive about routine testing for that.

Alright, so now all the fun facts are out of the way, how do I feel? Well, where to begin.. I feel partially relieved. I was shooting in the dark for so long without an answer to my pain. I knew in my gut that this was something different.. this was something new. Getting an answer has allowed me to do things like completely re-haul my diet. Those with Crohn's have set diets during a flare (typically low residue) and then another diet they follow rather continuously to prevent a flare and keep the stomach relatively calm. So having this information now gives me the ability to hope for less painful meals & that gives me some peace. Getting answers has also allowed me to start reading as much as I can about Crohn's and has given me the hope of getting things under control.

On the flip side I feel overwhelmed. This is a whole new disease which I have to come to terms with. It's a whole new beast I have to work my way through to understand. Everything about this is brand new to me. A few years ago I was very green around the gills about Lyme Disease information, but through life experiences and research I was able to learn a lot. With Crohn's I am at the starting line. I feel like I hardly know anything, and it will take a lot of trial and error to find what does or doesn't work for my body. I also feel angry. I guess anger has been my primary emotion, and it's just this feeling of, "Seriously?!" Those of you following along know how HARD I have fought for my health to reclaim it from the grips of Lyme Disease. You also know that last year I got some great news about my bacterial loads & progress I made there. We went through mold remediation & I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. The specialized visual/brain therapy was all set to go, and I thought this was finally soon going to be "it" for me. I just so desperately wanted to be rid of all that plagued me, and on the path to getting pieces of my life back. I have struggled with IBS from 10+ years, and when things got more severe with my stomach in December I thought I could breeze through it and resume normalcy soon enough. It just never occurred to me that what I thought was routine IBS was actually Crohn's forming in my body. To be honest, this has likely been a part of my life for longer than I realized, but December was a particularly stressful time in my life which brought about the flare.

So what now? Well, traditional Crohn's treatment calls for steroids and biologics, both of which are HUGE no no's for those with Lyme Disease. They bring down the immune system and create the perfect environment for the Lyme (and other infectious bacteria) to come back out and relapse. It is imperative that I keep my immune function up in the places where it needs to stay up, so that traditional route will not be for me. Crohn's and Lyme Disease are on polar opposite ends of the treatment approach spectrum and that complicates matters. It will take work with Doctors & trial and error to find the right direction to go. I'm sure I will be able to navigate it, but right now it feels so much bigger than me.

And lastly, the question I'm sure many people are asking (because I know I did), how did this happen? The exact cause of Crohn's is unknown, but its a combination of genetics, the immune system & the environment. I know now (through testing) that I do indeed have the genetics for Crohn's. Check. I also know that Lyme Disease has caused disastrous turmoil to my immune system, creating the dysfunction, which is item number 2 on the list, so.. Check. And I have been in a state of almost constant stress, so my environment was prime for the picking. Check.

When I look at my family tree everyone is honestly SO healthy. Like, they could not be a healthier group of people. I am the only odd man out from the whole bunch. No close relatives on either side of my parents have an IBD like Crohn's. So genetics alone would not have activated this disease. However, what I did have (which none of my other ancestors or family had) is Lyme Disease. Lyme Disease eviscerates the immune system, and demolishes every piece of regularity it has. Lyme is known to create so many autoimmune conditions due to it's ability to get the immune system to improperly attack itself. Since my Lyme diagnosis I have became allergic to almost everything; foods, chemicals, you name it. The wrong shampoo gives me a migraine & inhaling the wrong chemical sends my heart into a tachycardia attack. My immune system has been dysfunctional for a long time due to Lyme, and in this case it coupled with my genetics, my environment, and created Crohn's. Bing, bang, boom.

I guess for now, this is all I have to say on the topic. I'm still digesting it and navigating through the complex web of information. I know that there is a reason for everything in life. I know God has a purpose for this in some way I can't yet see. But right now that does not bring me comfort, because I'm not to that stage just yet. On a rational level I can understand that, but on an emotional level I'm still lagging. However, I do feel unbelievably thankful to have gotten an answer now vs a few months down the road. This diagnosis also came just in time for Lyme Disease Awareness month, because boy oh boy, if there ever was a time that I loathed Lyme disease most, it would be now. If there was ever a time that I was motivated to spare even just 1 person from going through this, it would be now. The longer the Lyme bacteria goes unchecked before being properly diagnosed (5 years for myself), the more time it has to create deep destruction. Some of which won't even rear its ugly head until years later when you least expect it. My passion to stop this madness and advocate for a real lasting cure has been reignited 100 times over.

Heres the thing many of you know about me by now: I don't take no for an answer. I refuse to be pulled into this trap where I talk myself into believing I'm stuck with Crohn's for life. In the little time I've had to process this I've read about so many people in remission for years, living free and clear of Crohn's symptoms for 5,10,15+ years. Mark my words, I will be one of those people. I'm determined to reverse this process; to find a way to get to the root cause.

I will keep this blog updated as I navigate the world of Crohn's and try to climb out of the current flare which I am currently in. I will have further testing to try and tweak things in my diet/environment which might be contributing to the flare, so there is still lots of work to be done! I might be less responsive in the coming month or two, so if there's a lag in replying to emails etc then this is why. Thank you to those of you following along, and thank you for all the prayers. I feel them on every level.

xoxo,
Christina

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Lyme Disease Awareness Month Summary & a GIVEAWAY!

6/4/2017

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As Lyme Disease Awareness Month comes to a close I wanted to compile all the various things I shared across social media in one place. There were so many wonderful things going on all over to raise awareness, and as the voices grow each year I feel more confident that together we can enact change.

Lyme Loonies: Daily Cartoons & Illustrations

During May I tweeted daily cartoons and illustrations that speak to what Lyme Disease is, and how it affects patients (see thread). These were all illustrations from the hilarious and incredibly talented cartoonist David Skidmore. I met David many years ago and we became fast friends. I adored his illustrations from their inception, and I loved watching them go from a few cartoons on twitter to becoming a full book titled "Lyme Loonies." The title is a tongue in cheek joke of what one IDSA Doctor called Lyme patients. His book has been a massive hit, and if you don't own it yet I sincerely encourage you to pick up a copy on Amazon HERE. You can follow David's work on his Facebook page, HERE. Below is a slideshow of the illustrations I shared on twitter, and they were all taken from his book Lyme Loonies, which is chock full of hilarious and spot on cartoons. Thank you to David for allowing me to showcase his talent during the month of May!

Lyme Disease Challenge

More than 300,000 people will contract Lyme Disease each year, and yet the common two tier testing methods (ELISA & Western Blot) are less than 50% accurate. We desperately need proper testing to stop this epidemic from growing. I took the Lyme Challenge! If anyone else did the Lyme challenge I would LOVE to see it! Please leave a link to your post in the comment section below :)

Giveaway!

As May comes to a close I wanted to do a little giveaway for everyone who has been with me, following along and sharing this journey. So, I put together a prize pack (worth $130), and you can enter to win below! The contest is open June 1st-15th (2017). The winner will be announced here & also will be contacted via email for their mailing address. This is only open to U.S participants.

LymeDisease.Org Billboard

For Lyme Disease Awareness Month I partnered up with LymeDisease.Org for their billboard campaign. This billboard ran during May in Kentucky & was hopefully a useful tool in informing the public about Lyme Disease on a larger scale. Thank you so much to LymeDisease.Org!

If you did any kind of Advocacy during May, whether its the Lyme Challenge, a blog post, interview, photo etc I would genuinely LOVE to see it. Please do share a link in the comment section below so myself, and others reading will all be able to see it!

xoxo,
Christina

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Take the Lyme Disease Quiz!

5/3/2017

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For Lyme Disease Awareness Month I created a quiz which you can take yourself & share that tests general knowledge about Lyme Disease. It's both interactive & informative, so put your smarts to the test and take it below!

If you want to take the quiz in a separate window, or have the ability to share a direct link to the quiz, you can find that HERE

Happy Lyme Disease Awareness month to all!

xoxo,
Christina

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The Chronicles of Tummy Troubles: Why Does It Take So Long To Get Answers?

4/26/2017

4 Comments

I'm going to do things a bit differently for this post. I really want to highlight just how long it takes in this medical system to get an issue/new symptom resolved. With turn around time, wait times, and appointments to discuss next steps, it can (and usually does) take months to resolve a new issue. So, for this purpose my post will be an update, however it will be done in Chronological order. I will breeze through Dec/Jan/Feb because I have a whole detailed post on that here, but for the rest I will be more specific.

December: Mid December I begin to get a new pain in my stomach. At first it comes and goes, and often my entire stomach hurts. I brush this off as a transient symptom, and try to trudge through.

January: Things during this month only amplify. The pain becomes much more severe and much more difficult to predict or control. It's all complicated because I find I am fighting C.Diff, so a lot of the pain gets pawned off as being placed under the column of "probably from C. Diff." I knew however that there had to be more to it. Often it was hard to point to just one area of pain, because so many things hurt in so many different ways. I have had C.Diff in the past, and it's never hurt quite like this before. This felt like a very new thing to me.

February: Around this time I have blood testing done & it seems to look like some of the pain is due to Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. This again is something I had dealt with in the past on a few occasions since I no longer have a gallbladder. In a way it felt familiar but, this time it was SO much more severe, and the location of the pain epi-center moved. I began to eat a liquid diet, and then a low fat diet which wouldn't trigger the attacks. This however did not seem to be the smoking gun. At the end of February I had an ultrasound done. The ultrasound was inconclusive. The only thing it showed was a more dilated common bile duct. This can be larger when you have Sphincter of Oddi, or have a removed gallbladder, so while it answered some suspicions it did not really give a solid answer. I did not quite fit into the box of this being primarily SOD, or just SOD.

March: I know how absurd this can sound to an outsider reading this post. How hard is it for me to point to a source of pain and figure it out? I ask myself the same thing all the time, but it simply is not that easy. I had (have) pain absolutely everywhere (remember C.Diff). Then I had an epicenter of pain which covered a quadrant, and it was large enough that I could not tell where it was coming from: my pancreas, my large intestine (transverse), my small intestine, or my stomach. I have a very tiny frame, and it is all packed in there. Often times it felt like multiple things were spasming or hurting at once. On any given day my "guess" of what was hurting would change. I absolutely did not know, and guessing was just driving me mad.

So, finally, around the edge of March I was approved for an abdominal X-Ray. However, after the X-Ray it took some time to get the proper radiologist to read it and give his report. I would say there was about 10 days while I was waiting to get some answers. This was probably the most helpful scan of them all, because it visibly showed three issues in the area where I had my most pain. The most notable takeaways were that a portion of my transverse colon was tightly spasming, not only causing pain but also not allowing things to move through that area properly. A little bit below that was an area in my small intestine which looked to show some bowel wall thickening. So, what the heck is going on? I mean, I got some answers, but the X-Ray can only show so much, and a more detailed scan was needed to find the cause and link

April: It's now April. I am still in a lot of pain, my large intestine feels inflamed and raw almost 24/7, and with each passing week/month I can eat less and less food. Eating too much solid food too many days in a row will bring pain, because once it reaches that tight portion of my large intestine it has difficulty passing through. So I begin to alternate liquid diets in between actual food. Because of this I often feel like I am starving. Also, not only has solid food become problematic, but a lot of my usual safe foods are causing me extreme pain. I would eat what should be an okay food, only to have about 2 days of stomach pain in so severe I can hardly move. It's getting more important than ever to get answers to rule out something more sinister. At this point I am not against exploratory surgery because the pain is that unpredictable and that bad.

Finally, we move on to the next step, which is a CT scan. Due to my MCS I am allergic to the contrast solution, so I received an abdominal CT without contrast. We were aware that this might prove to be less than ideal without contrast, but the plan was to start here and repeat with contrast (and steroids) if necessary. I got the CT scan done, and surprise surprise, it was inconclusive. The lack of contrast not being able to highlight certain areas made a set diagnosis impossible.

We are now almost to May, and we have to change directions a bit. All of these tests I have had ran (many which I did not even list) are very expensive. Insurance is not only slow, but also notorious for denying claims. Due to financial costs another CT is not in the cards. For now it is on the back burner as we start to pursue answers from a different avenue. Although still extremely costly, we began with a laundry list of blood work, specialized panels and cultures, as well as CSA's from a few different companies. A large portion of this is out of pocket, and just to give an example the CDSA 2.0 test is $700 out of pocket, the Geneva Labs CSA with Parasitology is $500 out of pocket, my MRT intolerance test was $700 out of pocket, and the Array 10 is $1,300. Out of pocket... all of it. I know I have said this before but it is legitimately survival of those who can afford it. And in my case I have had to choose wisely and also spread tests out, because its an impossible cost burden all at once. But, if I need answers, how else can I get them? How else can anyone get them? I also got a lot of blood-work done through insurance, which will have co-pays and deductibles, and I can hardly wait to receive that bill in the mail and promptly faint (ha).

Now: Waiting. Waiting for results, waiting for more test kits, and waiting to be able to order other tests I need. In the mean time I am fighting this pain which waxes and wanes in intensity on any given day. I am diligently keeping a food diary to find triggers, and I am hoping beyond hope that some conclusive answers come.. soon. In the mean time I only found one thing which takes the edge off and it's called Bentyl. My friend Hannah calls it "tummy valium" and I laugh because that is so spot on! The side effects of Bentyl however are not great, including feeling woozy, dizzy, sometimes nauseous etc. So, I reserve it for times of great need. It helps to calm that tense spasm in my large intestine, and any tiny bit of relief helps.

In the mean time I am really trying to enjoy my good moments, and my better days. When I have a chance to find some joy in my day I really focus on it. I don't want to let this sink me or take my spirit. It's almost May and I feel just as baffled today as I did back in December. The health care system moves so slow, and I am sometimes baffled as to how many months of my life can go by in a flash while desperately investigating. Keep in mind, I am actually a "lucky case" because my mother is a physician who can help fast track some things. Yes, THIS is what it looks like to have things fast tracked. I suspect, judging on what tests are still to come, their turn around time etc that I still have at least a month or two ahead of me before I will have more clarity. It is a waiting game, and a coping game. I try my best to put my attention elsewhere, especially on bad days. I know I have pretty much retreated from the people around me recently, but it feels impossible to connect sometimes through the pain. But, alas, I'm trying.

If you made it this far, thank you for reading! I hope this post provided a small amount of insight into navigating the medical system, the kinds of costs incurred, and why it takes so long to get answers. I hope to have a better grasp on this soon, and of course when I do I will absolutely share.

xoxo,
Christina

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2017 WeGo Health Awards: Best In Show - Blog

Unraveling A Mystery: Health Update + Talking About Cyrex Labs Testing

A Story Of My Life: Meet Macy

Things I Love

Let's Talk About Crohn's Disease.. And What This Diagnosis Means

Lyme Disease Awareness Month Summary & a GIVEAWAY!

Lyme Loonies: Daily Cartoons & Illustrations

Lyme Disease Challenge

Giveaway!

LymeDisease.Org Billboard

Take the Lyme Disease Quiz!

The Chronicles of Tummy Troubles: Why Does It Take So Long To Get Answers?

Follow Lady Of Lyme (@ladyoflyme)

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