Just a "quick update"...

Okay, so I had 4 grand mal seizures in 2 weeks. I cannot begin to describe the pain that comes from whacking and thrashing your body around as though you were demon possessed! However, due to the frequency & severity (2 of these seizures lasted about an hour), the doctor sent me to the neurologist to make sure we aren't overlooking something major. We think it's the Babesia. Seems that the Babesia isn't just making my red blood cells "sticky", it's actually "fragmenting" them - the doctor's non-scary way of saying "tearing". So, when your red blood cells tear you definitely aren't getting sufficient oxygen to parts of your body and if the brain doesn't get enough oxygen it will most definitely cause a seizure.

So, met with the neurologist today. I like him and he seems extremely smart and even somewhat well informed on Lyme patients. My doctor had called him and had him work me into his hectic schedule and we were very appreciative. Due to all the seizures, we decided to start me on just IV fluids Sunday through Wednesday (which is the last treatment day for 5 days...hate to think about that!). Anyway, we were doing anything we could to try and get my sound and light sensitivities down enough so that I could even be examined or have an MRI, etc. Lately sunlight has not made me reach for my sunglasses, but rather my scarf & I tie it around my eyes to completely block out the light. The slightest noises have set off seizures so I am always either wearing ear plugs or my Bose noise reduction headphones, but often I am wearing both. The fluids have helped to calm things down so I was able to have the MRI of my brain done this evening. Loud noises for 45 minutes was difficult but I was allowed to keep my ear plugs in and I praised the good Lord for all the wonderful things He is doing for me to keep my mind of the noises. I was so happy when it was over. Tomorrow Mom leaves & M returns and we have an afternoon appointment to have some other brain test done. I forgot the name of it, but I've had a lot going on so forgive me :) Then Friday night I will do a sleep study for the neurologist as well. He thinks there's something going on in the "sleep center" of my brain and my IV doc says they've discussed my gabba receptors??? I haven't felt up to looking any of this up and honestly, I've been told to not be on the computer or to watch t.v. or any other activity that might stir up my central nervous system.

Oh - and my doctor's appointment on Thursday went very well so thank you so much for all of you who prayed. I needed the Lord's guidance and I felt I had it the whole time I was in the meeting. The really neat thing is how I was able to work in all these tests this week while I am off the antibiotic IVs and the Mepron (Babesia medication) because now I will at least be able to start back on the antibiotic IVs after the Thanksgiving break. This may sound odd, seeing as how I will be far away from family and friends this Thanksgiving, but I feel I have more to be thankful for this year than in any years past. I thank God for getting me here in His perfect timing and for being with me during all the days I thought were just "too hard to handle". Turns out I can handle a lot more than I thought - I just have to lean on God and allow Him to get me through it all.

On a good, yet somewhat sad, note...my sweet friend S got to go home to Alabama after 8 months of IV therapy! I was so very happy for her, yet somewhat selfishly sad because no one else could ever make going to treatment as fun as she always did. Plus, since we lived so close together in the apartment complex she came over all the time. In fact, there were many days I said she put her "nap voodoo" on me because we'd be sitting in my bed on our laptops and she'd say, "I think I'm just going to lay down for a minute." Next thing I know I would wake up and we'd have been asleep for 3 hours. Much needed sleep for me. I already miss her amazingly wonderful self. She's probably one of the most unique and interesting people I've ever met - the fact that she is just so amazingly artistic at ANYTHING is what makes you want to be jealous of her, but you can't be. Why? Because that's right when she'll turn around and show you some awesome thing that she made for you. Generous to a fault, loyal beyond limits, she is a true friend, a "war buddy" that I will always love. Glad she lives so close to my house in Alabama, although when S gets well (we all leave here still on treatment - just orals instead of IVs), I can't imagine her almost 21 year old self wanting to hang out with me & M...lol. But she is always full of surprises, so you can never tell.

Okay, too much computer today. I must go. I want to say I hope you all make sure to make a long list of what you are thankful for this year - it's so much more important than the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. We need to give thanks every single day - but how sad is it that we often miss out on doing so on THANKSGIVING DAY?? I pray you all have much to be thankful for and if nothing else you can be thankful that each day you wake up is a new day to start fresh with God. I try and do that every day - I fail sometimes, but He already knows I will. I am only human, right?

Much love - many prayers for you all - and OH HOW THANKFUL I AM THAT GOD MADE ME START WRITING ALL THIS BACK IN MAY SO THAT I COULD COUNT EACH AND EVERY PERSON WHO READS MY RAMBLINGS AS A BLESSING ON MY LIST OF THANKS :)
K