the Lyme diaries: a day in the life (currently)

{Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her health care provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan. Reading the information on this website does not create a physician-patient relationship.}

Happy Monday sweet friends! Today I am excited to start a "series" that will hopefully help some of my readers who are struggling with Lyme Disease or just some of you that are wondering "exactly what in the world is she dealing with?". Since sharing my original diagnosis of Lyme Disease in March 2013 and continuing to share updates on my health through my "Notes on the Porch" posts I have received many emails asking a variety of questions on treatment, advice, ideas, and a host of other things. At first I was able to share my limited knowledge with ease because these emails were not so frequent, but since writing the "What is Lyme Disease" post in May these emails, facebook messages, etc. have quadrupled and I have struggled to answer the several hundred emails a week. (Let's be honest... I have not been able to answer even half of them.) For a while I hesitated to address my thoughts, advice, ideas because I feel that I am still learning and at the same time have often used this blog as an "escape" away from "sick world". 

But this past week I received an email that changed the course of this decision for me. This email was from a man who had lost his sister to Lyme Disease and he was begging me to share my thoughts and advice so that others don't have to walk the road that she did. (And to those of you whose mouths just dropped open, yes, you can die from Lyme Disease and its complications.) The reality is that this is also something that I have been praying about sharing for a while also because as y'all know I wouldn't want anyone to experience this or go through this. SO... in honor of "8 hours on the 8th" on Wednesday and Rebecca's Run at the end of this month I am going to sharing a series called "the Lyme diaries". My prayer is that this will be helpful and knowledgeable information and will help spread the word about Lyme Disease. I do want to put a disclaimer in though here at the beginning: Lyme Disease is complicated for doctors to treat because it manifests itself in so many different ways for patients. My little thoughts and advice will be more general in hopes that it will be a helpful starting ground of information to help the patient and also information that they can share with others no matter how Lyme Disease has affected them. Also... there are many wonderful people who write about Lyme Disease and share their exact treatment protocol (including herbs, vitamins, and medications) and that is lovely but I have chosen not to do that for a variety of reasons. I appreciate your kindness in respecting my privacy! 

So to start off the Lyme Diaries I wanted to share what a day in the life of having Lyme Disease looks like for me currently. If you follow me on instagram you might remember this post here about laying out my weekly vitamins, herbs, minerals, and oils schedule. I do that every Sunday (to start the new week) and will be sharing a little bit about my planning in the series in the future. While some things change the following is the daily schedule that I have right now:

5:30am- Wake up and take medication

5:30-7:00am- Go back to sleep (or doze). I make it a point to keep my room dark and to lay still even if I can't sleep so that my body is still resting,

7:00-8:00am-spend specific time praying through the healing verses in the Bible

8:00-8:15am- Wake up, light stretching, and drink 1 bottle of Smartwater, apply oils

8:15-9:00am- Fix Detox Bath, Dry Brush, Light Stretching, Drink Aloe Vera Juice, Take Detox Bath

9:00-9:30am- apply oils, eat breakfast, drink Smartwater, take supplements, herbs, and medications

9:30-10:30am- Either work on writing (book, freelance projects, articles, or blog) or have hyperbaric oxygen appointments, doctors appointments, acupuncture or reflexology appointments

10:30am- supplements and apply oils, drink Smartwater (with apple cider vinegar)

10:30am- 11:45am- Nap (or doctors appointments)

11:45am- Eat snack and take supplements, medications, and apply oils

11:50am-12:15pm- light stretching and follow "exercise regime" (my exercise regime is simply walking down the hallway - which is a HUGE accomplishment and doing certain yoga poses ... everyday I work to strengthen my body somehow!)

12:15-1:30pm- Writing, Answering Emails, Blog Writing

1:30-2:00pm- Eat Lunch, take supplements, medications, and apply oils

2:00-2:30pm- Answer shop emails, work on organizing shop orders, take pictures for the shop or gather supplies for future shop inventory

2:30pm- supplements and apply oils

2:30-4:30pm- Nap (or doctors appointments)

4:30pm- snack and take supplements, medications, and apply oils, drink Smartwater (with apple cider vinegar)

4:30-5:30pm- Work on Shop orders, Package up shop orders, Create (either in the scrapbook room or from my bed depending on how I am feeling)

5:30pm- supplements and apply oils

5:30-6:15pm- Fix Detox Bath, Dry Brush, Light Stretching, Drink Aloe Vera Juice, Take Detox Bath

6:15-6:30pm- rest after second detox bath

6:30-7:00pm- Eat dinner, take supplements, medications, and apply oils, drink Smartwater

7:00 to (usually 8:00pm sometimes 9:00pm)- Watch TV (if my sensory nerves can handle it otherwise I read in bed), work on shop orders, create things for shop, or work on writing projects

8:00pm-Take nighttime supplements, medications, apply oils and head to bed

This is pretty much my life everyday. *smiles*  And yes, it is that regimented in order to get in every single supplement, oil, and medication that I need to take. While there are a few exceptions (once or twice a week I make a point to chat with friends, etc.) this is pretty much how life looks right now. I hope this is helpful in understanding how regimented the life of a person who has Lyme Diesease is. I think that sometimes people think I am just laying in bed eating bon-bon's all day long. *smiles* BUT in all seriousness everything that I do is focused on getting my health back. While this is a very rigourous schedule (and a very isolating one!) it has also provided me so much opportunities to spend hours and hours in prayer and with the Lord and that has been a blessing in this journey! 

Well friends, as I said at the beginning I hope that this series is of help in understanding more about Lyme Disease and helps answer your questions! If there is anything specific that you would like to have answered let me know and I will do my best to write a post about it!! 

Happy Monday y'all!