Well, I thought I had tried everything, even recently going for a "dive" in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber but never tried a more common approach to healing, namely acupuncture. I had used it in the past, for general health and preventative measures but never considered it as a therapy for tick borne disease. From Rife machines and FIR saunas, antibiotics and chinese herbs, hydrogen peroxide and glutathione IV therapy; then a friend's friend suggested to me that lyme patients were seeing great results with acupuncture.
We found a community clinic offering sessions for 20$ and figured it was worth the shot (pardon the pun).....Wow! The needles were in me for no more than 30 minutes when for the first time since my illness, my brain felt clearer than ever, the "fog" had lifted, and I saw a glimpse of the former self that had been missing these past six years. My girlfriend accused me of being "acu-stoned"; as I left the clinic with quite a high....a "wow" feeling of confidence when for the first time, I allowed myself to believe I just might find a way to live with this illness, and possibly even put it into total remission.
I am certain that I have a long journey ahead, still, as reminded by all health practitioners I see, including the acupuncturist, but the immediate relief was a welcome and unexpected surprise.
In the evenings, to solve the insomnia issue, very common with tbd's, I have been listening to meditations on my laptop; when I wake in the middle of the night, I restart it and am asleep again within minutes.
Today, I woke with severe pain in both hips and literally unable to walk. Karen put me in an epsom salt bath and having witnessed my results the other day, was again on the phone with the clinic, squeezing in another appointment this afternoon, despite a scheduled one tomorrow and her hectic day which she was all too willing to rejuggle. I have to say, whether it was the epsom bath or the acupuncture, or both, the pain has subsided significantly and I am all too convinced that acupuncture will no doubt play a pivotal role in my healing journey from this day onward.
I am not so ignorant to believe that I can hum away this illness, as even my naturopath doctor will attest. Even she stresses the importance of an integrative approach combining eastern and western medicine at this juncture, and after being so ill for so long. So, I continue to drink my mepron (for those who are unfamiliar, it looks, and tastes, like yellow fingerpaint) and pop my oral antibiotics, while seeking out alternative modalities to assist in my healing. My next experiment just may be medicinal marijuana, as so many attest to its pain killing effects. I certainly would rejoice in the day when I could get through a day without pain meds of any kind, so I just may be swayed into trying it.
Was given a one month membership to steam and sauna the other day, which felt great! If I could just live at a spa year-round, I'd be in much better shape I'm sure! The juices my friend makes me are great, but I'm still not at the point of being able to shop and prepare it without help. Next step will be yoga, but after being bedridden for so long, am not confident enough to even attend a beginner class! Still searching for a one on one opportunity or perhaps a class dedicated to the chronically ill. What a journey this continues to be and I can hardly wait for the next opportunity to present itself.
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