Hiking in the Redwoods

I just got back from a hike at Nissene Marks State Park. It was really hot here today so we decided to go find out how much hiking I could do in the shade of the giant redwood trees. I haven't been on a hike in a REALLY long time. It was so great to get out there and comune with nature. I really miss being on the trail.

I had a great time hiking, well it was really more like a walk in the woods. I think I hiked faster with 20 1st graders than I did today. We got in a few miles before my hip and knee were hurting too much. I finally just sat down and Yawno went for a run back to the car and drove back to pick me up on the side of the road in the park. It was a good thing he did run too because when he got to our car we were getting a parking ticket from the ranger. We had paid the fees. I was hapy to pay given the dismal state of the parks system. But, our envelope didn't have a stub to put in the window so the ranger though we hadn't paid. He talked to her and got her to look through the box of fees for the one with our lisence number on it. We still have a ticket, but she said we can contest it and will likely win.

I'm tired now, but at least it's in a really good way. I'm hoping that I'll be able to get out and about more often and for longer so if you want to go for a walk or hike please take me with you I'd love to go.

My Favorite Websites

I thought I'd share a bit about some of my current favorite websites.

www.meetup.com

Meet up is a social networking site that people use to create interest groups that actually meet up in real life to do things they have as similar interests. I signed up and found meet up groups in the Santa Cruz area that go hiking several times a week, a walking meet up, one that is for crafty types to inspire and encourage you to finish your projects, one for sustainable living and homesteading, and my favorite-the women's clothing exchange which has a monthly event where you can trade your old clothes for someone else's. There are groups for nearly everything you can think of. Check it out and I bet you'll make new real life friends that like to do that geeky thing you love to do.

www.etsy.com

Etsy is an online marketpalce where you can buy and sell all things handmade. It is unbelieveable the ammount of beautiful creations that people make and share through this site. I have seen awesome pottery with cool insects and geeky scientific info., mobiles made from fused recycled plastic bags, a wide array of beautiful handbags, cupcakes and vegan cookies, jewelry making tutorials, paintings, and photography just to name a few.


www.freecycle.org

This is a site siilar to the classifieds on Craigslist, but it's better because you can only offer, take, or request items for FREE!!! I have used this site to get us a freestanding hammoch, a push mower, a new iron, and 4 bags of beads. We have used it to get rid of an old area rug and some yard sale left overs. It's set up to send you notices to your email as often as you like and only tells you about the stuff in your area. Check it out to see what you can find or get rid of.

www.facebook.com

I always said I would never get into these kinds of things. I always preached that hanging out with your friends in real life is way better. It is, but we can't always hang out with everyone we know and facebook helps me stay connected with people whom I otherwise wouldn't see very often. I like seeing pictures and vides of what my friends and family are up to. I also like that you can share invites, blogs, links, videos, movie reviews, game scores, quiz results, etc. It's been great for getting me in touch with some people I have lost along the way and it is scarly accurate at reccomending people you should be facebook friends with. How does it do that? If you haven't joined the rest of us in facebook land yet, please do, we'd love to see you.

Bartonella Infection

I've been doing some research on bartonella infection and it's symptoms to learn more about it and better understand what is going on inside my body. I was surprised to read that it is fairly common and often causes more symptoms the Lyme. It can be passed to humans from cats, fleas, ticks, and maybe even dust mites. It can cause many psychological symptoms and neurological problems not to mention many other symptoms. I'm guessing that more of my symptoms are coming from this infection then from the Lyme.

Some people have noticed that I am not quite myself and that I seem to be more emotional and my personality has changed. I think this could be the cause and I am really looking forward to killing the little buggers and feeling like myself again. I miss me.

Here is an excerpt I cut and pasted from the Internet.

Bartonella bacteria enter all organs and cause the following sample illnesses:

•All Psychiatric disorders
•Fatigue
•Numbness or Loss of Sensation
•Dizziness
•Headaches,
•Tremors
•Irritability
•Agitation
•Aggression
•Impulsivity
•Oxygen Deprivation
•Panic Attacks
•Fainting
•Muscle Spasms and/or Weakness
•Joint Pain
•Upper and Lower G.I. Tract Disorders
•Kidney, Bladder, and Urogenital Disorders
•Sleep Disorders
•Memory Problems
•Drowsiness
•Lumps in the Skin
•Dozens of Types of Rashes
•Polyps in or on Major Organs
•Eye Disorders, e.g., Blurred Vision, Depth Perception, and Retinal Damage
•But Some Patients Have No Clear Symptoms

Dorcctor's Visit

I went to see Dr. T today in Watsonville. She said that I am doing well so far. My tests from last visit came back negative expcept that I have some adrenal fatigue and a co-infection. The adrenal fatigue is likely what is causing me to have memory problems, mood swings, muscle aches, etc. I'm going to be taking a suppement from my naturopath to help support my adrenal functioning. The co-infection is called Bartonella. It's the bacteria that causes cat-scratch fever among other things. We don't know if I have the exact strain that causes that, but she did say I have been infected for a while. She put me on an new antibiotic called Levaquin. This is in addition to the Doxycycline that I am already on. I'll keep doing things to detox and hopefully my body will handly this new drug well. I'll keep you all updated as things progress.

Thanks to Jim who drove me and acted as my patient advocate. Big thnaks to everyone who helped me raise the funds to pay for this round of appointments and meds. I am blessed with great friends.

Herxing Sucks

I started feeling worse last weekend and have't improved. I'm begining to experience many of the very same unplesant symptoms I had earlier this year when I was taking 3 course of antibiotics for pnuemonia. This is an excerpt from the internet explaining what I'm going through right now. Let me just say that it hurts, bad. If this is going to be anything like last time I have a feeling the worst is yet to come.


Within a few days (usually one to three) after beginning antibiotic therapy, it is common for many patients with Lyme to suddenly begin experiencing a worsening of their symptoms. In some cases, this experience can be extremely uncomfortable. Additionally, it can also be mistaken as an allergic reaction to the antibiotic drugs that have been prescribed. In actuality, this reaction is a positive sign that the antibiotics are working and is known as the Jarish-Herxheimer reaction. Commonly this name is abbreviated to Herxheimer, or simply “Herx.”

A Herxheimer occurs because the Bb bacteria, under attack from the antibiotics, start to break up and die, releasing toxins and other harmful debris as they do so. This, in turn, causes the body’s immune system to temporarily go into overdrive in order to cope with the abrupt deluge of toxins and debris.

A Herxheimer can last from a few days to two weeks or more, depending on how disseminated the Bb bacteria is in the body. The greater the dissemination, generally the longer a Herxheimer will last. During this time, in addition to the temporary worsening of previous Lyme symptoms, one may also experience chills, fevers, headache, nausea, and even a drop in blood pressure levels. Don’t be alarmed by this, and don’t stop taking the antibiotics that have been prescribed. Do, however, contact your physician to let him know what you are experiencing, so that he can determine if your symptoms are due to Herxheimer and rule out a true allergic response to the drugs. Two “natural” ways to reduce the symptoms of Herxheimers are hydration (2 to 3 quarts of quality water a day) and the bioflavonoid quercitin (500–1500 mg per day).

Another important consideration to be aware of is that major Herxes generally occur during the Bb bacteria’s growth phase (which phase is also known as a “Lyme cycle”). This is also the time during the Bb bacteria’s life cycle that antibiotics are most effective in eradicating them, since they are most vulnerable during this phase. Lyme’s growth phase occurs approximately every three to four weeks (up to six weeks maximum), and therefore, intermittent symptom flare-ups or Herxes usually also will occur at those same intervals. These cyclerelated Herxes continue to occur over time until a sufficient quantity of Bb has been killed off. In most cases, symptoms of subsequent Herxheimer reactions are shorter and less severe than the initial one, indicating that treatment is progressing successfully. If your reactions continue to be of the same severity and duration, this may be a sign that there is dysregulation of your immune system that needs to be addressed or that the antibiotic regimen may need adjustment. Also, there are times when untreated co-infections need immediate attention, after which time Lyme can be successfully addressed. Whatever the cause, it is important to alert your physician if your Herxheimer symptoms continue unabated.

Dos Mariposas

I was looking out the window this afternoon gazing at my tomato plants and I noticed a butterfly on a leaf. I couldn't tell what kind of butterfly it was and the more I looked the more I was sure there was something else on the leaf as well. So, I decided to sneek out to take a peek and I found two butterflies. They were doing it! I was able to run back inside, grab the camera and snap a few photos. After a few minutes they flew away in an embrace. It was pretty awesome. My guess right now is that this could be a Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae (Linnaeus, 1758). Note the large size of it's head and only four legs. They have six like all other insects, but the front ones are so small that they are rendered useless. Weird. For more info on this interesting butterfly check out http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1664
I sure like these butterflies better then the gophers in my garden.

You look good

WARNING: rambling and venting both occur in this post

People keep telling me that I look good. I'm glad because I feel like crap and at least I know I still look good. Also I can control the way I look, unlike how I feel. So I try to at least look good. On the other hand, because I'm not ovbiously broken or sick looking and not bed ridden I think people don't understand that I am sick and I don't feel good.

Lyme is not like the flu, you can walk around all day and do things and no one would even know if you didn't tell them. However, I feel like I've had the flu for a year or more. I'm tired all the time and I sleep a lot. Sleeping doesn't even seem to help. And, if I'm really tired then I get insomnia and don't fall asleep until 1am or later. I have woken up with a headache every day for 3 days in a row. My teeth ach for no reason. I feel like there is coton or spider webs in my brain. Everything is foggy and unclear. I can't process new information very quickly. Sometimes reading is hard because when my brain is coudy my vision often also gets blury. I can't remember things. I mean I really cant remember. I often ask several times a day what day it is. Sometimes the only reason I know is because I have 3 dialy pill reminders that are labeled with the days of the week. I sometimes can't remember what I did the previous day or why I walked into a room. I walk around the house in circles trying to get one thing done but everytime I go into a new room I forget why it was I went in there in the first place. I'm sorry if I have forgotten your birthday, anniversary, party, child's birthday, special event, what we talked about last, why I called, or what I was trying to say. It was not on purpose or out of neglect, just that I simply can't remeber.

One of the things I have a hard time remembering is how to get places. I can imagine in my mind where I am and where I want to go, but the path in between is fuzzy. It's hard to give directions to my house and when I stop to think about it for I while I can feel the other person thinking, don't you know how to get to your own house? I get the same thing when I can't remember my phone number or....... (forgot already).

This is part of the reason I don't drive anymore. I end up somewhere other then where I wanted to go. I can't decide when I come to an intersection which way I need to go and next thing I know I'm not where I thought I was going. I'm also having a hard time judging the speed and distance of other cars. I'm now that old lady that waits until the road is completly clear in both directions before I creep into the road. I get vey anxious about even the thought of driving and my heart starts beating faster. Driving also hurts my arms. It used to be just my left arm after longer trips, but now it's both arms and sometimes my hands cramp up or go numb. My knees and hips also get achy and crampy when I sit in the car for a while. It has even bcome uncomfortable for me to go on longer rides with Emiliano driving. I'm always asking to pull over so I can get out and stretch or go to the bathroom or get something else to eat. Please understand that if I can't attend your event it is probably because I either don't feel good or can't get there. If you haven't seen me in a while those are likely the two reasons why. Please understand that I still want to be friends with everyone, I still want to hang out and do things and go places. I just can't do all the things I used to, I usually need a ride, and I have to go slower then normal. But I'm still interested so please don't stop asking or inviting me. I really appreciate it.

My arms hurt so much and are so weak it hurts me to hold babies, or groceries (can't go grocery shopping alone), or a few books, or hangers with clothing, or a pan of water. So please forgive me if it seems like I'm not helping out or chipping in, or if I don't want to hold your kid. I would love to be doing all those things and more, but it simply is not comfortable for me.

I'm sorry to vent like this, but I have been feling like crap for a few days now and I feel like very few people understand me and what I'm going through. Oh yeah, I'm not depressed. I am actually really happy inside, but it's hard to express it the way I used to because that takes a lot of energy. But, please believe me when I tell you I'm happy and not depressed. Bummed out sometimes for sure, but it always passes and the giggles return. I am a bit chemically unballanced because the Lyme bacteria release a toxins into your body when they die and that has efects on my mood and processing and such. But I think anyone who has been sick for 3 years would have a few imballances every now and then.

Thank you to everyone who has called, asked how am am, offered to help, actually helped, donated time, items, money, bought jewelry, given love and support. I can't believe all the wonderful things people are doing for me. I really appreciate it a lot. I feel like this disease has brogught me closer to some people and that part about it I really like. Please continue to call, email, stop by, help out, check in, etc. I'm going to need it even more when Emiliano goes back to school. Please also ask him how he is doing as well. He spends so much of his free time taking care of me and I know it isn't easy for him all the time. I'm so lucky to have him and wonderful friends around to support me.

Thanks for listening.