Never Say You Are Wrapping Up the Year with One Last Visit to the ER...

"The doctors are fired. The nurses are fired, even the lidocaine is fired." -Me

Starting back with the protocol this month has been hard, but I am keeping my head

above water. This week it seemed that each day after treatment was much worse than the IV days. Tuesday was the most difficult day of this week. One IV abx makes me so tired, but the one following gives me insomnia, worse than I already have. My stomach has been unrelenting as well.

Friday started out okay, blood work, errands picking up meds, Lactated Ringers, and such. Pretty big day for me.

BUT then we had a bandage change in the evening, which turned into another ER visit. Last week we were in the ER because I popped a stitch and the other was compromised. The ER doctor re-sutured and so last week all was well, or so we thought. So back to the most recent change, on bandage change. Mom saw that the stitch was untied, not popped, but untied.

So, to the ER we went.

The doctor that triaged me in was also the doctor who sutured my port the week prior. Remember the sutures must be in to anchor my port in so it doesn’t come out. Important business. That doctor asked questions and alluded that it was my fault, that I must have popped it. But said plainly the stitch was not tied down and that is not something I could have down. Once in my own ER room, a different doctor came to re-suture. There were many things that were a bit questionable with the whole thing and sterile fields. The doctor gave me some lidocaine to numb the area. Normally when you get numbed, the doctor or nurse taps around to see if you can feel the area still. OH no, not this doctor and I sure wish he had. I felt everything. It was quite painful. When the needle went in my skin, I felt it and told him, I was convinced he would stop what he was doing and numb again. NOPE just kept going and it hurt. All I could do was clench and bear it and so I did. After the sutures were finished the nurse came in to put a new e bandage on. Unfortunately, he did not clean it according to the instructed products and my skin began to burn, more painful than the suturing.

We got home and mom notice there was blood around my port, so we had to make sure nothing bad was going on. All was okay, but as mom changed the bandage again, she could see my skin blistering from where the nurse used the wrong medicine on my skin. It later went on to scab over, still burning and tender. It was all kind of a raw deal and definitely the most expensive four bandage changes we've ever had! haha.)

The ER trip made for a very stressful night and by the time we got home I was several medications behind as well as four IV bags behind schedule. Each must be spaced a certain number of hours apart, which meant we were going to be up at 4:30 AM finishing bags. The emergency on call doctor in D.C. told me to push everything one day forward.

Monday (December 13) I begin a five day “kill zone” which includes six IV bags, several oral antibiotics, and an added oral antibiotic that supposedly is very harsh on the system, but a big dog in fighting Lyme Disease.

Several pockets of Joy this week include, working with the kiddos to learn the names of the New Testament with a catchy song, getting detailed pictures from each kid, the Craig's and I got to visit over lunch one day, my sister is taking strides in healing from her surgery, I got to watch my family set up Christmas decorations, and mom bought me some lovely flowers. Also, #25daysofchristmas2021 is well on its way (feel free to join.)

BUT best of all I ate a banana. I haven’t had a banana in at least

1.5 years maybe more. I was suddenly really sick, and I went in the

kitchen, saw the banana and just, decided it was okay to eat. (I have a lot of dietary restrictions and allergies.) It was like the best banana of my life! SO excited to slowly add this into my food routine!

Please be praying for me and my family as this week comes up:

-my body withstand complying with my next protocol

-the consistent pain and nausea

-my inflammatory markers from my blood work still being extremely high

-the stress that this season brings on because it leads to more inflammation

-the emotional/mental toll that this kind of long-term aggressive treatment takes on a patient.

-Treatment finances. I need $8,000 by the 30th of December.

-For my family dealing with multiple health issues.

*****Most importantly PLEASE be interceding for my precious aunt Joni. She is in the hospital and still on a ventilator. We have had so much loss in my family over the last few years, we just can’t lose her too. She and my uncle literally pray for me every day, so faithfully covering me, now I’m asking you to again please be covering her in prayer. (Even pass it on to friends, family, and church groups.) *****

I REALLY appreciate your love, encouragement, all your support, and prayers.