2017 Highlights

Hello everyone!

I just thought I'd touch base as it's been a while.  2017 has been an interesting year in the Lyme world with more publicity for Lyme and some small, but positive steps with regard to advocacy.

Firstly, we saw the establishment of the G. Magnotta Lyme Disease Research Lab at the University of Guelph this year, with a $1.4 million grant from the government.  I had been waiting for this announcement for a couple of years.  The last I had heard, it was supposed to be in conjunction with the Humber River Hospital, but apparently that plan fell through.  I am glad to see this partnership established and look forward to hearing about their research. 

Secondly, we saw some baby steps towards progress in conversations between a particular Lyme advocacy group and the federal government.  Sue Faber and Jennifer Kravis call themselves LymeHope, and they had a very successful campaign to collect and deliver 2 700 letters from Lyme sufferers all over Canada to then Health Minister Jane Philpott.  Click on the LymeHope link to read more about their story and what is in store.  I was pleased to be one of the 2 700 people to tell my story to the Health Minister.  Thank you so much, Sue and Jennifer, for your tireless effort!

This year, we saw Lori Dennis, a psychotherapist from Toronto, promote her new book, Lyme Madness.  The book recounts her son's harrowing journey to heal from Lyme, but in addition, she does a fabulous job explaining the roadblocks we face in Canada with regard to our medical system.  All of your questions about the madness of this situation will be answered in her book.  Her book also includes dozens of accounts from Lyme sufferers in Canada.  I was so pleased to have my personal story included in her book.  This book is a fantastic read and I highly encourage everyone to get a copy!

I have spent some time updating a few things on my blog.  If you check out my Books tab above, I have added several new books to the list.  More is being written about Lyme every year it seems, and "famous" Lyme sufferers are coming out of the woodwork, with several publishing their Lyme stories.

I have also added an update to the My Lyme Story tab above.  If you scroll down to the end, there is some information about what's been going on with me the past couple of years.  Every day is a struggle, but through those struggles, I have come to better understand God's blessings in my life.

I'm praying for you all, and hoping for a better future for all of us Lyme sufferers in Canada.
 

Important! Sign up for the conference webinar!

Dear Canadian Friends,

The Canadian government is holding a conference on Lyme Disease as per the requirements of Elizabeth May's law - A Federal Framework on Lyme Disease Act. This is the very first step in discussing the abominable situation Lyme sufferers here find themselves in. Obviously we can't all attend the conference, but we can sign up to view it in webinar format. Even if you do not wish to watch the conference, would you mind taking a moment to fill out the webinar application? We are trying to show the government that there is truly some interest in this issue. The link is https://t.co/aCqAcsKwD6. Scroll down to where it says "PDF fillable form". Submit your information.

Thank you for considering this.

Canadian Lyme conference coming

This just made me cry.  Bless her heart for being so brave.

 

 

I do applaud the U.S. government for moving forward with hearings such as this.  But it's just too slow of a process while young people such as this girl in the video, watch their childhood and teen years pass by. 

 

Canada will be hosting a Federal Framework on Lyme Disease Conference in Ottawa on May 16-17.  Read about it here.  This is required as part of the Federal Framework on Lyme Disease law that was passed a couple of years ago, spearheaded by MP and Green Party leader Elizabeth May.  Let us hope and pray that the message gets through to the health community.  Perhaps there will never be agreement between the two opposing sides in this controversy (IDSA vs. ILADS), but please, oh please, release doctors from the constraints and allow them to treat patients using whichever standard of practice they deem to be best for the situation.

 

Awoooooooooooooooo!



Today is a full moon.  But I probably didn't have to tell you that if you have Lyme.  Are you feeling worse today?  More neuro symptoms?  More fatigued?  More anxious?  I'm answering yes to all of the above.  I suppose that there is some strange relief in knowing that the cause is the full moon, and that I'm joined by countless others who are enduring this.

So yes, my Lyme has returned.  I'm having a bit of a relapse after having been antibiotic-free for 6 months.  Oh, how I was so enjoying the freedom of being pill-free!!!  But in December, my symptoms started to creep back.  To be honest, I had been neglecting the triad of good health:  eating well, sleeping enough, and exercising regularly.  It just got so busy in December preparing for Christmas, celebrating Christmas, cleaning up from Christmas, then writing report cards for the last 3 weeks.  I've been burning the midnight oil and eating too much gluten and sugar, which is just bad news all around. 

I've smartened up now, and am working on all 3 of these areas.  New Year's goals:  1) At least 7 hours of sleep a night  2) Eat grain-free and sugar-free (with the exception of one gluten-free starchy carb serving at dinner)  3) Exercise 3 times a week once I get my sleep stabilized.  Sadly, I'm back on antibiotics and have an appointment with my LLMD in a couple of weeks.

I noticed that I was feeling particularly bad this week and decided to check the calendar.  Yup...a full moon was approaching.  Do you believe in this full moon stuff?  It is not superstition, you know; it is science.  I have only to look at the behaviour of my students during a full moon to attest to the fact that the gravitational pull on the Earth affects us physically and mentally.  And it is certain that this phenomenon affects the reproductive cycle of Borrelia burgdorferi. 

I went in search of an explanation of this online, and found this interesting article which explains why we feel worse during the full moon, and sometimes the new moon.  Apparently, animals are sensitive to electromagnetic energy, and this includes microorganisms.  When the Borrelia sense the electromagnetic changes of these time periods, they are programmed to reproduce.  When they reproduce, there are obviously more organisms floating around your body.  The antibiotics are therefore killing off more bacteria than normal during this time, and you end up with a herxheimer reaction.  In other words, you feel crummy!  (Or let's say, crummier than normal.)

So there you have it.  You're not crazy.  It's a real phenomenon.  Do all you can to support your body and detox.  Drink plenty of water.  Add lemon to your water.  Take a detox bath.  Sleep.

Thinking of you all, and hoping you feel better soon.