Hey everyone,
So I know it’s been a while since I wrote. As you know, if you have been following my journey, I have recently had a few major things come up. I traveled home a few weeks back for the sudden passing of my uncle and after I returned I ended up getting pretty sick.
I have been pretty sick for the last few weeks and have only recently been improving. I guess you can say it was a cold, but it might have been a sinus infection. I ended up developing a pretty nasty cough and along with natural remedies like essential oil, daily saline nasal rinses, camomile tea (per Dr. Micheal’ suggestions), and decongestants, I had to use the nebulizer with albuterol for a short period of time. I did this in hopes of avoiding antibiotics, helping my horrid cough, and also breaking up all the gross stuff in my chest.
Thankfully it helped. The cold is still lingering with a slightly scratchy throat, mucus buildup, and sometimes a cough, but I am really happy that I did not have to resort to antibiotics (with that being my last resort).
My symptoms may be lingering due to the fact that I have been practicing for my ballroom studio’s showcase, which happened Saturday night.
Thanks to my stems, since I have gotten back from Germany there has been a decrease in my body pain. This was one of my major symptoms. With that being said, because I pushed myself a little further than I probably should have to dance in the showcase my body is now paying the price.
I have had an increase in pain the last 4 days and because of this I will be taking a break from dance this week and trying to rest as much as I can for the holidays.
On the flip side, I have not really seen an increase in energy or a decrease in fatigue. Now, this could be a result of me being sick and increasing the amount of dancing I usually do, but there is no way of really knowing for sure. I have also had an increase in how emotional I am and an increase in acne, which is apparently normal for women going through the stem cell journey.
I’m tearing up more than I usually would and finding a new pimple almost every day. To be honest, it kind of takes me back to being in high school and going through that oh-so-wonderful teenage puberty stage. I also feel like I am in a constant state of PMS, although I don’t have the intense mood swings.
Anyway, moving on.
I wanted to talk a little more about my dancing. I wanted to touch upon how grateful I am that I actually still have the ability to dance even during my 100 days. It is my way of getting that little bit of exercise in, but also a time for me to do something for me. It is really something I look forward to and it has brought me a lot of happiness…even if sometimes my instructor is tough on me when it comes to technique and getting it right. I think having that one thing you can rely on as somewhat of an escape, even if only for a few minutes, is super important throughout this process.
Researching, reading, and thinking about Lyme treatment options and the stem cell route can be so overwhelming at times that it is so nice to get away even if just for an hour. In my experience going to my dance lessons has allowed me to not think about the pain I may be in, or how frustrated I am with my emotions, or how hard this entire thing can actually be. I am sure many of you have that something that takes your mind off all of what you may be going through, but if you don’t I would encourage you to explore things until you find it because it could truly be the thing that gives you the motivation to keep fighting and pushing through (some examples include crafting, learning how to crochet, coloring, etc.)
So, considering everything else that has been going on I think, for the most part, things have been going well. I am hoping to see more significant changes in the weeks to come and I hope to see a change in my energy before I start school again in January.
If I don’t write again before the end of the end of the month, I want to make sure I wish all of you a very happy holiday.
Stay strong!
Yours truly,
Abby
Live. LYME. Love. 