Welcome to Praying For Lymies

*** Want to be featured? See this post that has the survey and instructions.*** (August 2011)

***
Leave a comment below their biography to post a prayer for a Lymie.

*** Please go to the
FAQ section to see some of the questions I have already been asked about the blog.

This is being hosted and monitored by Jennifer from Living the Lyme Life.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Jenny N.

Jenny is a 33 year old Lyme patient from Connecticut. She has been diagnosed with Lyme, Babesia and Bartonella. In addition to these tick borne illnesses, she has also been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, IBS, Dystaunomia, POTS, Endometriosis, OVarian Cysts, and IC.

Jenny doesn't recall a tick bite. After spending her first 7 years in Iowa, Jenny moved to Connecticut where she lived until 1990. At that time, she moved to another CT town. She still lives there. Jenny has considered herself a very sickly person since she was about 5 years old. Her doctors informed her parents that she was just a child with a weakened immune system which caused her to be sickly. She had numerous bouts of pneumonia and strep throat. She also seemed to pick up everything that went around.

In her 7th grade year of school, Jenny began having gastrointestinal issues and missed months of school. After test after test, she was diagnosed with IBS and sent away. She continued to live with that diagnosis with the help of medications. In 1995, she was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and thus began Paxil for the next 12 years. She was unable to wean herself off of the Paxil until then because the withdrawls were so bad that she had to remain on them. Paxil also seemed to help control her IBS.

In 1997, Jenny gave birth to her son and later developed Ovarian Cysts and Endometriosis. In 2005, she was diagnosed with IC after having bladder issues. A mere two years later, a Rheumatologist diagnosed with her Fibromyalgia. After Jenny had Endometriosis surgery in October of 2008, things went downhill drastically. Within days, she was unable to stand alone. She had to hold onto walls, she lost her balance and had severe heart involvement. She could barely think due to the brain fog she experienced.

By this time, Jenny knew that there was something drastically wrong and began her quest on the internet. She continually came up with Lyme Disease, but was confused since she had continued to test negative for Lyme through all the years of testing. She found the nearest LLMD and was clinically diagnosed in November 2008. She has been on aggressive IV treatment since June with a very well known LLMD. She has been under his care since April of 2009.

Jenny also takes oral medications and supplements. As of this time, her LLMD plans to have her on IV until the spring. They will try to transition her strictly to oral medications at that point. Jenny was supposed to be off the IV by now, but she developed a PICC line infection and had to have her first line pulled. Now that she has her new line, she is continuing treatment.

The list of Jenny's symptoms are length. This biography would be remiss if I didn't include all of her symptoms. So in no particular order of intensity, Jenny's symptoms are as follows: dizziness, weakness in her legs, arms and hands, difficulty writing, dropping things, strange sensations in her throat and pain in her neck and throat. She experiences achiness in her lower back, difficult breathing where she feels as if she can't get enough air, blurry/fuzzy vision, shakiness and severe brain fog. Vibrations in her head, feeling of pressure and tingliness, headaches, exhaustion and insomnia also plague her. Jenny also has tightness in her throat and neck muscles, nausea, loss of appetite and extreme weight loss. Her hearing has changed and it now sounds like a tunnel. She sees spots and lines, is sensitive to light, noise and smells, is off balance and lightheaded. Jenny has oral thrust, heaviness in her head and body, heart racing even with low blood pressure and experiences burning under her skin sensations in her face, chest and arms. She isn't able to concentrate, has ringing in her ears, hot flashes, numbness and tingling in her face, arms, legs and tongue. Jenny is cold all the time, experiences dry coughs, anxiety, clammy feet and hands. Chills, heart palpitations, low grade fevers and shortness of breath are among Jenny's symptoms too. Overall, Jenny just doesn't feel well. She doesn't feel like doing anything, but lay down.

In addition to her own illness, Jenny has a 12 year old son who also has been diagnosed with Lyme Disease. Christian has been sick since the day he was born. He had terribly issues eating and couldn't keep anything down (including breast milk). Every time he would eat, he would get sick. At a mere 2 weeks old, he underwent an Endoscopy. The doctors speculated that his digestive tract was not fully developed and it appeared that he had acid reflux.

Christian continued to pick up every illness that went around which included pneumonia and many viral illnesses. His adenoids were removed in 2002 and 3 years later he had to have 1/2 of his thyroid removed because he had a large goiter. Over the past few years, he began developing severe night sweats, high fevers (which reached 105), dizziness, headaches and severe stomach upset. She went through every kind of specialist to find the cause of his problems including an Oncologist. In 2008, he had his tonsils removed because he had continual swollen glands. Each doctor could find nothing wrong and he was eventually diagnosed with Periodic Fever Syndrome. This past October 2009, Jenny took him to see the Dr. J in CT (the best pediatric Lyme Doctor). He was diagnosed with Lyme and Babesia. He is currently undergoing treatment.

Jenny's prayers are that God gives her family the strength to overcome such a terrible illness. She desires to come out on the other side of this healthier than they have ever been. She prays that God will bless them with wonderful health. She wants God to show her hope and help her keep the faith that they will overcome Lyme and company.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Dear Anonymous ....

If you want to be featured, let me know by leaving a comment on this post. Please leave an email address so that we can correspond about your upcoming feature. I approve ALL comments and ALL post 2 blog messages. So you can write your email address in the comment and no one else will see it.

I have two anonymous commenter(s) that want to be featured, but I have no way to contact you. So please leave a comment in this message with your email address so that I can get in touch with you. (OR if I'm your friend on facebook, then you can leave me your name so I can contact you that way).

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Charlene's Music

First .... a little birdie told me that Charlene's birthday is today. So

Happy Birthday Charlene!

Second .. here's the song for Charlene. :)

Bring the Rain: Mercy Me

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You
Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain

I am Yours regardless of
The dark clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what's a little rain
So I pray

Holy, holy, holy
Is the Lord God Almighty

Friday, December 25, 2009

Charlene's biography

I'd like to introduce our next Lymie to you all. Charlene is a 39 year old from Indiana. She is currently diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease and Fibromyalgia.

Charlene was originally bitten by a tick in 1985, but wasn't diagnosed with Lyme Disease until 1986. At the time, the doctor told her mom that she needed to seek appropriate treatment. However they never found help or support groups. Since they weren't able find this help, she was never treated appropriately. However, she was put on antibiotics by her GP. This was only for a couple weeks at a time here and there. She finally became well enough to work part time and even that was a struggle for Charlene. She was always so sick, but she always pushed herself to continue. In May of 2007, Charlene was bitten again and had the classic bulls eye rash. The Lyme Disease became full blown and she has been bed-ridden since then.

Charlene has excruciating pain that is constant 24 hours a day 7 days a week. She has cardiac symptoms and often feels as if she is going to pass out. She has difficulty walking and has sore & achy muscles. Often feels constant flu like symptoms along with sharp stabbing and throbbing pain. The treatments she has endured have been unsuccessful.

She has exhausted all options that she can think of. Her prayers are that God will grant her the strength she needs to endure the battle at hand. On a personal note, I would like for you all to pray that Charlene can find a physician willing to treat her complicated condition. I won't go into detail about what she shared, but please pray for an open minded physician that can help her. She currently isn't on any treatment for LD.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Coming soon

In the next few days, I will be posting a new biography about Charlene. Keep your eyes peeled for a new opportunity to pray for a Lymie.

Also if you're interested in being featured, check out this post.

Make a comment and as Charlene found out, you'll get notified pretty quickly if you leave an email address for me to respond to. :o) I get notified of new emails whenever I open up my Yahoo Messenger. When I go to my Yahoo mail box, I get notified of new comments on Praying for Lymies. So if you leave your email address in the comments, I get them right away. I check my email pretty much twice a day. First thing in the morning when I wake (around 5am) and then when I get home. Sometimes it's more than that. Sometimes it's less than that.

One things for certain, most of the time a day doesn't go by when I don't check in the blog to see if I have new comments to approve.

So get me busy guys. I want to biographies to post. I want to do new updates on old biographies. Give me something to do in 2010. :)

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Hi Strangers

Know anyone that wants to be featured? Leave a comment with contact information. :)

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Music for Valinda



If everything comes down to love
Then just what am I afraid of
When I call out Your name
Something inside awakes in my soul
How quickly I forget I'm Yours

(PRE-CHORUS)
I'm not my own
I've been carried by You
All my life

(CHORUS)
Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

When my life is like a storm
Rising waters all I want is the shore
You say I'll be ok and
Make it through the rain
You are my shelter from the storm

(CHORUS)
Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free

I am not my own
I've been carried by you all my life

(CHORUS)
Everything rides on hope now
Everything rides on faith somehow
When the world has broken me down
Your love sets me free
(Repeat 2x)

(CHORUS 2)
You've become my hearts desire
I will sing Your praises higher
Cause Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free
Your love sets me free

Prayers for a special LLMD

A few days ago, I heard about the most amazing Dr. J in South Carolina. I didn't hear about "him" because I've known of him for years. This amazing doctor was practicing in North Carolina. I had the opportunity to choose him, but I decided to against the popular Lyme physician and go with a lesser known doctor because of all the legal trouble's Dr. J was in at the time.

Upon exiting the state of North Carolina, he met with the SC big wigs in the medical community and had their support. However, their support has dwindled in the last two years and he is no longer welcome. He has made the decision to move his practice to DC. I believe that most of his patients are informed of this decision. So based on this information, I ask for you to pray not only for him during his move, but also for his patients that have moved from his practice from NC to SC and now to DC.

I wondered about all of this and was already praying for all of these things when I heard the rest of the news. Two or three (and this is all hearsay about the time line) weeks ago, Dr. J found out that his lovely wife had breast cancer. I am not sure about the specifics of her breast cancer, but my MIL is a breast cancer survivor. Please pray that Dr. J's wife can become a survivor as well. This is such a tricky disease with stages and spreading and I am not sure what stage his wife is in or if it's spread to other areas.

As if this wasn't quite a lot on Dr. J's plate, a week after he found out about his wife ... they learned that their 5 year old daughter has Leukemia. Please pray for Dr. J, his wife and his daughter as they undergo treatments. It is a scary situation for all involved. The saying is that God won't give you anything you can't handle. Dr. J has proven already that he is one tough doctor and man. He has helped the AIDS & Lyme community greatly. I imagine this will also give him the power to not only fight these two communities, but he will also bring his greatness to fight for cancer patients as well.

Sp please please pray for Dr. J, his family and all of the Lyme community (and in addition to all cancer patients and survivors and families).

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Debbie's Biography

Our next featured Lymie is Debbie from Arizona. In 2000, this 45 year old woman was bedridden ill. The doctors found many illnesses which included Valley Fever, Toxoplasmosis, E Histolyitica, H Pylori, Candida, Epstein Barr, Herpes 1 2 7 8. It took Deb four years to find a Vector Borne Illness doctor that discovered her Lyme, Bartonella and Babesia.

In 2004, she began Antibiotic Treatment. Deb made slow (very slow) progress through 2007 when she was able to get out of bed for up to 10 hours. She even started to swim in her residential pool or walk daily. It was nice progress, but she was still too sick to work.

However in 2008, Deb got a very severe strain of the flu and relapsed reactivating infections. She had to start all over again. She is currently having a tougher time than ever. Deb has needed to be more aggressive by doing IV antibiotics and recently began going to an intensive Integrative Clinic.

By approaching her treatment using alternative & conventional therapies, she is being hit hard with symptoms. She's having trouble finding an LLMD who do full Lyme protocols and support IV medications. If anyone in or near Arizona knows of a doctor who do use IV antibiotics, please comment so that Deb can connect with you.

Deb has many symptoms. The things that bother her the most are being in severe pain, having severe fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, memory loss, concentration problems, blurry vision, insomnia, stiffness, joint pain, nausea, urination problems, constipation, and sensitivity to light and noise.

Deb has taken all of her resources and risked a lot to be able to pay for intensive treatment including selling her car and taking out an equity mortgage. She may wind up having to live with family or move if the treatment doesn't push her forward enough to take care of her home or be able to work to obtain income.

Please pray for Deb to receive strength to get through this time and healing energy will be sent her way. Please send positive thoughts, love, encouragement and healing thoughts in Deb's direction by leaving comments for her to read. Please pray for her.

She says "God Bless."

Friday, September 11, 2009

Katherine's Music



Revelation Song by Hillsong (Holy Holy Holy)

Worthy is the, Lamb who was slain
Holy, Holy, is He
Sing a new song, to him who sits on
Heaven's mercy seat

Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come
With all creation I sing
Praise to the King of Kings
You are my everything
And I will adore You

Clothed in rainbows, of living color
Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder
Blessing and honor, strength and glory and power be
to You the only wise King

Filled with wonder, awestruck wonder
At the mention of your name
Jesus your name is power
Breath, and living water
Such a marvelous mystery
Yeah...

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Katherine M.'s Biography

Our next featured Lymie is in her late 50's. Katherine M lives in Arizona and has been diagnosed with Lyme Disease (along with co-infections). Back in October of 2001, Katherine became too sick to continue to work, do household chores, walk and read. Katherine was finally diagnosed with Lyme Disease in 2003 and began treatment.

Katherine's largest symptom are cognitive. She can not sit upright or be on her feet longer than 5 to 20 minutes. She needs lots of downtime and often types lying down with the keyboard on her legs. Katherine is in a forced vegetative state from about 10 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon. She isn't sleeping. She just is there. She has lost her ability to multi-task, read novels, cook dinner and tires easily. Katherine has been taking Amoxicillian & Biaxin for several months now.

Katherine needs to be able to move closer to her LLMD and a primary care physician who will prescribe her the medications and testing that she needs. She is in need of insurance to provide as much as possible since she doesn't have the funds to pay out of pocket. She needs prayers to know where to move as well as approval from the Section 8 Housing to provide her a quiet and safe place to live. Prayers for funding for both housing and for treatment are needed as well. Once Katherine finds a new place to live she's hoping to find help with packing, moving and unpacking. So please pray that God sends her people to assist her with these needs.

She is hoping that she will be approved for workman's compensation and they will provide the treatment she needs to regain her health as well as funds to move closer to her LLMD. Katherine has been blessed by the donation of two power chairs. One is for when she can not hold herself upright. She's also been blessed with a service dog, SSI and a safe, quiet, clean place to live. She is hoping that section 8 housing will be providing help with household chores twice a month starting this month.

Katherine is slowly seeing improvements, but feels that a lack of funds is causing it to take so long. She is very thankful for the medications and supplements that have been provided. She is thankful for everyone thoughts & prayers and hopes this will help people know how to pray.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Coming Soon

I've had one Lymie email about being featured. I can't wait to get Katherine's story online for everyone to read. Please know that if you want to be featured all you have to do is either leave a comment or read above to instructions on how to contact me. Make sure you leave your email address so I can contact you. It also makes it easier if you go ahead and fill out the questionnaire to send in.

Here is the survey again:

Name
Age
Location
Illnesses
Symptoms
Background Story
Treatment Plan
Family Members w/ it?
Specific Prayer Needs
Website if applicable
Email address so that I can contact you.

Please please please .. if you want to be featured, let me know by leaving a comment on this post. Please leave an email address so that we can correspond about your upcoming feature. I approve ALL comments and ALL post 2 blog messages. So you can write your email address in the comment and no one else will see it.

First come first serve. There is a list on the left hand side of people that have said they want to be featured, but that have not gotten me their survey back. So first people to get me back the survey will be featured first ... As requests come in, names will be added to the side bar so that I know what order the original requests came in.

Do you know someone that wants to be featured? Share with them this blog. Publish it on myspace, facebook and wherever else you know. Been featured in the past and want to give an update? Contact me via the comment section and we'll see what we can do. :D

Sunday, August 30, 2009

For the Beauty of the Earth



This hymn gives me chills. I sang it in a choir camp one year in my youth and it's one of my favorites.

If you want to be featured, let me know by posting a comment with your contact information. I approve all comments so your contact information will be left private.

Friday, July 31, 2009

Amy Z's Music



For the Glory of Your Name Michelle Tumes
God You keep us without failing
As You watch us from above
In our comings and our goings
Sheltered by Your precious love
In the pouring rain of mercy
Comes the grace by which we're saved
For the glory of Your Name
For the glory of Your Name

You have touched our lives forever
Can we be the same again
May our hearts be ever faithful
Ever faithful as a friend
Let us live that we may serve You
Overflowing with Your praise
For the glory of Your Name
For the glory of Your Name

We behold the man of sorrows
Hanging there upon a cross
Where we wounded One so holy
Yet these wounds are life to us
For the blood You shed was perfect
And Your finished work remains
For the glory of Your Name
For the glory of Your Name

Now we life our eyes to heaven
See You seated on the throne
Still rejoicing in Your promise
This is where our hope is found
For we know that You are coming
Every tongue will sing Your fame
For the glory of Your Name
For the glory of Your Name

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Amy Z's Biography

Amy Z is a 27 year old Lyme patient that lives in Cincinnati Ohio. Amy has Lyme Disease, Babesia, CPN, Mycoplasma, Bartonella and Erlichia. Amy's doctor also suspects that there may be some foreign (tropical) infections that she may have picked up from internetional volunteer work based on her initial and recurring symptoms.

Amy struggles with a variety of symptoms, but the currently the symptoms that give her the most problems are severe fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy and severe GI problems. She has nausea, gastropareisis and functional vagal neuropathy.

Amy fell ill very suddenly upon returning home from a medical mission trip to the mountains of Ecuador almost 5 years ago. She was a new RN graduate and had just recently passed her boards. She had a job that she loved, was active in her church and was very excited about her future. Life as she knew it suddenly changed when she fell ill. Of course her doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. Amy went to them with severe GI problems and they progressed rapidly to involve neurological as well as flu like symptoms. She was never able to return to her full time job.

Even though Amy had abnormal test results, her doctors still weren't able to figure out what had caused the damage much less the severity of her symptoms. She saw specialist after specialist, but no one could help her. Amy tried everything in and out of the book to help relieve her symptoms including: acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, chiropractic, functional medicine, homeopathy, and naturopathic medicine. Some of them helped temporarily, but none of them stopped the progression of her illness.

After four years, she began to lose her vision. Amy grew so weak she felt as if she would die if she didn't find help soon. At that point, her Naturopath suggested that Amy might have Lyme Disease and insisted that she see an LLMD for treatment. Finally, she saw Dr. H in NY last summer and the ND was right. Much of the last year has been trial and error trying to find just the right protocol. Amy had a PICC Line placed this past spring and started IV Rocephin and combined that with several oral medications. She praises God that she is finally noticing progress with that combination of meds. It has renewed her hope that she can and will be well again.

Amy wants you all to pray that God will continue the good work that He has started by continuing to heal her. She wants God to guide her doctor in the treatment decisions especially since her GI symptoms have come back recently. Amy thanks God for how he has provided for her over the last few years. She could not have made it with her own strength. She feels it is truly a miracle that she has been able to work at all during this time. Please pray that God will continue to provide for her financially as she is single and only able to work part time to provide for herself.

Amy is now having to appeal her insurance company for IV coverage so she could use prayers that God will continue to move in her behalf. There was confusion by the insurance company and they have now denied two months worth of coverage and she is currently paying out of pocket for IV coverage. It is also her prayer that as God heals her that he will grant her with new hopes, goals and dreams. That He will put His will in Amy's heart so that she will only follow Him. Amy had given up on a future being sick so long. She needs God to guide her. She just wants to please God and in all that she does she wants to glorify, honor and obey Him. She wants her life to be useful for His purpose. She really misses being active in her church and community. She wants to be ready to "Go" when God says "Go."

Friday, July 17, 2009

Renee & Joel's Biographies

Renee is our next featured Lyme along with her husband Joel. They are a married couple in their early 60's from the Midwest. Renee has Neurological Lyme Disease, Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS), Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). Renee suffers from chronic bone pain, muscle & joint pain, poly-neuropathy, brain fog, memory problems, tinnitus and other Lyme symptoms. Renee also has allergies to a lot of different foods, chemicals, grasses and molds.

Renee's Lyme Disease
went undiagnosed for 23 years. In 1991, she was given a diagnosis of CFIDS. She has also been diagnosed with arthritis, autoimmune thyroid disease and MCS over the years. She got to 50 percent of her former self with the help of alternative medicine when she was probably reinfected from Joel's infection in 2000. As time passed, Renee began to get more sick until she was home-bound and has remained that way the last 5 years. She finally saw a LLMD thanks to a friend and was finally diagnosed with Neurological Lyme Disease and three co-infections (Bartonella, Babesia, and Erhlichia). Renee has been treated for the last two years with Antibiotics with neurological improvements and a bit more strength, but there has been no real changes in the quality of her life. She hopes to be going on herbs to continue killing the Lyme and Co-infections.

Joel
has Neurological Lyme Disease. He has become extremely fatigued. He also has balance issues, peripheral numbness and weakness. Joel fell ill ten years ago and they were told it was some kind of Post Viral Syndrome. After he had been ill for a few months, he recovered and was able to return to work. However in the last couple of years, he began having symptoms again. In June of this year, he was diagnosed with Late Neurological Lyme disease. He has just started antibiotic treatment trying to regain enough energy to work again.

Renee has a funny name for her marriage. She calls it "Partners in Lyme." :o)
Please pray that Renee can find the right treatment to regain health and have some quality of life which she hopes will include less pain. They are needing the church to grant Joel a sabbatical and that he will heal from Lyme swiftly. Renee has two blogs. Go visit them to get to know Renee better.

Lyme Living

Autumn Years

Monday, July 13, 2009

keep your eyes open

I have a new biography to post in the next couple of days! I just have to edit and get it right before posting. Please if you know someone that wants to be featured contact me. It's the middle of July and I only have one biography to post (once it's ready).

The new biography will post tomorrow morning. (7/17)

Friday, July 10, 2009

Reminder

If you know anyone that wants to be featured, fill out a comment with a way to contact you. I have to approve all comments so your email address will not be seen by everyone.

If I don't get back to you right away, I am going through some personal things.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

June Review

Review Day

Kayla 6/1

Lisa D. 6/3

Diana H 6/5

Julia 6/8

Nora 6/10

Victoria Wilcox 6/12

Victoria Wilguess 6/15

Monkey Girl 6/17

Renee's Guest Speaker
6/19

Rebekah 6/22

Candice Update 6/25



March & April Music of 2009

God With Us by Mercy Me
Hold Fast by Mercy Me
Prayer for a Friend by Casting Crowns
Holy is the Lord by Chris Tomlin
It is Well With my Soul Hymn
Bring the Rain by Mercy Me
Hero by Mariah Carey
Fix You by Coldplay

May Music of 2009
Return to Innocence by Enigma
In Better Hands by Natalie Grant
In Christ Alone by Newboys
Our Hope Endures by Natalie Grant
This is the Air I Breathe by Hillsong
East to West by Casting Crowns AND
Who Am I? by Casting Crowns
Lift Me Up by Kate Voegele
You Invite Me In sung by Meredith Andrews
Arise by Chris Sligh
He Reigns by Newsboys
Walk by Faith by Jeremy Camp
Bridge Over Troubled Water by Michael W. Smith

June Music of 2009
I Will Rise by Chris Tomlin
We Fall Down by Chris Tomlin
Amazing by Janelle
Heart of Worship
Healing Hand by Jeremy Camp
How Great is Our God by Chris Tomlin
One Day at a Time by Jeremy Camp
Healing Rain by Michael W. Smith
Carried Away by Sonic Flood

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Hallelujah !

I want to share a little what I received today. I am not sharing the whole message because it included an email address, but I want everyone to read what Keesha wrote me today. I encourage all of you that want to be featured to write me and send the questionnaire.

****

Praise the Lord for your site. Things have been somewhat reclusive here in regards to support for this Lyme experience we have been going through. Just a little Bio : My oldest daughter is 11 and has Lyme (and) co infections Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Tick Typhus. She
is on month 4 of oral antibiotics. She also has a condition called Syringomyelia - fancy word for having cerebral spinal fluid in the spinal column. This issue further complicates her treatment. She is in pain everyday - suffering from a long list of symptoms which I can list at another time. Thank you for your site. It blesses and encourages me to see it. I will take time later this evening to read more of it !

Thanks and God bless,
Keesha

Want to be a featured Lymie?

Survey to be featured:

Name
Age
Location
Illnesses
Symptoms
Background Story
Treatment Plan
Family Members w/ it?
Specific Prayer Needs
Website if applicable (aka your blog)
Email address so that I can contact you.

Please please please .. if you want to be featured, let me know by leaving a comment on this post. Please leave an email address so that we can correspond about your upcoming feature. I have to approve ALL comments. So you can write your email address in the comment and no one else will see it.

First come first serve. As requests come in, names will be added to the side bar so that I know what order the original requests came in. Do you know someone that wants to be featured? Share with them this blog. Publish it on myspace, facebook and wherever else you know. Been featured in the past and want to give an update like Candice? Contact me via the comment section and we'll see what we can do. :D

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Candice Update

Remember Candice? Candice is doing rather poorly right now. She needs urgent prayers. Her Gastrointestinal Tract is a complete mess. She can only eat 5 foods and she is still in pain when she eats those. As you can imagine it gets quite boring eating the same 5 foods. So if anyone has suggestions on the following: Asparagus, Broccoli, Pears, Beans (e.g. Lentils), and sweet potato (but not Yams).

She is seeing a new doctor, but the treatments aren't helping yet and it has proven to be a hefty financial burden. Candice had applied for SSI and was hoping it would help with the financial things, but she received a letter recently that they denied her based on old medical records. These were all from a doctor that does not believe in Chronic Lyme Disease.

Candice still suffers from dizziness, profound fatigue, shortness of breath, malabsorption, irregular heart beat, head pressure and pain in her chest, left arm, upper back, lung and sinuses. With Frequent Gallbladder attacks, her weight is still not approving as is at a dismal 100 pounds at 5'7. Her white blood cells (eosinophils) keep rising and her blood pressure falls to 70/50. Candice has severe brain fog including occasional episodes where she is unable to read at all or process any form of information.

All of this leaves Candice feeling stressed, debilitated and sad. She had an appointment with Dr. H's ND (which will be 1400 dollars) on Tuesday. She is hoping that something will come of that appointment. She knows she has some big decisions to make, but doesn't know who to turn to or what kinds of treatment to take a stab at since her body can't handle what it's given.

*** I believe her new treatment plan includes using Tindamax ***

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

music for Rebecca



Carried Away by Sonicflood

You are the open door to freedom
You are the only hope I have
The reason in my reason
The only thing that lasts
How could I begin to settle
When all within me longs
To step into the shelter
Of your everlasting arms

I wanna get carried away
I wanna be tossed by your waves
I don't care where or how deep
I'm gonna jump in with both feet
I wanna get carried away
I wanna get lost in your waves
I wanna be held by your truth
I wanna behold all of you
I'm gonna be all yours today
I wanna get carried away

Some say You're far away
But I know You're here with me
I could go anywhere
And still you'd be there with me
I know You're with me

Monday, June 22, 2009

Surprise Molly!!!

Just wanted to publicly wish you a very Happy Birthday!

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Review Day

Review Day

Kayla 6/1

Lisa D. 6/3

Diana H 6/5

Julia 6/8

Nora 6/10

Victoria Wilcox 6/12

Victoria Wilguess 6/15

Monkey Girl 6/17

Renee's Guest Speaker
6/19



March & April Music of 2009

God With Us by Mercy Me
Hold Fast by Mercy Me
Prayer for a Friend by Casting Crowns
Holy is the Lord by Chris Tomlin
It is Well With my Soul Hymn
Bring the Rain by Mercy Me
Hero by Mariah Carey
Fix You by Coldplay

May Music of 2009
Return to Innocence by Enigma
In Better Hands by Natalie Grant
In Christ Alone by Newboys
Our Hope Endures by Natalie Grant
This is the Air I Breathe by Hillsong
East to West by Casting Crowns AND
Who Am I? by Casting Crowns
Lift Me Up by Kate Voegele
You Invite Me In sung by Meredith Andrews
Arise by Chris Sligh
He Reigns by Newsboys
Walk by Faith by Jeremy Camp
Bridge Over Troubled Water by Michael W. Smith

June Music of 2009
I Will Rise by Chris Tomlin
We Fall Down by Chris Tomlin
Amazing by Janelle
Heart of Worship
Healing Hand by Jeremy Camp
How Great is Our God by Chris Tomlin
One Day at a Time by Jeremy Camp
Healing Rain by Michael W. Smith

Friday, June 19, 2009

Guest Speaker Friday

So in the back of my mind, I wondered what I would do if I didn't have a featured biography. Well, I thought that I would write articles of Lyme Disease or something of the sort. Then it struck me. I could have Guest Speakers. If any of you has an "article" or something you've written on your blog that might be appropriate for this one, let me know if I can use it for the blog. Of course I would give you credit and link it back to your blog. If you have a biography on Praying for Lymies, I would also link to that as well. So here is our very first ... Guest Speaker.

Renee has become a very close Lyme friend of mine. Renee has not been a featured Lymie on the blog yet (hint hint Renee), but she has become one of my first supporters of not only Praying for Lymies, but prior to that my personal Blog Living the Lyme Life.

She posted an "article" she had written on her blog last year and it was posted on September 27th 2008. Here it is in it's entirety. I "broke it up" in order to be easier on the eyes. Hope you enjoy this article on "Ask, Seek and Knock."


By Renee of Renee's Reflections "Ask, Seek and Knock."

Matthew 6: 7 “Ask and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

Are there times in your life when you question God? Have you ever questioned His plan for your life? Have you wondered if He has abandoned you, or turned His back on you while He allowed Satan to “sift you like wheat”? Do you find yourself asking Him “why” or “how” or “when”? If you have, you are certainly not alone.

In the past I have questioned God’s plan for my life and my husband's . I have gone before Him with a multitude of emotions, often questioning the purpose behind all the ups and downs that have challenged us both. I must admit that at times I have felt ignored, forgotten, “toyed with”, and even abandoned by my Heavenly Father. I have cried out to God~ " Why.....? When...........? How.........?"

There seems to be a process we go through during certain trials in our lives, and during these times of discouragement we often ask God the why, how, and when questions. I believe this is truly okay with Him ~ we can trust God 100% with all our emotions, our “real selves” as Marilyn Meberg says in her Women of Faith conferences. God can handle anything that comes from deep within us. He loves us unconditionally.

When we move on in this process, we begin to seek out answers to our questions in the Bible, Christian literature, prayer, and the words of others. In the Bible God speaks often on how much He loves us. He tells us He is with us always and that He will NOT abandon us. We can find these promises over and over again throughout the scriptures. In seeking answers, we are able to find comfort and assurance of His presence in our lives, and the fulfillment of His promises.

Eventually we come full circle as we knock on God’s door and open our repentant hearts to His plan, TRUSTING HIM, even when we don’t understand our circumstances. TRUSTING HIM even when we don’t get all the answers to our questions. He provides the strength we need during these times, and often it is gift wrapped with joy when we look at the blessings that come from our difficult circumstances.

In the past year this process has been repeated in my life, and God has always been patient as He listened to my questions and my despair. It is during these times that my faith has been stretched and challenged…during these times that I began the process of seeking. As I search for answers in His Word or my favorite Christian writings, I am able to look back at other times I have been going through this process and see the answers that eventually came.

My written remarks in my Bible and books have helped me to find peace in my circumstances. Of course there are also times that the answers I was seeking did not come, but I have felt God’s presence as He answered my “asking, seeking, and knocking” and I trusted in His plan for our life. When life seems to be one struggle after another, we are still able to find peace, joy, and hope. We find peace in knowing God loves us and wants what is best for us.

We can believe that He is in control of today and all our tomorrows. We find joy in the blessings we discover in the midst of difficult circumstances. And we live by hope~ hope in the knowledge that God loves us and walks with us on every step of our journey. We find hope in the knowledge of the perfect life that awaits us in eternity. One of my favorite Bible verses gives me hope that I hang on to when life is difficult.

We hear God’s promises for all of us in Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Verse 12 and 13 go on to say, “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart.”

When life gets tough, and you begin to ask, seek, and knock, remember God’s promises. Find strength and hope in how much He loves and cares for you, and take comfort in the beautiful plan He has for your life here on earth and more importantly, in eternity.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Music for Monkey Girl


Healing Rain Michael W. Smith

Healing rain is coming down
It's coming nearer to this old town
Rich and poor, weak and strong
It's bringing mercy, it won't be long

Healing rain is coming down
It's coming closer to the lost and found
Tears of joy, and tears of shame
Are washed forever in Jesus' name

Healing rain, it comes with fire
So let it fall and take us higher
Healing rain, I'm not afraid
To be washed in Heaven's rain

Lift your heads, let us return
To the mercy seat where time began
And in your eyes, I see the pain
Come soak this dry heart with healing rain

And only You, the Son of man
Can take a leper and let him stand
So lift your hands, they can be held
By someone greater, the great I Am

Healing rain, it comes with fire
So let it fall and take us higher
Healing rain, I'm not afraid
To be washed in Heaven's rain

To be washed in Heaven's rain...

Healing rain is falling down
Healing rain is falling down
I'm not afraid
I'm not afraid...

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Monkey Girl's Biography

Monkey Girl (who wants to remain anonymous) is a 41 year old Lyme patient who lives in Washington State. She most likely got Lyme in Singapore where she lived for a few years or in the Northern California area where she grew up.

MG tested positive for Lyme Disease, Babesia and Bartonella in March of 2008.  MG's Lyme doctor did not test her for any other co-infections since the treatments for them are the same.  Ten years ago, MG began having gastro difficulties including diarrhea and horrible stomach & intestinal pains.  The first round of doctor's MG went to tested for all types of Digestive Disorders.

By the time MG was 30 years old, she had already had a sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, CT scans, endless blood work, etc…the only to be labeled with an IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)diagnosis.  Since they never did find out the problem, she feels this is a non-diagnosis.  MG would begin to break out in severe hives from head to toe as her "attacks" progressed.  She would be sitting on the toilet for hours in pain.  MG's blood pressure would drop so quickly that she would pass out while on the toilet.  She was hospitalized during at least 4 to 5 of these attacks.  She spent one of the attacks in the hospital for 5 days because the doctors couldn't control her pain.

A new more distrubing symptom was added to her list of symptoms each and every year.  The doctors thought she had IBS and hives, labeling it as possible autoimmune hives. Then severe fatique started settling in, joint pain in her hands, wrists and shoulders soon followed.

By the time MG moved to Washington, she was a complete mess.  Her thryoid began growing nodules at an alarming rate and completely stopped functioning in 2007.  She had two surgeries to remove her sick thyroid at the end of 2007 and had 2 biopsies that showed pre-cancerous cell change.  The thryoid problems distracted her doctors into thinking her thyroid had been the problem all along.  Even MG believed this for a while.  However, six motnhs after her surgery ... the fatigue and joint pain was unbearable.

Still having bouts of hives, MG was referred to an Infectious Disease Specialist in Seattle.  The specialist was convinced for six months that MG had Mastocytosis and she had a bone marrow biopsy.  The diagnosis was plausible as the symptoms she was having fit it 100%.  However, her bone marrow biopsy came back negative.  The Infection Disease Specialist sent MG on her way with no explanation.  The Oncologist did note that there were some irregularities, but didn't know what they meant.

Of course all of this caused MG to be depressed and overwhelmed. She was sure they would never get to the answers of her medical problems.   The doctors began implying that her problems were all psychosomatic and that all she needed were anti-depressants.  This caused her to be even more depressed because she couldn't believe that all her pain and physical problems would go away with an anti-depressant each day.

MG said, "It became, in my mind, ‘the chicken or the egg argument’ which came first the illness or the depression.  To me, I was only depressed because of my illness…but the doctors didn’t see it that way."

After finally hooking up with a Homeopathic Doctor in late 2007/ Early 2008 because she wasn't getting anywhere.  She sent in tests for Lupus, MS, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and even MG was thinking that Autoimmune Disease had to be the answer.  What else could it be she thought.

Fortunately, MG had a close friend in California that kept pestering her to get a Lyme Disease test.  She kept telling her that it couldn't possibly be Lyme because she doesn't remember ever having a tick bite.  She conventiently forgot all of the ticks she had taken off their dogs or all the ticks that she & her brother used to get going camping in the Santa Cruz Mountains.  Her selective memory was kicking in.

After all of her tests returned negative, the ND doctor was stuck.  However, MG's blood work did show high inflammatory levels and she also had a continous fever between 100 and 101.5 for going on 3 to 4 years.  For what it's worth, this never seemed to bother her regular doctors even though she told them she had a fever every time she went into the doctor's office.

At this time, the ND consulted a colleague who also suggested a test for Lyme.  At this point, they decided to test just to eliminate it from the list of possibilities.  Fortunately, the ND knew to contact IgeneX Labs in California to inquire as to which tests to order.  Three weeks later, the ND called to tell MG that she tested positive for Lyme Disease.  Four weeks later, the test came back positive for Babesia and Bartonella.  She was referred to a LLMD in Seattle.  She was completely overwhelmed.  It took a couple of months for the diagnosis to sink in.

MG's husband was treated for Bartonella solely based on her Lyme doctor's advice.  Early reports are showing that Bartonella (and probably other co-infections) can be sexually transmitted.  The LLMD's worry was that with all the treatment that her husband would keep re-infecting me.  Her husband doesn't show any signs of Lyme or co-infections. 

MG has not had her daughters tested yet.  They are not showing signs of sickness and it's a sensitive area of discussion.  Since they aren't sure when or where MG contracted Lyme, she can't be sure 100% and they are not ready to put them through the stress of testing since they both have a fear of needles.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Prayers for Victoria and her family

Dear Lord, please help young Victoria deal with the pain and suffering of her illness. I pray for healing for her and for her family as they deal with Lyme Disease and any other issues they may have.
Thank you, Lord, for hearing my prayers.

Music for Victoria Wilguess



One Day at a Time
Jeremy Camp

One day at a time i will walk this road i've traveled so far
One day at a time well i know i will carry on
One day at a time i can see you took my life this far
One day at a time I will take this faith along

All this hope i breathe is given by the hand that carries me
Until I'm complete and i'll take all i will
To understand this plan you have for me, for me

I've been shut up shut down held out held down
In ways i never knew i would
I CAN feel your fullness in my life
Well i've been burned out broken torn out torn down
In ways i never knew i would
I CAN feel your fullness in my life

One day at a time I will take these words you've given me
One day at a time I will rest in knowing you
One day at a time I will share this gift you've given me
One day at a time I will walk these valleys through

All I know is that I see how much my heart
Is longing to be cradled by your side
And i'll give all i can to one day soon
Be held by your hand, by your hand

In all these things i will press on
I'll be with you i know it wont be long

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Victoria Wilguess' Biography

Usually post these at 3:00 EST, but there was a scheduled outtage for the blog at that time. So I went and posted it earlier.

Please join me in praying for another Lymie, our third Victoria. Victoria Wilguess is from Oklahoma. Victoria has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Lyme Disease and co-infections. Victoria has pain all over, weakness, fevers, nausea, dizziness, insomnia, brain fog, migraines and horrible fatigue. She has also lost her ability to concentrate.

Three and a half years ago, Victoria was bitten by a tick while at a church retreat. She didn't know what damage this could cause so she pulled it out and didn't tell anyone about it. Doctors in Oklahoma doesn't believe that Lyme Disease exists there. A year later (during her 8th grade year), Victoria was diagnosed with Mono. She has really bad fatigue, joint pain, headaches, insomnia and a low grade fever. She was out of school for three weeks and never fully recovered from it.

Over the next few months, she kept having symptoms on and off. Victoria would come home from school, sleep, eat dinner and go back to bed. She was easily in bed by 8:30 every night and she wasn't able to climb stairs easily. Several trips were made to the Primary Care Physician and lost of tests were run. Of course nothing was found to be wrong and was told that it was from the Mono. Victoria and her family were fine with that answer and she made it through her 8th grade year.

Victoria was really excited to start high school, but a few weeks into school she got really sick again. She began to miss a lot of school and all she could do was stay on the couch. She saw a specialist in Tulsa that ran more tests, but the end results were that she was still struggling with Mono. Victoria was extremely frustrated at this time. She knew that the doctors were missing something. Just like many who have followed the same path, she went to doctor after doctor and they couldn't find anything wrong with her. Victoria tried to ignore her symptoms and wanted just to make it to summer.

During last summer (between her freshman and sophomore year), Victoria started going downhill. She kept herself busy with mission trips and church camp even though she was completely exhausted. She began having horrible fatigue, pain all over and couldn't sleep in the latter part of the summer. She would also run a fever for no reason at all. Victoria felt as if she had the flu all the time.

Every morning of Victoria's sophomore year was such a struggle. She would have to leave school early a few days every week because of the horrilbe pain and fatigue. In October, she finally saw a Pediatric Rheumatologist. After a full exam, she was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. The specialist put her on strong medications. Victoria was scheduled to go for mission trips in Europe, but blacked out twice the night before going. She woke up and didn't know where she was. After an emergency call to the On-call rheumatologist, she stopped all of her medications. She went onto Europe and stayed for two weeks. After returning home, she went to school for one week. She didn't realize this would be her last week at school.. Her symptoms never let up and she was sick all the time. She went to a natural clinic every day. She only went to church and the clinic.

They heard about a clinic in Reno, Nevada that deals with some of the worst and hardest to treat diseases. They use some conventional medicine but mostly natural medicine. They had now done some research and suspected that Victoria had Lyme Disease. The clinic in Reno specializes in Lyme. On December 2nd, they flew to Reno. She went to the clinic and the next day, December 3rd, Victoria was diagnosed with Stage 3 Lyme Disease. She stayed for 3 weeks for treatment.

They got home a few days before Christmas and continued doing shots and homepathic medications. They had to go back to the clinic again mid-January. She started back at school as a homebound student. That means that she would get assignments from the internet with a teacher coming to her house once a week. It also will help make sure she gets through her sophomore year of high school. She stayed in Reno for 2 weeks and returned home.

Victoria started having better days and she finished up Driver's Education so that she could get her license. Even though she had a day of Extreme Pain and could barely walk, she was able to get her license. In February & March, she went to the hospital off and on with pain and weakness receiving fluids and pain medicine. After staying in the ER for 7 hours, the ER doctors finally admitted her. She wasn't given anything once she got up on the floor bcause they didn't know anything about Lyme. After a day and a half of nothing, they released her. On April 3rd, she got a PICC line put in and started at home IV treatments. She goes to the ER at least once a week and sometimes more.

She's trying to find a doctor that will take her case in Oklahoma. (and as a personal plea from ME .. if you know of a LLMD that can help her in Oklahoma ... get in touch with me so I can pass this information onto Victoria).

On May 11, her church held a prayer meeting for me and 2 other teens that are struggling with their health. It was such an encouragement to her to know that so many people care. God IS taking care of her and holding her through all of this. For the past week and a half, Victoria has been unable to get out of bed. She still struggles to walk and find her strength. They are hopeful to be going to Nevada as soon as they can. They know they need to get out of Oklahoma for treatment because they have had doctors yelling at them telling them Lyme isn't real.

Victoria is holding out to find better treatment that will help with the pain of long-term Lyme Disease. She's trying to keep the pain under control and keeping up her strength to understand what God's plan is for her through all of this. She wants people to know that even though many doctors in Oklahoma refuse to believe that Lyme exists there ~ it does and she has it ~ and so do many other people. She has hope.

She asks for prayer for her family right now. Victoria and her mother are leaving today for 3-4 weeks of treatments in Nevada. Her dad and little brother will be staying at home.

Victoria started a blog the other day. Go support her and if you have suggestions, please leave a comment for her!

blog- http://victoriawilguess.blogspot.com

Review Day

Review Day

Kayla 6/1

Lisa D. 6/3

Diana H 6/5

Julia 6/8

Nora 6/10

Victoria Wilcox 6/12


March & April Music of 2009

God With Us by Mercy Me
Hold Fast by Mercy Me
Prayer for a Friend by Casting Crowns
Holy is the Lord by Chris Tomlin
It is Well With my Soul Hymn
Bring the Rain by Mercy Me
Hero by Mariah Carey
Fix You by Coldplay

May Music of 2009
Return to Innocence by Enigma
In Better Hands by Natalie Grant
In Christ Alone by Newboys
Our Hope Endures by Natalie Grant
This is the Air I Breathe by Hillsong
East to West by Casting Crowns AND
Who Am I? by Casting Crowns
Lift Me Up by Kate Voegele
You Invite Me In sung by Meredith Andrews
Arise by Chris Sligh
He Reigns by Newsboys
Walk by Faith by Jeremy Camp
Bridge Over Troubled Water by Michael W. Smith

June Music of 2009
I Will Rise by Chris Tomlin
We Fall Down by Chris Tomlin
Amazing by Janelle
Heart of Worship
Healing Hand by Jeremy Camp
How Great is Our God by Chris Tomlin

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Music for Victoria Wilcox




How Great Is Our God by Chris Tomlin
VERSE(1):
The splendor of a King,
Clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice,
All the earth rejoice
He wraps himself in light,
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at his voice,
And trembles at his voice

CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God

VERSE(2):
Age to age he stands
And time is in His Hands
Beginning and the End,
Beginning and the End
The Godhead, Three in one
Father, Spirit, Son
The Lion and the Lamb,
The Lion and the Lamb

CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God

CHORUS(2)
Name above all names
You are Worthy of all praise
and My heart will sing how great
Is our God
(x2)

CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
Sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God


CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
Sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God

Friday, June 12, 2009

Prayer for Victoria Wilcox

Dear Lord, I pray for healing for Victoria. I also pray that she will have the strength and ability to continue her contributions to the Lyme Community.
Thank you, Lord, for hearing my prayer.
Molly

Victoria Wilcox's biography

Our next featured Lymie is 18 year old Victoria Wilcox. Victoria who is from New York also has Babesia. Victoria's symptoms include: seizure disorder, fatigue, muscle weakness, chronic pain, nerve problems, sleep problems, brain fog, dizzy spells. Unfortunately the list of symptoms goes on.

Victoria is a huge advocate for Lyme patients. She has two websites. One is her personal blog and the other is for her Lyme Walk. She asks for your prayers for her walk into missions. Currently things are going really well for Victoria health wise and she wants to continue advocating for Lyme Disease in street ministry.

Website www.lymewalk.org and http://vicupdates.blogspot.com

Normally, I write a whole lot on each Lymie. In Victoria's case, I am going to let "her" tell the story. This is a video that she made in January of 2008 with the help of some of her friends.




Thursday, June 11, 2009

Prayers for Nora and family

Oh dear Lord, I pray for Nora's girls to respond well to their medications and that they are able to rid their systems of these diseases. I pray for comfort for them on their journey.
Thank you, Lord, for hearing my prayers.
Molly Caporale

Music for Nora



Healing Hand of God by Jeremy Camp

I have seen the many faces,
I fear in the pain.
I have watched the tears fall plenty,
From heart ache and strength.
So if life's journey,
Has you weary and afraid.
There's rest in the shadow of his wings.
I have walked through the valleys,
The mountains and plains.
I have held the hand of freedom,
It washes all my stains.
If you feel the weight of many trials,
And burdens from this world.
There's freedom in the shelter of the Lord.

Chorus:
I have seen,
The healing hand of God,
Reaching out and mending broken hearts.
Taste and see the fullness of His peace,
And hold on to what's being held out.
The healing hand of God.

I have touched the scars upon His hands,
To see if they were real.
He has walked the road before me,
He knows just how I feel.
When you feel there is not anyone,
Who understands your pain,
Just remember all of Jesus' suffering.

(Chorus)

Cast all your cares on Him,
For He cares for you.
He's near to the broken and confused.
By His stripes,
Our spirit is renewed.
So enter in the joy prepared for you.

(Chorus)

The healing hand of God (x2)
And hold on to what's being held out (x2)
The healing hand of God
Oh Oh Oh Oh

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

prayers for Nora and girls

Dear Lord

We bring before you Nora and her sweet daughters, Rebekah and Hannah. Here they are Lord, before you, and in need of your loving touch. As your children, they love you and desire your plan for their lives. They are faithful, and we give thanks for the witness to others they are within their pain and suffering. And we ask Lord Jesus for strength, courage, and healing. You tell us to ask and we shall receive, and we claim that promise today for Nora, Hannah, and Rebekah.

To You be the glory.

In Your Holy name

Amen

Nora's Biography

Nora found us through Brent Rigg's blog. A blog that I read every day. So it was my pleasure when she requested to be a featured Lymie to do so ... Nora, I hope you will continue to be apart of our blog and pray for all of our featured Lymies.

Nora is a 47 year old mother from Connecticut. Nora has two adopted daughters from China. The 5 and 8 year old have Lyme Disease, Babesia, Bartonella and Ehrlichiosis. Nora was also diagnosed with Lyme a couple of years ago.

There are multiple symptoms that could listed for days, but some of them include:

Extreme fatigue, headaches, irritability, irrationality, rages, memory loss, auditory sensitivity, light sensitivity, cognitive processing problems, tracking problems, tunnel vision, swallowing problems, leg pain, soles of feet painful, foods tasting different, no weight gain, fears and severe anxiety.


Nora's 8 year old story: (Hannah)

Three years ago, Nora and her family moved to a new home. They believe they got the disease in their own wooded back yard. At the end of July, Nora's 8 year old will be going off all medications. She's wanting specific prayers that her symptoms do not return. The 8 year old did 6 months of Oral Medications and were followed by 5 1/2 months of IV Rocephin and another medication. At this time, she got a bacterial blood infection, Serratia.

It was necessary to remove the hickman shunt in November of 2008. She took a short break off all medications and then went on oral Mepron and Rifampin. She just switched medications again at the end of May and will finish July 31st. Since the 8 year old was so ill the year she was in public school, Nora home schooled her this year repeating her 1st grade year. Nora knew there was no way with her poor state of health in September of 2008 that the little girl could excel in school. There has been great improvement over the last 9 months.

Currently, they are using vision therapy in hopes that it will restore her field of vision. Nora feels her daughter is still having some cognitive issues that may take a while to heal. Her anxiety is improved, but not completely gone and it remains to be seen how she will do with normal school pressures when she returns to public school in the Fall of 2009. They also need to work on improving her immune system.

Nora's family would appreciate prayers for both girls to respond well to the medications and that they would be able to rid their systems of these diseases. They are thankful that their daughter (Hannah) is doing better after 18 months of treatment and are praying that her symptoms do not return in August when she's off of medications. They also are wanting her eye sight to return to normal.

Nora's 5 year old story (Rebekah)

Nora's younger daughter did two short courses of medications. They thought she was better, but by October of 2008 she was diagnosed by the Lyme doctor and took Azithromycin and Mepron long term. Lately, her medications just don't seem as effective as they had been. And because of a virus, she had to take a reprieve from her medications and all of her symptoms returned very quickly. It was frightening.

Her symptoms are: headaches, knee pain, forgetfulness, screaming, fatigue all the time, irritability, constipation, painful urination-- She is seeing both a urologist and gastrointerologist for these problems. There was a concern that she had kidney stones, possibly she did, but now has been diagnosed with dysfunctional elimination syndrome. She's on laxatives and fiber and the results are slow so they have recently ordered a natural thing called Fruit-eze. Her daughter has always had sleep problems and they were told she has mild sleep apnea after a sleep study was performed.

Pray for Rebekah as well because she is having multiple problems. Things are difficult on her on so many levels and they need to reconsider her medications since she is just not doing well. They need her constipation and stomach aches under control as well. The past two years have been exhausting and stressful on each one of the members of Nora's family. Nora understands that God has them on this journey for a reason even though she doesn't like it. It's been hard for Nora to watch her girls be so sick and can't wait for the day they are free of these diseases.

Nora says, "Thank so much for your prayers."

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Music for Julia




When the music fades
And all is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless your heart

I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the ways things appear
You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You
It's all about You Jesus

King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve
Though I'm weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath

I'll bring You more than just a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You
It's all about You Jesus

Its all about you
Jesus

Monday, June 8, 2009

Julia's Biography

Julia is another North Carolinian Lymie. At 22 years old, people ask her all the time what it is like to live with Lyme Disease. She usually says, "Oh it's nothing really, just some joint pain and short term memory loss." The reality of it all is that it's hard to have a life with Lyme Disease.
Julia usually doesn't ever truly answer the infamous question of, "What are your symptoms?" Its' too hard to explain to someone that doesn't have it.

Some of Julia's symptoms are:

-Rashes all over body depending on time of year and current therapy
-anxiety
-facial muscle paralysis
-Arthritis in both hips, and hands/fingers
-tendinitis in arches of feet, and ankles
-EXTREME fatigue
-severe depression, thoughts of suicide
-mood swings
-brain swelling, mostly in frontal lobes causing short term memory loss, and impaired speech
-dizziness, fainting spells
-blurred vision aka 'floaters'
-Nausea
-Paranoid moods

There is a big portion of Julia's Lyme Disease symptoms. She doesn't always show those symptoms every day. Some days are good and some days are bad. Her biggest problem is her cognitive brain issues caused by Lyme Disease. She has many other symptoms that she didn't list because her list is so extensive the post would be extraordinarily long.

Since Julia was about 13 years old, she was extremely depressed. The mixture of Anti-depressants would spin her into a manic state when she was 16. At that time, she was diagnosed with Bipolar and ADD. She switched medications every 4 to 6 months because they would work for a while, but then they would stop. Julia was often threatened with "Holly Hill" (our local um .. crazy hospital) because of her cutting problem and how much she hated her life.

Finally during Julia's senior year of High School, her mother's friend suggested that Julia had Lyme Disease. This friend's husband and children had all been diagnosed with Lyme Disease and the friend swore that Julia had Lyme Disease. So after all the years of difficulties, they took a trip down to see the infamous Dr. J for blood tests. This was in August of 2004 and the blood test showed that Julia had Lyme Disease.

Julia says, "At this point, I was in utter shock, but at the same time, I was extremely glad to know what was really wrong with me instead of having doctors guess, and guess, and guess. I was still cutting, having stomach issues, and having to leave school early because I felt so awful."

A few weeks later, she found out that she would be getting a PICC line placed. She had to drop out of high school her senior year and Julia was on IV therapy for over 9 months. Her PICC was pulled out in May of 2005 and Julia felt wonderful. She was on no anti-depressants or anything related to a mood disorder. Julia was genuinely happy for the first time in probably her whole life. She would get sick and throw up after lunch for about 3 months, but that too passed.
She spent the summer, happy, and started back at a different high school and ended up graduating in 2006.

At the end of 2005, Julia began to feel that she was slipping back into Lyme since she wasn't taking oral antibiotics during that time. She went to Meredith College for 2 years and during those two years she still wasn't taking her oral antibiotics. She didn't know that not taking the antibiotics would wind up slapping her across the face. The summer of 2008, after withdrawing from 3 semesters at Meredith, her parents were fed up. Her mother took me to a specialist in New York City, who dealt with mood disorders and Lyme disease. He would be able to tell if Julia was really bipolar or if it was really Lyme Disease. She remembers talking to Dr. R, but it was kind of all a blur.

Three weeks later, her mother, grandmother and she flew back to New York to get some testing done. She was tested for two days and was told that she showed no signs of a mood disorder, an average IQ, good at reading, but bad at memorizing. She also got a SPECT scan done to see how much oxygen is reaching certain areas of the brain. Dr. R. called two weeks later saying that Julia had brain swelling especially in the frontal lobes. He suggested that she return to Dr. J and that she needed another PICC Line.

She did not want to get another PICC, but on September 12, 2008 she got her 2nd PICC line put in. She named it Trixie and she was only supposed to have Trixie for 4 months. After 6 months of IV therapy, Trixie was removed. Julia felt better, but it wasn't as big a difference as she had hoped.

There's Julia's story, her Lyme story. She's forgotten some parts. Julia used to think, "I can't do that because I have Lyme Disease." Now she's changing her point of view to "What can I do with Lyme Disease?" She's taking her oral antibiotics as best as she can. She still feels symptoms, but tries to ignore them and move on. Pretty much every friend Julia has knows that she has Lyme Disease, but none of them truly understand what it's like to live with Lyme. She doesn't expect th em to either. She usually hides her feelings and emotions to stop them from worrying too much. She says she can fake happiness like it's her job.

But the one thing Julia knows for sure is that even though she has bad days and good days, Julia's friends and family stick by her. She is thankful every single day for her family and friends. Without them, she probably wouldn't be here. So, even though she hides emotions and symptoms, Julia knows that she can talk to her friends and family when ever she really need to.

Please pray for my friend Julia and her mother. Her mother also has been diagnosed with Lyme Disease.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Review Day

Because I won't be at my computer on Friday to retrieve the URL for one of my featured Lymies, I will add all the reviews for this week to next weeks review. So next week instead of having 2 to 3 lymies to review, I will have 5 to 6 Lymies.

~ Jennifer

Here's some music to tide you over!



March & April Music of 2009

God With Us by Mercy Me
Hold Fast by Mercy Me
Prayer for a Friend by Casting Crowns
Holy is the Lord by Chris Tomlin
It is Well With my Soul Hymn
Bring the Rain by Mercy Me
Hero by Mariah Carey
Fix You by Coldplay

May Music of 2009
Return to Innocence by Enigma
In Better Hands by Natalie Grant
In Christ Alone by Newboys
Our Hope Endures by Natalie Grant
This is the Air I Breathe by Hillsong
East to West by Casting Crowns AND
Who Am I? by Casting Crowns
Lift Me Up by Kate Voegele
You Invite Me In sung by Meredith Andrews
Arise by Chris Sligh
He Reigns by Newsboys
Walk by Faith by Jeremy Camp
Bridge Over Troubled Water by Michael W. Smith

Lyme Prayer Chapel Admins

My photo
I am living my life. I've treated Lyme, Bartonella, Candida and Heavy Metal Poisoning. My symptoms were drastically improved after 2 years of treatment. I did well for a year or two and then started having a backslide in August of 2011. I've been seeing my doctor since March 1 2007. I have severe D defiency, but my Iron levels are now normal (after Iron infusions). I'm treating with oral antibiotics currently for Lyme, Bartonella and Babesia. I'm living life as full as I can with the skills that I have and the love I receive. My recent labs showed a very weak immune system and low Cortisol. So we're fighting to bring that back up. Some therapies I'm using are IV Vitamin C, HBOT treatments and herbal remedies plus yeast fighting medicines along with medicines to boost cortisol levels. I've not used the HBOT in a while, but I found it helpful. I'm on a load of oral antibiotics again because the herbal remedies alone were not effective enough. Living life as full as I can with the skills that I have and the love I receive!