Food Allergies and more

Tomorrow is my last day of treatment! It is hard to believe. I think it will be real when I am at home. As excited as I am about coming home, I must admit, I have been a little nervous. I know what to expect here and when I have a problem, I have a safety net...the clinic is only a few miles away. I have wondered what to expect when I go home.

A few days ago, a new face appeared in the IV room. She is from NYC and went through five weeks of treatment in January for lyme disease. (She had neurological symptoms such as numbness and she was dragging her left leg. Since treatment, she is walking fine and no longer suffering from these symptoms! Isn't that incredible?!!!) She is back for a week of follow-up treatment. I told her I will be going home soon, and she said, "You will be taking it easy for awhile, Won't you?" I didn't dare tell her I was hoping to go back to work next week. I told her about my concerns when I get home, and she told me it took her three to four weeks to begin feeling stronger. As I continue to ask questions, I am being advised that rest is necessary to recuperate from treatment and allow the immune system to continue to get stronger. So, I am rethinking things. I have decided to definitely take it easy for awhile, and let my body dictate my activity level. This is a journey, and I need to pace myself.

With that said, I do feel better, and have times that I am free of symptoms. I am getting a taste of what it is like to feel good again. Because of this taste of "feeling good," I am noticing when symptoms come back. In the past, I have had so many symptoms, it has been difficult to know "what" was causing "what." On Sunday, I felt good, and after lunch, I started having a bad headache and fatigue. I noted it, but didn't know why it happened. Monday morning I woke up feeling really good. I ate breakfast (rice cakes, cashew butter and blackberries...this is what you eat in my world), and immediately, I had a headache and felt awful. Then it hit me, "Maybe, the food I am eating is causing the symptoms." I gathered samples of some suspicious foods and brought them to clinic. They tested me with the foods, and found that, yes indeed, I have developed more food sensitivities! Soon I will be eating tree bark....No, you don't have pests eating your trees...it is your starving neighbor!!

Since my body is continuing to develop sensitivities, they have advised me to go on a rotation diet. With this diet, you rotate foods every four days so your body won't be as likely to develop sensitivities. (I only have four foods left so it shouldn't be too hard!) I also starting taking food allergy drops. The drops are suppose to desensitize the body to foods so, over time, foods can be reintroduced. Unfortunately, I had a bad reaction to one of the food allergy drops today. I will take the drops my body can tolerate and give my immune system time to get stronger.

With all of the new awareness of how foods are effecting me. Today, the doctor suggested I stay one more week to further "tweak" things for my food allergies. As you can imagine, I wasn't fond of that idea! After a few tears, and looking at all the options, I am still planning to come home. They are willing to work with me through phone and e-mail, and send me new things to try as I need them. I think getting home, and giving my body a break will be good medicine in itself!

Push Update: I have had moderately strong reactions this week with fever and body aches, but by morning I feel good and I am ready for the day! I only have two more to go!

I must share something that just happened as I have been writing. A patient, who is in a wheelchair, just walked with a walker. The whole clinic broke out in applause! How incredible!

I will write tomorrow. My last blog from Reno...stay tuned!

Love to all!
Ronda