Tabby Update: It's not Lyme's disease

Finally got Tabby's results today from the Lyme disease test she took last week.  And ... it's negative.  The test's aren't totally accurate, but we'll go with the "no" for right now.

Dr. H, her new doctor, had gotten copies of Tabby's lab work from her many (eight!) hospital visits this year.  He noticed that her neutrophils were high on every single test.  (Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell, which fight infections.)  The normal range should be 40-60%.  However Tabby's scores were all high - all the way up to 85%.  Dr. H said that was a red flag that her body is battling an infection/inflammation.  

Tabby had blood drawn today for more labwork.  Plus she has to give a fecal sample kit (what fun) for some "GI Health Panels."  These are 22 individual yet related tests.  The informational paper I was given listed screens for:

bacteria
fungi and yeast
parasites
antibodies to gluten
digestive function markers
markers of intestinal inflammation
fecal occult blood
total SlgA
antibodies to dairy, soy, egg proteins

I think it will take about 2 weeks to get all the test results back.  (Sigh.  Wish those companies could do faster turn around times!)

In the meantime, Dr. H gave Tabby two things to begin taking daily.  One is something to mix into a drink once a day called RepairVite.  This should help her intestinal tract and lining to begin healing.   The other product is PRP Balance.  This is a spray that she will use twice a day.  It is colostrum to help modulate normal immune responses.  

She'll also continue the regime of Plexus products I have her on because she now has several hours, most days, where her stomach and chest pain is gone, and she"only" has bad joint pain and weakness.  (I have her on Slim, Ease, Nerve, ProBio 5, and BioCleanse.)

We feel positive, working with Dr. H.  But we sure wish everything could be done super fast.  It's hard to see normally energetic Tabby sitting or laying down, day after day.  Tomorrow will mark 1 month straight of her being in pain every. single. day.

We are so grateful for your prayers.

Tabby update - Lyme disease test today

Tabby received a "sunshine basket" from my mom's church

Today my stepdad took Tabby and I to his acupuncturist/chirpractor.  This doctor is also a  "functional medical doctor."  At this point, I want Tabby to see a doctor that considers her whole body in trying to diagnose what might be wrong with her.

Our specific focus today though was for Tabby to get blood drawn to test for Lyme's disease.  We talked to the doctor for awhile first as he gathered information about her.  He was very interested that her health problems began shortly after her bout with pneumonia this past January.

We have a lot of ticks where we live.  Some years we see more than others.  This is one reason we like have free ranging chickens and guinea fowl - they love to eat ticks!

In my research as to what may be causing Tabby's pain and problems, I found that Lyme's disease is something that regular medical doctors don't talk a lot about.  It is something that is not uncommon though so I don't understand why people with mystery issues aren't routinely tested for it.

When I google "teens and Lymes disease" many lists pop up.  A Lyme pediatric specialist posted a symptom list online and I reviewed it with Tabby.

These are the symptoms she has had very frequently this past summer, and many are now almost constant:

- headaches
- nausea
- abdominal pain
- impaired concentration
- poor short-term memory
- inability to sustain attention
- being overwhelmed by schoolwork
- confusion
- outbursts and mood swings
- fevers/chills
- joint pain
- dizziness

The symptoms she has sometimes:

- severe fatigue unrelieved by rest
- difficulty thinking and expressing thoughts
- noise and light sensitivity

If you want to see this doctor's entire list click here:  https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-basics/lyme-disease/children/ Note that fewer than 10% of children have the "bulls-eye" rash.

We should have Tabby's test results next Tuesday.

The doctor said that if she tests negative for Lyme's, then he would like to test her for "leaky gut" as there are many of the same symptoms.

Tabby is still in pain most of the time.  BUT there is improvement!  Last week I ordered a number of Plexus products that several other families have used to successfully treat Lyme's in themselves and/or their family members.  (Plexus is also great for treating quite a number of other health issues.)  My order came Friday afternoon and I started giving Tabby the stuff right away.

Saturday morning, when she woke up - the pain in her stomach and chest was GONE!  For the first time in weeks.  She was sore - but no sharp pain!  She did complain about really bad joint pain though.  The stomach/chest pain were still gone when she woke up Sunday morning. She was so happy as she got ready for church but then when she was eating breakfast, the terrible pain came back.  The depression and pain were crushing and she had to go back to bed.  STILL ... that was improvement!

Today her stomach and chest pain again went away for several hours!  The joint pain remained.  But again, it was improvement.

She's already exhibiting a number of detox signs since starting Plexus - joint pain could be from that.  (Or Lymes of course, if she has that.)

We're new to the Plexus world, though I have read about it in the past few years.  So I'm going to observe a bit more and then I will share about the products Tabby is taking and how things are going.

Thank you again, so much, for your prayers as we try to unravel this mystery so Tabby can get back to a normal life again.

Memory Ideas and Lyme Disease

Lilly's garden is looking beautiful!  Most of the "sugar love carpet lilies" are blooming:

This week, I came across a couple memory ideas.  One is for the children of fallen soldiers.  A woman makes teddy bears from soldiers uniforms, for the dead soldiers children.  She started this project after losing her son to enemy fire in Afghanistan.  You can read about her work and see some sweet pictures in this article:  "She Makes Teddy Bears From The Uniforms Of Fallen Soldiers To Help Their Families Heal."  Then in our electric co-op magazine, I read about a woman that makes all sorts of things from the garments of someone that passed away, such as bears made from blankets, pillows from neckties, Christmas stockings, luggage tags, laptop bags, aprons, purses, etc.  (See some before and afters here.)  Her website is Memory Lane Boutique.

I so appreciate people that make things like this.  I know how much I love our LillyBear!

Frank came home from work Friday with box of guinea keets.  They are not quite 2 weeks old:

Sleeping - exhausted from the car ride!

Guinea keet

Don't squish the little guinea, Solomon!

So what are guineas good for?  Apparently they are good protectors.  They protect flocks from hawks, dogs, cats, snakes, foxes, etc.  They're not super strong, but they are supposed to be LOUD.  Good for scaring away creatures that want our hens.  They are awesome for eating ticks!  And we happen to live in Chatham County, which is full of ticks this time of year.  So once the guineas are big enough, we are going to put part of the flock in with our goats (ticks love the goats unfortunately) and the rest can roam with our chickens, and be their body guards.

Speaking of our goats, I heard a bunch of thumping and bumping in our chicken coop the other day, and some angry chicken squawking.  I peeked in and much to my surprise found our three goats were busy eating chicken feed.

So I asked ... who let the goats out??  (mehhh mehhh mehhh!)

Pippi, Cloves, Christa

The answer was Hunter.  And it was an accident.

Christa looked ridiculous from this view - I still can't believe the goats got through the coops little door.

Early this spring I made an herbal bug/tick spray for the kids and I to use.  (Frank prefers the chemical laden store stuff.  But the red bugs in particular like him so much, I can't really blame him.)  Anyway, the stuff I made works fine for the rest of us.  But we don't often bother using it unless we're going to be in the woods for awhile.  Guess we're just lazy.

I do think about Lyme disease sometimes though, and pray we don't get it.  I was very interested to read recently that Shoshanna from Bulk Herb Store (I buy herbs and get lots of herbal recipes there)  and her son Jeremiah both had gotten Lyme disease last year.  Jeremiah also had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Shoshanna has been writing about their experiences in trying to get help, her bad reactions from medications, and how she finally helped herself and Jeremiah heal from her own blends of herbs.

People who get Lyme disease are usually put on many rounds of antibiotics to try and cure them.  It can take a long time and antibiotics can have bad side effects.  But it seems Shoshanna has had good results with what she came up with.  You can read her story here and more specifics about the treatment she created here.  She plans to go around the country speaking about her "Journey Back to Health."