Dear Friends,

I can’t believe so much time has passed since posting here; time does fly!!  The past 9 months have been a real challenge for me personally because I’ve been dealing with Lyme disease again.  The more I research it, the more I hate the bug.  It seems like somewhere in the fuzzy past, I did have a tick bite although I never got the bulls-eye rash that everyone hears about.

I’ve since learned that a large percentage of people who have been bitten by ticks never do develop the rash!  Also, I seem to be one of those people whose body doesn’t produce the antibodies that the blood work looks for so my blood works keeps coming back “no Borrellia.”  Fortunately, God led me to a homeopathic doctor who is also a Lyme specialist although at the time I went to him, I didn’t know that.  In 2007, I also didn’t know I had Lyme!  He does muscle testing instead of relying solely on blood work.  Another blessing!

In any event, by the first of July, 2011, I was so weak I could barely move and was in a downward spiral.  In short, I was dying.  My husband and I looked at each other and prepared ourselves that my time here was short; maybe 1 year or 2 left, but within months, it looked like I would be bed ridden.  I’ve lost 30 pounds of MUSCLE which is slowly coming back as I exercise.  The Lyme set off an auto immune disorder in which my immune system attacked the muscles (Lyme was in my muscular system).

During this time of illness, I continued to research alternative treatments since I’m very sensitive to chemicals and that includes traditional pharmaceuticals.  I’ve learned many things including that homeopathic antibiotics are more effective against Lyme and co-infections than traditional antibiotics.  That hyperbaric oxygen (HBOT for short) kills the Lyme bacteria if the proper pressure is used (2.4 atmospheres) along with 100 percent oxygen.  That God is in control even when our bodies have gone out of control.  That God comforts and uplifts even when one is crying in pain and questioning whether or not the next day full of pain can be endured.

It has been a very trying time as well for my dear husband, Don, who has had to do all the cooking, cleaning, and shopping because I didn’t have the strength to walk far much less stand and cook.  Don went through his own valley of fear at the thought of losing me, his wife of 26 years.  Tomorrow we celebrate our 26th wedding anniversary; it holds special significance since God has restored my health and I can walk again, cook again, and am getting my muscles back.

There are still challenges ahead because the Lyme bacteria, and other co-infections, remain a heavy load in my body.  I just thank God for his faithfulness and for leading me to doctors and treatments to heal.  I thank all our friends and family for their prayers and financial help.

Yes, God is still in the miracle business!  Sometimes He heals instantly, sometimes He heals slowly, sometimes He leads us to earthly doctors.  Do I understand why?  NO!!  It doesn’t matter, though, whether or not we understand why God does something. Our job is to trust Him.  Sometimes building trust means doing things a little differently.  At the end of the day, I can say with Job, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust Him.” (Job 13:15)

If you are suffering from illness of any kind, may I offer you encouragement?  Take control of your health and research, research, research.  Doctors are human and don’t know everything.  Learn as much as you can and learn alternative treatments, nutritional treatments, homeopathic treatments.  The internet has some great information and resources, but as always with the internet, use common sense and double check what you find.  And lastly, but most importantly, get a prayer network going to bang on the doors of Heaven!

Blessings to you and our prayers for your good health!

Dottie