The saga continues....unfortunately....

Well, since I wrote last, a few things have happened. First, I went back to see Dr. Reddy on Dec. 4 after having been on the new antibiotic for a couple of weeks. We decided to come off the antibiotic for a couple of weeks to let it get out of my system - and then re-do the blood test (Stricker CD57 panel that was the first indicator of Lyme) to see if anything had changed. Depending upon the number of that test, which I will have drawn on Dec. 21st, she will decide my treatment from there. She said that if the number had changed but not changed all that much, she was goign to consider putting me on the IV antibiotics. So...another waiting game.

Then on Wednesday Dec. 12, I started feeling dizzy and odd (more odd than normal) late in the afternoon while I was at work. My feet and ankles started swelling up pretty bad that it hurt to wear my shoes. I got extremley drowsy and when I went home after work, I fell into the bed and literally did not wake up until it was time to go back to work the next morning.

So yesterday (13th) I got up, went to work, and as the day wore on, I started feeling worse. My ankles and feet were swollen very badly and clearly full of fluid...and that pain that I had been having in my left flank side had intensified. I was scared. I wasn't sure what to do. I have some sweet friends here at work and they took one look at my feet and ankles and said GO TO THE DOCTOR NOW! I had also called Dr. Reddy (infectious disease doc in ATL) and she said to get to a doctor fast. So, I tried to get into my Dad's internist (I don 't really wanna have to go back to my primary care doc because they all pretty much honestly suck) and Dr. Young coudln't see me until the morning of the 14th. So...Dad suggested I go to Regional First Care - a walk-in clinic near my house that is operated by one of the hospitals here in Athens.

Went to RFC, signed in, got called back, the nurse took one look at my ankles and feet and left the room. She came back 2 min later and said that the doc suggests I go on to the ER because they don't have the capability to check for the things that need to be checked. I didnt' get charged, thank goodness, so I took myself on to St. Mary's ER.

Got there, got in a room, had bloodwork drawn, and everything came back normal. The doc said he was looking for congestive heart failure (whoa) and kidney and liver failure. But since there was no evidence of any of those things in my blood work, he "had no answers" for me. They had no idea what was causing this intense swelling. Geez louise. I mean seriously - SOMETHING is causing it...but he didn't think it was related to the Lyme disease specifically. But their main concern at the ER is to make sure nothing emergent and serious is going on. Since there wasn't, they sent me home and told me to follow up with Dr. Young.

So...yes, the saga continues. I have been to the ER for the fourth time this year - about the tenth time in the last three years. I mean, really. I am getting sick of doctors and sick of no answers. But I am trying to remain faithful that God will take care of me and that soon everything will get better. It's hard - but nothing in life is ever easy. Goodness knows I have learned that this year.

All I want for Christmas is to be a healthy 25 year old and to get on with my life...anyone that can grant me that wish? Haha, I know, I know. But yes there is one person who can. God can :) So I will continue to pray for his guidance.

Best,
Joy