Update: More ticks, additional co-infections, and more

August 10, 2015 - Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle

Do you know what this is?

It is a tiny tick (on a piece of tissue) that was taken off of me.

Here below is an enlarged photo of a poppy seed-sized tick that was attached to my leg the other day. To the naked eye, this tick looked like a very tiny black dot on my leg, much like the photo above. But I knew better. I knew I had better check it out further. I’ll get to why this discovery was very disconcerting in a minute.

A few days before I saw that tick on my leg, I felt a pain on my back and tried to take a picture of it with my cell phone so I could enlarge it and see what it was. This photo is blurry, but it confirmed to me that there could be a tick attached to my back.

I was not at all happy by this discovery and asked my husband to quickly get it off of me with a tweezers. Since I am in the midst of being treated for Lyme disease as well as Babisia and Q Fever, (all of which are very bad and wreak havoc on our bodies) I was upset that I was now facing more trouble. I knew I needed to turn it right over to God and ask Him to help me.

I have been dealing with Lyme disease and co-infections for some time now (over twenty years). It has been quite debilitating at times. I’ve had Lyme disease at least four times. Those cases are documented with blood work. In addition, I have had co-infections which are just as bad or even worse. Just recently I needed to be in bed for about two weeks with high fevers, chills, and intense pain throughout my body and head. You can see my earlier posts about my situation here, here, and here.

So, you can imagine how upsetting it was to discover that I was bit with not one, but two new ticks!

Right after the first new tick bite I called my doctor to see what I needed to do. What if the new tick was carrying new infections? Should I get the tick tested somewhere? Do I need more medication? These and other questions raced through my brain. My doctor suggested trying to get the ticks tested. I had put the ticks each in plastic zip lock bags along with a wet cotton ball. The health department sometimes will test ticks.

While on the phone, my doctor reported to me the results of my latest blood work (that he drew just before putting me on my medications). He told me that I also had another infection in addition to the ones we were treating. It is called Anaplasma. I asked him what I needed to do for it. He told me that the three strong medicines that I am already taking will hopefully take care of it. I did a little research of Anaplasma and learned that one of the complications is to the bloodstream. One can get sepsis from this co-infection. I pray that my medicine is attacking the Anaplasma.

I have about another month of the three very strong medications to take (plus probiotics) and then the doctor and I will determine what is next. I am getting better, but am not 100% yet. It will take some time. But, I am very thankful for the progress. Thank you very much for your continued prayers.

Lyme Disease 101

As a very small “Lyme disease 101” lesson, I will mention that Lyme disease is caused by a particular kind of bacterium–a spirochete. Spirochetes are some of the most ancient bacteria on Earth. They have existed for billions of years longer than humans. They are very intelligent too. There are eight different kinds of these very active coiled worm-like bacteria. I’m sorry to say that their coiled form is what gets them inserted into their host’s (infected humans) organs and tissues. They simply corkscrew their way in and wreak their havoc! To date, over 200 different species in these eight genera have been identified thus far.

One way to describe the Lyme spirochetes is that they are opportunistic parasitic organisms which are highly intelligent and have extensive experience in promulgating themselves in the wild. They infect a variety of biting insects and are injected into new hosts in this way. Both the ticks and the hosts are essential in the life cycle of the spirochete. Humans, along with birds are now one of the major life forms that spreads the disease out of endemic areas.

I can tell you so much more about this intelligent bacteria that infects unsuspecting humans. But, I’ll just leave you with one more fact about them that really bothers me. The spirochetes are so smart that to preserve their lives, they can actually change their form to avoid the antibiotics, as well as can hide inside of cells where the antibiotics can’t reach them.

I’d like you to also be aware that many of the standard blood tests for Lyme disease and their co-infections are not always accurate. Trust your gut. If you are experiencing the symptoms (head ache, fever, joint pain, muscle pain, fatigue and more), insist on getting re-checked since sometimes it takes more than one blood testing to discover the positive result. I highly recommend that you see a Lyme disease doctor knowledgable in the disease. He or she will help you get the correct blood testing. Even though I live in Connecticut where Lyme disease was discovered, most of the doctors in my area do not know anything about Lyme disease! Or what they know is very limited or inaccurate.

We all need to be our own best advocates for our health. Lyme disease is a very tricky disease. If one has it and one does not take the proper antibiotics, one can become seriously ill or even die. Please take care of yourselves.

God bless!

Donna-Marie

A “sweaty” update!

July 14, 2015 - Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle

My post from Face book:

When someone starts talking about their sweat on social media they are either losing it or their life is an open book…

The past four nights have been interesting. I woke up each night totally drenched in a night sweat. I feel like I have been in a battle. One night it happened twice! I have sweated so much that I lost over 4 pounds in 4 days and that is with my trying very hard to replenish with fluids. I talked to my doctor last night to go over a few things and asked him abut the night sweats. He was very pleased that the medicine brought them on. I asked if I was getting rid of the dead bacteria through my perspiration. He said that it was absolutely happening. He said a major battle was being waged within me and the Babisia was being attacked big time. The other two tick-borne diseases and the walking pneumonia are being attacked too. But, the Babisia was the first one (based on the med. I started with). So, last night I blessed myself with an extra dose of holy water before I went to sleep to enter the battlefield again.

Today is a new day. Graces abound and Our Lord wants us to ask for them and to accept them use them. Thank you for your prayers! You are definitely in mine. God bless you and keep you!

Health update

July 12, 2015 - Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle

I posted this update on face book today:

I don’t like to draw attention to myself. Initially, I wasn’t going to share on social media about my debilitating illnesses, but many have asked and I decided I should tell you so I can ask for your prayers. And boy, am I overwhelmed by your generosity of prayers. It warms my heart. In addition, I am hoping that by sharing it could help others.
My fevers continue. But I am SO thankful that my fever came down yesterday. During the night and this morning it wasn’t as high as it has been for the past couple of weeks. And for the first time in a couple of weeks my heart wasn’t racing uncontrollably last night and this morning.
But the fever has continued along with the intense pain, burning feeling in my skin, heart problems, weakness, cough, lack of balance, sheer exhaustion, cramping muscles, joint pain, and more.
I’m realizing I’ve had the walking pneumonia for quite some time (based on blood work and symptoms). But I just chugged along pushing through because I didn’t have health insurance. My insurance had doubled in cost due to the “lovely” change from “Uncle Sam.” So, I lost the insurance.
And as for the tick borne diseases– I’ve been dealing with them for years–all new cases from new tick bites. I’ve been fighting for treatment due to ignorance and being misdiagnosed several times. I had to point things out to my doctors, disagree with their misdiagnosis of autoimmune diseases, etc. The blood work finally proved that I was right in several cases. I’m pointing this out to encourage others to fight for their appropriate health care. Do your research. Please don’t simply accept a diagnosis. And be aware that blood tests for Lyme and tick borne diseases may not show your positive diagnosis at first.

I’ve made the mistake in the past of trusting the test and then doubting myself thinking I must not have it then because this test says I don’t. Take care of yourself. Eat healthy and get exercise if you can. Protect yourself from ticks! I feel for the elderly and the very ill who just don’t know how or don’t have strength to stand up for themselves or question treatment.
One doctor was convinced I had Lupis and wanted to put me on a medicine that would slow down my immune system so the supposed autoimmune disease would stop attacking my joints. She based her “diagnosis” on my very high ANA count. I told her that I wouldn’t go on a medication that will slow down my immune system. I actually asked her, “Why would I want to go on that and slow down my immune system when I need it to fight this Lyme disease for which you are treating me? And don’t you think my ANA could be high because I am fighting Lyme? Is that possible?” She still thought I had Lupis. I said, “Let’s wait a month or a bit more and recheck my blood then. I bet the ANA will go down when my Lyme is treated.”
Well, guess what happened after I was rechecked? The doctor called me up and said, “You were right!” She was nice. I had another experience in which a PA was actually hostile toward me because I told her I thought I had Lyme (and I did!). And she refused to treat me. Unfortunately, the doctor from that office was away for a couple of days and I was stuck with this PA. I told her that I do not abuse antibiotics. In fact, I do not like to take them. But, I needed the antibiotic to get rid of the Lyme disease, I told her. I knew that the disease had progressed because I was experiencing some of the exact symptoms I had in the past when it had gotten out of control. This PA did not want to treat the WHOLE person.

She did not take any of my symptoms into consideration. She wanted to base her diagnosis on clinical (blood work) only. That is not what a good doctor or PA should do.

Anyway, what happened is that I ended up practically begging her to please prescribe the Doxycycline because I was convinced it would get even worse if I didn’t get on the medicine. She finally agreed to do so only IF I agreed to do another blood test. I said “GLADLY!” The next day her office called (she had the secretary tell me) and I was told that the blood test was POSITIVE for Lyme and that I should continue taking the antibiotic that the PA had prescribed. I thanked the woman and bit my tongue because I wanted to say, “You mean the medicine that I begged her to give me, the medicine she at first refused to give me?” But, what good would that have done? In addition, I was now on the antibiotic and I knew I was NOT going back to that office again.
Thankfully, I have just found a Lyme literate doctor who was recommended to me.
The three tick-borne diseases I am fighting now–Lyme, Babisia, and Q Fever are new cases from new tick bites. I have been dealing with tick-borne diseases for over 20 years.
For those who might not know, some ticks are only the size of a poppy seed and you can’t always see them on your skin. You usually notice after the area starts hurting from the bite and it’s usually too late then. The darn tick has done its damage and infected your body with disease which will attack every system of the body, wreaking havoc and causing serious harm. The longer you are made to wait for treatment (and this has happened to me due to blood tests that are not always accurate), the more devastating the damage to vital organs and systems.
I am going to start using an organic bug spray before I go outside. I don’t use poisons. Hopefully, I can ward off the ticks this way.
This update is by no means meant as a complaint about my situation. I am praying throughout these illnesses and offering it all to God. I believe that Our Lord can use our suffering in big ways, making it redemptive when we offer it lovingly to Him.
Though these symptoms continue, I am very hopeful. I see improvement in that my fever isn’t as high (right now) and I still have much more medicine to take. Each day, I pray will bring me closer to having all of this behind me and having strength again.
I am deeply thankful for your love, concern, and your many prayers. May God reward you!
I am hoping that I will get strong enough to travel to New Jersey the week of the 21st to present at the CMN that week. I believe that is very possible. With your prayers, it is.
This is turning into a book! But I thought I should fill you in.
God bless you and keep you. Thank you again. Please be assured that I am praying for you! ❤
PS In my last couple of posts I read your beautiful comments as I could, but believe it or not, I was too weak to click “like” on all of them. If I don’t “like” your beautiful comment it doesn’t mean I didn’t read it or that I don’t care. Believe me when I tell you that your comments and prayers warm my heart. And, I am praying hard for all of you.