Dearest Family & Friends,
I just wanted to send a quick update to everyone. I am hoping to set up a facebook account to help better inform everyone in the facebook world on my progress. If there are others you know would like to receive my email updates please let me know so I can add them to the list. For those of you who may be getting this for the first time earlier updates are below.
I spoke with the neurologist yesterday and after he spoke with the Lyme Specialist they feel they should wait until after we have the results from the spinal tap before we decide on the course of treatment. It will most likely still be the IV antibiotic but we will wait and see what the results turn up. This means that the soonest I will start treatment will be mid-July...not what I was hoping for but I am trusting God that the timing is in His perfect plan.
In the mean time I have begun an aggressive nutritional approach which requires 6-8 carrot/green juices a day, lots of raw fruits & veg, B12 supplement, professional strength probiotics, rest, lots of water, exercise when possible, Vitamin D (sun exposure), and NO STRESS!!!. The goal is to boost the immune system so it can fight the bacteria from the disease. This approach has proven effective in fighting and curing stage 4 cancer patients, chronic illness, auto immune diseases (like Lyme), etc... and it is the approach Dan and I feel God has been leading us in. We have already been moving in this direction and following this plan in a less aggressive way for the last four months. We began studying this plan 6 years ago and have been on and off it ever since. We have seen its effectiveness first hand and now that we know I am fighting a bacteria we realize a more aggressive approach is needed.
This is the most aggressive approach we can take but we still understand that it will take time. Due to the severity and long term state of my illness we understand I may have to follow this aggressive approach for a year or two before my body is fully recovered. Once I am back to full health I will continue daily maintenance following all the same principle but less juice and supplements will be needed.
I expect to make a full recovery but I understand the time, commitment and discipline it will take to get there and stay there. Nothing worthwhile in life comes easily but I am happy to be a part of the process and aggressively fight this illness rather than be at the mercy of it! We thank God for His wisdom and His grace to guide us through and as we do our part we know He always does His!!!
My next step is the spinal tap on Monday (June 23rd) at 11:00am. The side effect we are most concerned about is the possibility of getting spinal headaches which are equivalent or sometimes worse than migraines. If you get them they usually start 24 to 48 hrs after the test and it can last for days or weeks. The doctor says I am more susceptible to getting them because of how thin I am but we are praying against it. I am planning to stay flat on my back for 48hrs after the test and drink lots of fluids which are the only things they say may help to prevent the headaches. I ask for your prayers next week that God would see me through this test with no side effects!!!! I will then have to wait 2-3 weeks for results.
I am currently back in bed. The last two weeks I have had to push myself to be involved in some very special events in my family and friends lives which I would not have missed for anything. I was so thankful for God's grace to be able to participate and I know that was a product of so many of your prayers for me. I do feel that it has taken a toll and I have been unable to walk much at all over the last three days along with continued pain and fatigue. So, back to bed until God says differently and we will trust that things will improve over time.
As so many of you are praying I thought I would attach a list of specific request to these emails as I know God answers specifically as we pray specifically. I will be in touch...thank you again for all your love and prayers!!!
Love,
Rebecca
Prayer Request:
*Continued healing
*No Side effect from the spinal tap / successful test in confirming diagnosis *Wisdom for the doctor's and Dan and I in the course of treatment *Strength for Dan as he daily takes care of me and the family while keeping up with my nutritional needs & balancing His ministry responsibilities *Happiness and contentment for the children during this time *Strength for my Mom who comes many times a week to help care for me and the kids and still struggles with her own chronic illness (asthma) *For YWAM NY and the All Access staff to be full of passion, strength and wisdom *Financial release as the nutritional and supplement regimen is costly / increase in monthly support to cover these cost
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