Best Intentions
So I wasn’t sure what to write upon my return to the
blog. Which is why I’ve been dragging my
feet even though I started feeling back to my old self a few weeks ago. I had very good intentions, lots of ideas to
write about, and a lot of energy to see this succeed and then I started feeling
sick. I had a low grade fever, trouble
breathing, and my whole body hurt. I was
exhausted all the time and my memory was shot.
I could barely get out in the garden much less write anything about it.
Has anyone guessed what I came down with yet?
Got it now?
Lyme Disease.
I had a tick in my shoulder the very first day I planted my
vegetable garden. It couldn’t have been
there more than four hours. Surely that wasn’t
enough time for me to get it? We pulled
it out and moved on. I didn’t get any
symptoms until almost two months later and I never had a bullseye rash.
21 days on Doxycycline.
I still haven’t decided what was worse the medication or the
disease. The medicine made me tired,
sick to my stomach, and extremely sensitive to the sun. If I was driving anywhere and left my hands
exposed to the sun they would turn bright red in under 20 minutes. I would try and pick vegetables in the
garden and I could barely breathe by the end of one row of green beans.
Gardening was out. I let the garden go. Harvested when I could but I didn’t pick up a
hoe the rest of the season. I was able
to bring in a lot of my tomatoes and was able to can some tomatoes, make sauce, and one batch
of salsa.
The doctor’s told me to not be surprised if I didn’t regain
my energy until October and sure enough I’ve actually started feeling more
energetic and better the past few weekends.
I was able to clean up one flower bed and the walkway but I am very behind. This time last year I had pulled everything
in my vegetable garden. Now look at it.
 |
| It's been reclaimed by the yard at this point.... |
The one thing I have noticed is the strength is not returning to my hands. Even as I type I have to break often and stretch my hands. Hopefully with time I’ll be 100%.
And really I’m lucky.
I should recover completely and have no lasting effects. So my doctor tells me.
:: Fingers crossed ::
The real purpose of me writing this blog is to be a
cautionary tale. Don’t think that just
because a tick has only been attached for a short while that you’re safe. GO TO THE DOCTOR. Get tested.
Get antibiotics.
Every time you, your children, your significant other, your
animals come in from playing or working outside. CHECK FOR TICKS. My husband killed 18 ticks while out hunting
last weekend. Fortunately none were
attached but the problem is only getting worse by the year. So I reiterate one more time.
CHECK FOR TICKS.
For more information on Lyme Disease.
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