It’s not enough to just survive.

One of the most frustrating things about this illness is not knowing what triggers a crash.

It’s all guesswork! I started new meds, I visited a place that I believe had mold, the weather changes, moon changes, dormant disease popping up – my body reacts to all of this.

So we stop everything, hold all meds (can’t keep them down anyway), limit food and drink intake (same as meds), limit activity, purify the air, add oxygen, rest, rest, rest – oh yeah, and try not to become completely depressed in the process.

It’s ok to have a pity party, just don’t unpack and live there!

I’m feeling a little better each day – but it’s still hard, even after all these years, to not feel sad that this is life.

How to get through a crash:

• Remember it’s temporary – it will get better.
• Don’t stress – that makes it worse
• Focus on what’s going good – today I can take a bath, that’s my big activity and I don’t have expectations of anything more.
• Say no – it’s ok to tell people you can’t do something. You might have to take stock of what you’re involved in. Be realistic – prioritizing is critical. For me – God, family, health, everything else comes after that.
• Take the downtime to really rest, clear your mind, reset.
• As you improve, stay focused on getting better – don’t re-engage too quickly.
• Spend time in prayer – when I’m in a crash, I often fall asleep when I pray, but it’s always good to connect with God and let Him bring people to your mind who may need some added prayer.
• Catch up on reading or binge watching tv and movies. Yes – it’s ok!
• Ask for help. I’m the last person who should give this advice – but I’m gonna say it again anyway – ASK FOR HELP!

I admit I get side tracked on days I’m feeling ok. I want to be involved! I want to feel useful! And I put important health efforts on the back burner (sometimes I’m afraid if I do certain things – like sauna – it will trigger a crash).

I often go back and read through my own posts to remind me what I need to do – these are some I read this morning:

Stress & Anxiety

Wim Hof – Power Breathing

The People in Your Neighborhood

And on that note – if you are suffering, if you feel like you are stuck, if you feel alone in this journey – reach out! You can connect with me here or on social media – Connect with me

Join a Lyme group online, get involved with others going through what you’re going through. You might be surprised at how many of us there are out there.

God is still God.

God is still good.

To Him be the glory.