Co-conditions, accompanying illness, whatever you call them – sometimes the side conditions have more of an impact than the primary conditions.

We call it Lyme disease – but that’s not my problem. I sometimes wonder how much the bacteria that causes Lyme is even a factor.

My biggest problems right now are spine instability and overactive mast cells (think histamine).

Cranial Cervical Instability (CCI)

My entire spine has issues – the cervical is especially damaged, causing the tissues to be too loose to effectively hold up my head.

One doctor described CCI by saying “nothing good happens when you’re upright”. Yep – that’s it! Neck pain, back pain, tachycardia, shortness of breath, neuropathy, weakness, fatigue, throat tightness, etc etc etc.

Official diagnosis and treatment is complicated. I am working on getting in to see a neurosurgeon in Maryland who specializes in CCI.

This requires an upright, weight bearing MRI. Not a lot of those machines – 1 in the Bay Area – awaiting pre-auth from insurance.

In the meantime, I do traction at home, have a hard neck brace ordered and am looking for a craniosacral specialist. I honestly don’t understand what they do, but I trust my doctor so we will go find out and will let you know what I think.

Mast Cell Activation Symdrome (MCAS)

Mast Cells are all throughout the body responding to bacteria, parasites and allergens to create an immune response – when needed.

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People with MCAS have mast cells that are always active – responding at the wrong times.

This can cause a host of symptoms – rashes, throat closures, fatigue, digestive upset, cardiac abnormalities, joint & muscle pain to name a few.

This is often exasperated by stress – and we’ve sure had a lot of that.

Find Balance

Honestly – I’m really bad at balancing my illness against life. I over-do everything. I’m trying to learn to rest more – but if I feel even a little ok, I get up and I get things done.

So I understand if you won’t listen to me. But if you’re struggling with chronic sickness, it’s so important to put your health first.

My Lyme doc calls it the “island lifestyle” – move to a hut on a remote island beach and sit in the sun all day. Yeah – that does sound nice.

But it’s not realistic.

My life, my family, my world is centered on 5 acres overlooking a cattle field. We have jack rabbits and coyotes and foxes and skunks and birds and whole bunch of pups. That’s as close to the island life as I’ll get for now.

So finding other ways to reduce stress is imperative.

I’m not there yet – I guess that’s my New Years resolution. To reduce the amount of stress that impacts my health.

Happy New Years!

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